Govt Urged To Cancel Chinese Submarine Deal

[webfact]

Defence Minister Suthin Khlangsang with a Chinese-built S26T submarine in the background. Photo: Matichon

 

THE PHEU THAI-LED GOVERNMENT was yesterday (Jan.4) encouraged to cancel the navy’s Chinese submarine purchase deal since the Chinese shipbuilder has already failed to deliver it.

 

During a second day of floor debate on the 2024 budget bill, Move Forward MP Chayapon Sathorndee suggested Defence Minister Suthin Khlangsang to entirely scrap the contract earlier signed between the Thai navy and China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. for the 12.4 billion baht purchase of a Yuan-class S26T submarine for which a German-made MTU396 engine will be unavailable to install aboard.

 

Chayapon advised the Chinese submarine purchase deal be cancelled by the Thai navy once and for all since the troublesome boat’s delivery schedule has already been overdue for three months now.

 

The Chinese government had earlier encouraged the Thai navy to accept a Chinese-made CHD620 engine in place of the unavailable German-made engine for use with the Chinese-built submarine but commanding admirals have remained non-committal so far.

 

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

Top: Defence Minister Suthin Khlangsang with a Chinese-built S26T submarine in the background. Photo: Matichon

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-01-05

 

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[flyingtlger]

I would choose German made products over chinese made product regardless how cheap the chinese product every time without exception.

 

 

 

[2baht]

But.........the slings have already been distributed..........???

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

I would choose German made products over chinese made product regardless how cheap the chinese product every time without exception.

Not much choice wrt to phones though. 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

THE PHEU THAI-LED GOVERNMENT was yesterday (Jan.4) encouraged to cancel the navy’s Chinese submarine purchase deal since the Chinese shipbuilder has already failed to deliver it.

Good luck getting a refund..... moneys has already been paid-out.

[IAMHERE]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

MTU396 engine

Germans won't sell the engine to the Chinese. Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

Germans won't sell the engine to the Chinese. Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

Well, and in the meantime they can use the boats without the engine.....as pedal boats...😂😂😂

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Good luck getting a refund..... moneys has already been paid-out.

And spent here in Thailand by those involved in this fiasco.

[mfd101]

The usual chaos of Government decision-making in Thailand. Will they? Won't they? What about the brown envelopes?

[bamnutsak]

AFAIK Thailand has dropped the Frigate swap and is committed to the Yuan-class S26T with the Chinese CHD620 engine.

 

Backing out now has zero momentum.

 

 

 

 

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Germans won't sell the engine to the Chinese. Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

No and Germany's engine export limitations were already known PRIOR to Thailand's purchase. But for some reason Thailand expected Germany to breach the export ban and allow export of the engines. Thailand does not have the technical ability to manufacture its own submarines. 

 

[mfd101]

2 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

No and Germany's engine export limitations were already known PRIOR to Thailand's purchase. But for some reason Thailand expected Germany to breach the export ban and allow export of the engines. Thailand does not have the technical ability to manufacture its own submarines. 

 

Thailand doesn't have the technical ability to understand the reasons for the German ban ...

 

Note also that the Chinese were presumably well aware of the German ban in advance of the Thai order.

[Tropicalevo]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

but commanding admirals have remained non-committal so far.

Perhaps waiting for the final brown envelope payment?

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

I doubt if the Germans will sell to Thailand as the engines will be installed in a Chinese sub.

The Chinese engineers and copying experts would be all over the place if they did.

[Nickcage49]

Thailand with subs. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!!!!! Who are we going to war with?

[mfd101]

18 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

Thailand with subs. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!!!!! Who are we going to war with?

They're designed to torpedo any hopes MFP might have of forming a government.

[Photoguy21]

3 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Germans won't sell the engine to the Chinese. Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

Highly unlikely they would sell it to Thailand knowing the relationship between Thailand and China. They would probably build an engine for them if they specified what facilities they wanted but they would not install any equipment used by any country they currently build for.

Getting authorisation to export material which is of a military nature is horrendous to put it mildly and permission will only be given if the manufacturing government approves the deal and all the equipment to be installed. 

[brianthainess]

50 minutes ago, Nickcage49 said:

Thailand with subs. That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!!!!! Who are we going to war with?

Laos?         

[ignore it]

Thus it goes with the Thai Navy's hope for getting a boat that ends up underwater on purpose...

[cowellandrew]

I was disappointed he got wet each time it dived!

[Denim]

" Sawadi krap. Is this Chinese Navy headquarters ? "

' No....itsa airfarce ' 

" Sorry krap. I wang de wong ber '

' Sirriy iriot '

 

[NoDisplayName]

Can they ask for a discount if the sub lacks an engine?

 

They can just dock it next to the aircraft carrier without planes and the blimps without helium and the F-35's without weapons sytems and the............

[John Drake]

Absolutely must have the submarines here in Thailand. Otherwise, it's going to be difficult to explain the need for Chinese "technicians" and naval personnel permanently stationed in Thai ports and shipyards.

[NoDisplayName]

5 hours ago, IAMHERE said:

Germans won't sell the engine to the Chinese. Well maybe they'd sell it to Thailand and then it can be installed here in Thailand? Or deliver it to China to be installed there and driven to Thailand.

 

It appears the Chinese have relabeled the engine and gotten German approval.

Quote

the engine offered by China for the Yuan-class 226T submarine is, in fact, a licensed variant of the German MTU396 engine, known as CHD620. Despite initial setbacks where Germany declined to provide the MTU 396 powerplant directly as part of the submarine sale to Thailand, Admiral Adung unveiled that China had obtained licensing from Germany’s MTU to produce a modified version, termed the CHD620, intended for the Thai Navy’s submarine project.

 

https://militaryleak.com/2023/11/28/royal-thai-navy-discloses-chinese-submarines-engine-as-licensed-german-model/#

 

[NoDisplayName]

Apparently, the Chinese already have German production technology, so they can deliver a German-designed engine.

 

Quote

...MTU was a regular supplier of engines for Luyang III class missile destroyers through a licensed production plant in China until at least 2020....

 

...Yet, with the establishment of a joint venture in China in 2010, the head of the company known as Tognum at the time had noted deliveries of "marine engines for the Chinese navy and coast guard."...

 

https://www.dw.com/en/german-engine-technology-found-in-chinese-warships-report/a-59740301