Thailand's Military Needs to Boost its Amphibious Capability
By Grant Newsham

The country needs a more robust capability. Here’s how it can achieve it

BANGKOK: -- As Indo-Pacific nations build up their naval power, submarines, cruise missiles, aircraft carriers, jets, and frigates get the most attention. However, an underreported but significant regional trend over the last five years is widespread interest in amphibious capabilities.

Japan and Australia have created rudimentary amphibious forces, and New Zealand is working to develop one. Malaysia has publicly stated it wants a Marine Corps and even the small, remote Maldives has established a Marine Corps.

Apart from this, Asia also already has a number of Marine Corps or amphibious-capable ground forces. The ROK Marine Corps is one of the oldest and most capable, though largely tied to the Korean peninsula. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a large Marine Corps, and as the PRC pursues its territorial expansion strategies it understands the value of amphibious forces and is rapidly building new amphibious ships.

The Indonesian Marine Corps is expanding, while the Philippine Marines are working to upgrade their force. India has amphibious-capable forces, even though they lack adequate funding and focus, and Singapore is looking to improve its amphibious capabilities. Bucking the trend, the competent Taiwan Marines have been pared down in recent years – to the point where they may eventually be ineffective.

Full story: http://thediplomat.com/2015/09/thailands-military-needs-to-boost-its-amphibious-capability/

-- THE DIPLOMAT 2015-09-29

I got called about 5 years ago to troubleshoot a problem with some brand new RTMC trucks.

They had been out on Cobra Gold & got resupplied (drums of diesel fuel) by the RTN.

The fuel was about 10% salt water.

Injection pumps don't like salt water.

As they were new, nobody had figured they'd need any spare parts for a long long time, so they had to wait a while to get new pumps.

Next fiscal year is how long because at the time, they "no hab budget".

Wow! Talk about a propaganda article. How can they compare Thailand with Japan and Australia or even with Korea? Do they really believe they are not a third world country now and have a desperate need to have the same things as those other countries? Big heads is all they have.

How about heeding the wisdom of Kings Philosophy Sufficiency Economy. Prayut loves telling it to the poor but not to his own government ...

And how did you & your family acquire all your wealth mr prayut !?

Maybe increasing amphibious capability will become part of official policy to deal with flooding.

It would be easier to implement than proper planning and investment and would give the military some new toys to play with.

Unfortunately our hovercrafts are full of eels.

A good propaganda ruse for the army generals to fill their pockets.

too mutt money to play with ?

no skills & expensive dangerous toys = dangerous combination

Thai military is returning itself to happiness....Welcome to camp Thailand

Swimming lessons?

This is just in case the submarines get turned down, can we have some hovercrafts then?

Stay tuned to in depth reporting on who really benefits from this..........kidding of course

Thailands looking more and more 3 rd world everyday which is not surprising considering its run by third world army generals.

Some years back a unit of Laos soldiers came over the border and kicked the <deleted> out of the sleepy Thai soldiers and disappeared back over the border.

Thais never knew what hit them. useless.

What are they going to do with subs and aircraft carriers ? They dont have the trained staff to man this advanced equipment.

"Thailand's Military Needs to Boost its Amphibious Capability"

Actually, Thailand's military needs to boost it's democratic capability.

Swimming lessons?

rubber tubes.

Guys -- this is why they are buying submarines. Thai pilots will end up grounding the subs -- you know how Thai drivers are, especially around Songkran -- then the marines will rush out and declare ,

"We did that on purpose."

Viola! Thai-style amphibious assault, against amphibians more than anyone else.....

Who exactly is the Thai military going to use these amphibious vehicles against? Burma? Lao? Cambodia?

Well I believe, if following " We want it custom ", they should order 500

amphibious vehicles, build 8 multiple billion Baht traing centers, appoint 6more Admirals to over see the next big dormant military operation ! A

welcome companion to the carrier aircraft pilots/airship techs/submarine

sailors groups who are hard preesed now in defending the Kingdom from ? ? ?

Some amphib capability makes infinitely more sense for Thailand's navy than the ridiculous submarines. It's inherently multi-mission, very compatible with disaster relief & humanitarian aid efforts, and doesn't necessarily translate to extravagant big deck acquisition. Unfortunately, this article is just an informed observer's 2 cents, not any expression of actual Thai interest or intent. Amphib isn't the kind of bling Thais are instinctively drawn to.

So they need yellow submarines on wheels?

Unfortunately our hovercrafts are full of eels.

Obscure comment to some but I have the right education to understand it. Cheers

Lots of second hand jet skies for sale in Pattaya.

The long range weather forecast for Thailand indicates severe flooding in the years to come.

An amphibious capability is NOT part of a defensive strategy for other than for island and peninsula nations to be used repel entrenched invasion or interdict criminal forces within its inaccessible coastline boundaries. From that perspective Thailand has little or no need for an amphibious capability. I doubt Prayut is considering using amphibious resources against Thailand's muslim South. Heavy lift rotary-style equipment and troop carriers should suffice for internal security needs to remote areas of the nation.

An amphibious capability otherwise is part of an offensive strategy used to project a nation's sovereignty outside its geographical boundaries. Thus, its deployment would be part of an expeditionary or humanitarian strategy. Unless the Junta has imperial designs on its ASEAN neighbors, there is no immediate justification for such capability. Lack of amphibious capability might also forestall China requesting its use under the Thailand-China Security Agreement in actions supporting China's regional political interests!

However, Thailand can with amphibious capability contribute to the stability and security in concert with other nations and UN initiatives as a developing industrialized member in the Indo-Pacific and global regions. But with no current amphibious capability and the nation's current economic priorities for infrastructure and social investment, funding for any amphibious capability should be a very low priority.

Thailand need to start rethinking all of it's military needs! Today it's a big operation with to many players, as you say "High quantity but low quality" for comparison Thailand had 1,750 flag officers compared to about 1,000 flag officers in the US armed forces 2013!

And much of the equipment that they have is old, outdated or just poor quality due to corruption.

What they need to do to reform them self:

Specialization of units. Highly trained/specialized units like SAS, USMC and Spetsnaz are what's needed for the future of infantry but most of the Thai army is low educated/trained riflemen.

Specialist training. I had the opportunity to join my students in the Army Reserve one time and I realized that: 1. It's not much real training. 2. I'm a better marksman and know the HK33 better than their instructor!

A mayor overhaul of the equipment. Small arms in use today: 3 different pistols, 4 different SMG, 11 different assault rifles and 8 different machine guns. 11 different howitzers and so on

And last but not least a BIG reduction of flag officers.

When I saw the title I thought they were planning to put wheels on the submarines. It seems that I was misreading the intention of the powers that be.

Oh c'mon folks -stop all this criticism. How are the "suppliers" and the decision makers going to get rich? No matter if there is no justifiable use for many of these purchases - it is all about money and face! This is official corruption?

I think "un-official" corruption is what the P.M. told the U.N. it is against - for the benefit of the world and happiness of Thai peoples

Maybe increasing amphibious capability will become part of official policy to deal with flooding.

It would be easier to implement than proper planning and investment and would give the military some new toys to play with.

In Lamlokka District of Pathumtani. The Army Rangers and Special Forces took good care of us. They came around in 12 man assault boats, and provided food and medical assistance every two days. More people would have died, if it had not been for the Army.

Before they invest in submarines Thailand needs better security cameras...

A submarine with a tracking device needed.