Thailand to upgrade fleet, chooses Chinese to provide three submarines

[gyrosman]

Why oh why oh why does Thailand need 3 submarines? I just don't get it!

Maybe there really are things in this world that we not supposed to understand? ... and that only beer has the answer

I just can not find any historical evidence or future perceived military threat where such a military weapon system could ever be of use to the LOS.

The only current threat where a submarine would be of proven use(though a massive overkill) would be in covert sinking of Rohingya Migrant boats. Surely not?

If they navigate like they drive that's funny.

[shaurene]

Well now I have heard the best joke in the world, stay under longer they probably need this facility as I bet within the first year at least one of them would be based on the ocean floor waiting to be rescued.

What the hell does Thailand want with Subs the bay is to shallow, no one with brains enough to command one or crew, they will never be trained enough.

[somo]

Will they be parked next to the Thai Aircraft Carrier ?

Don't be silly they will put them in Ocean World and charge people to see them in their natural habitat - farangs double of course.

[soalbundy]

I'll give them 2 years before they sink all three of the.

They are Chinese,they will sink themselves,no need for help from a Thai seamen but they will get it anyway

[Oziex1]

Actually if you read the owner's manual correctly, once the submarine is submerged in the ocean, it never comes back up.

Oh, the old Kamikazi sub.

Ability to surface is an optional extra.

[halloween]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

Targets of opportunity for who? Do you see foreign war ships posing a threat to ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners etc down in the salacious....uh, sorry, salubrious coastal areas?

Read the posts in order - that's first post then my reply (not this one, the other). If you still don't understand, get back to me and I'll try to get it down to single syllables.

[facthailand]

Since the Gulf of Thailand has a 58 meters mean depth and max depth of 85 meters I sure hope they can get the subs fully submerged. But with the subs Thailand will be able to secure the Gulf of Thailand...secure it from what I don't have a clue.

Useless for the east coast. What security do we need on the west coast? Use subs against the Rohingya? Now that the generals have their fingers in all sorts of long-term, costly infrastructure projects, we know that this is only about corruption. Corruption we'll be paying for for at least another generation.

[soalbundy]

maybe a case like the aircraft carrier with no aircraft, got three submarines but cant afford the torpedoes.That doesn't matter since they will never use them in a war scenario they can use pretend torpedoes.

[SupermarineS6B]

This could only be Thailand........ Able to stay under water longer...... Oh yes, much much longer ........ I've worked on Chinese machinery for years, and to tell you the truth, i wouldn't go on Lumpini park lake in a chinese made rowing boat, nevermind go down in a Chinese submarine....... Jesus ! You'd be better off buying a load of old scrap Diesel electrics from the scrapyards of the worlds navys, at least you know they work........... Ah well, looking on the bright side, there'll be a lot more artificial reefs soon...........

Edited June 26, 2015 by SupermarineS6B

[lounger]

I thought the coastal sea wasn't deep enough for effective use of a submarine. Dive dive dive, take her down another 30 cms.... in fact subs look cool and as fishery protection vessels they may be slightly (!) over kill but heck childrens toys should be cool...

[halloween]

Having shallow coastal waters has one distinct benefit for submarines, rescues are much easier. They could probably swim out, if they could swim.

Remember, on the way up, breathe out.

Edited June 26, 2015 by halloween

[SupermarineS6B]

Handy, once we're part of China in the very near future it's mix and match.

Funny when the Dutch wanted to help with the flooding problem they hired the Chinese. See how that works. It's also the Dutch that built one of the best submarines to date in this class. See?

If you want a submarine, you can't go too far wrong with a German Diesel/electric, quietest boat in the world.......

[overherebc]

I just wonder who the crews are going to be,will they put lady boys in them.

Whatever floats your boat.

Can you imagine the confusion when someone shouts 'prepare to go down lads'

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

In which rivers are they going to use them, as the gulf is too shallow ? Maybe one in the Mekhong and one based in Nakhon sawan

[fareastguy]

I hope the instruction manual "translation" goes well !!!!

[soalbundy]

An enemy wouldn't have to guess the depth charge setting, just one, shallow.

[rockyysdt]

maybe a case like the aircraft carrier with no aircraft, got three submarines but cant afford the torpedoes.That doesn't matter since they will never use them in a war scenario they can use pretend torpedoes.

This is not unique to Thailand.

British, Australian, Spanish, Japanese, and others all have/will have new carriers with no suitable fixed wing aircraft available.

[asdecas]

Letting Thais loose on submarines is not a well thought out idea, look how badly they have been getting on with helicopters for decades:

https://www.google.com/search?q=thai+helicopter+crashes&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=632&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=UiqNVaXeIs748QXypIPoBg&ved=0CBwQsAQ

[The Deerhunter]

Will they be parked next to the Thai Aircraft Carrier ?

NO. Under it!

[hhinhh]

A wise decission to purchse weapons from the most likely naval enemy. In case of any clash the supplier will surely have means to close down these vessels.

[Muirton]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

Who's "we"? Who are the "mercenary thugs"? You have a fondness for large statements and no evidence.

[Muirton]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

So where do you live which mercenary thugs are a problem? Just the other day you said you lived in QLD?

Short term memory loss again? I WORK for 6 months of the year in Qld, I LIVE in Thailand. Much of this situation is brought about by changes in the Oz pension regulations where residence is required for the last 2 years before claiming the OAP. By working 6 months, I become a tax resident, which makes it hard to dispute my residence status even if I am abroad much of the year. The money is nice, too, even if much less than I earned before becoming incapacitated.

No, mercenary thugs are not a problem on Samui TYVM.

"Incapacitated". As if we didn't know already.

[soalbundy]

Do not charge i phone while electric motors are running

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

The local Benz dealers will love this Submarine deal.

[MZurf]

But how will the Thai military use submarines against their own people? More guns, rubber bullets and wire ties would be more useful.

Let me guess, you live in Isaan. Down here in the more salubrious coastal areas, we have ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners, merchant marine and other targets of opportunity. OTOH, we see the military more as protection from mercenary thugs.

Targets of opportunity for who? Do you see foreign war ships posing a threat to ferries, fishing boats, cruise liners etc down in the salacious....uh, sorry, salubrious coastal areas?

Read the posts in order - that's first post then my reply (not this one, the other). If you still don't understand, get back to me and I'll try to get it down to single syllables.

Please don't trouble yourself. Your posts aren't that interesting anyway.

[Guest]

Actually if you read the owner's manual correctly, once the submarine is submerged in the ocean, it never comes back up.

The only possible humor in this, is when you discover that a submarine is used as an example in the definition of submerge.

Edited June 26, 2015 by Guest

[hawker9000]

I can understand perhaps wanting to build a credible coastal security capability, but how many coastal patrol craft could they have purchased for that much money? Vessels that could've operated in the Gulf as well as the Andaman Sea, actually could have served a useful purpose, and upon which a large portion of the routine upkeep could perhaps have been undertaken by Thais themselves...

[MZurf]

maybe a case like the aircraft carrier with no aircraft, got three submarines but cant afford the torpedoes.That doesn't matter since they will never use them in a war scenario they can use pretend torpedoes.

This is not unique to Thailand.

British, Australian, Spanish, Japanese, and others all have/will have new carriers with no suitable fixed wing aircraft available.

OK, but for more than a decade?

[CantSpell]

Thank god the army came & stopped the previous government from wasting taxpayers' money!

+1 Good one, made me lol, thanks

[smudger1951]

Where is this country headed to nowadays ? Who are it's potential enemies ? What is their position towards the dispute in the south China seas with other ASEAN member countries ?. Looks like Thailand is not allied with the US so much.