Thailand to get submarines within six years, if Cabinet gives nod

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thailand to get submarines within six years, if Cabinet gives nod

By Jitraporn Senwong
The Nation

 

Jumpol

 

Thailand is poised to get its first submarines in six years after a wait of more than seven decades, to guard its vulnerable security and economic interests, the Navy said on Wednesday.

 

“We have not had any underwater safeguard mechanism for a really long time,” Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said. “The submarines’ mission is not only to defend and safeguard [security] but also to explore new things.”

 

The Navy has proposed to set aside Bt18 billion from the national budget to buy three Yuan Class S26 T submarines from China, but the proposal has been hanging fire for years. The Cabinet of the military-backed government of General Prayut Chan-o-cha, said it agreed with idea to have submarines but the approval to kick-start the deal has not yet proceeded. 

 

While the Cabinet approved the Army proposal to buy 10 tanks from China on Tuesday, the Navy’s plan is still awaiting a final nod.

 

A proposal on the Navy’s budget, to be committed from this fiscal year until 2023, has been forwarded to the Defence Ministry to be sent to the Cabinet. 

 

“It’s not my prerogative to speak of when the proposal will be looked at by the Cabinet,” Jumpol said. “The details of the procurement contract can only be revealed once the Cabinet gives the nod.”

 

The Kingdom has been without submarines since 1951, the year Thailand discharged four Japanese submarines from service.

 

Although the public has cast doubts over the necessity for such expensive hardware, the government believes the country is in dire need of these submarines because of increasing maritime threats elsewhere, Jumpon said.

 

For instance, he said, the South Korean Cheonan ship sank in 2010 but the causes remain unclear. In Sri Lanka, the now-defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam also built their own submarines to attack coastal ships.

 

Assistant commander-in-chief Admiral Naris Pratoomsuwan said the Navy had reasons to protect the maritime interests of the country, which has a strategically favourable location with enormous economic and energy potential. 

“Amid the growing influence of great powers, it is a challenge for Thailand to pursue its foreign policies,” Naris said. “And we know how to maximise maritime benefits,”

 

Commerce Deputy Minister Sonthirat Sonthijirawong also supported the deployment of submarines considering Thailand’s 3,000-kilometre-long coastline with maritime resources. 

 

“Our sea regions are connected and open, making it easy for external intrusion,” Sonthirat said. “Without submarines, we could lose lots of economic opportunities. This submarine deal should also be regarded carefully from an economic perspective.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311415

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-05

[surangw]

more tek they can't afford ( plan ahead) to maintain 

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said. “The submarines’ mission is not only to defend and safeguard [security] but also to explore new things.”

What new things? The amount of garbage floating in the Gulf? The amount of dead sea creatures from the aforementioned garbage? A few Rohingya trying to SCUBA dive their way to a new life?

I do not see a single justifiable reason given to pursue this insane purchase, at a time when Govt coffers are low, and the country has many, far more urgent needs.

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

he Navy has proposed to set aside Bt18 billion

It was 1 billion us$ so 35 billion baht.

 

Why do those numbers change every week?

[Sphere]

1 hour ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

“The submarines’ mission is not only to defend and safeguard [security] but also to explore new things.”

Atlantis, finding Nemo....hunting Dory, etc...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

In the meantime, I'm assuming they'll still get the little rubber ones to play with in their bath tubs...  

[NCC1701A]

“The submarines’ mission is not only to defend and safeguard [security] but also to explore new things.”

 

...yes like how to drown a bunch of Thai sailors. 

 

 

Early History (1775–1914)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarines_in_the_United_States_Navy

 

launching its first design, Holland 1, in 1901.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy_Submarine_Service

[smedly]

I think money spent on healthcare would be more appropriate

 

someone needs to stop this nonsense - Thailand does not need and never will need submarines, the only reason I can think of that certain people are pursuing this is that there are some shady backhanders and certain people stand to make a lot of corrupted money

 

Prauth (Chan) O Cha stop this nonsense .....................it really is stupidity beyond belief

[Goldbear]

I met a Thai naval officer on a bus this winter. He had already been training in submarines in Germany. 

[tracker1]

the government believes the country is in dire need of these submarines because of increasing maritime threats elsewhere WHERE news to me !

[DILLIGAD]

I met a Thai naval officer on a bus this winter. He had already been training in submarines in Germany. 

But that doesn't help the depth of water around Thailand not being enough for a submarine to dock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[klauskunkel]

That's all the military government ever wanted: submarines. That's why they they made the coup. Once they have the submarines, there will be elections again. In six years.

[Goldbear]

1 hour ago, DILLIGAD said:

But that doesn't help the depth of water around Thailand not being enough for a submarine to dock.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, I am not saying it makes sense. That's just what he told me. 

[mtls2005]

4 hours ago, Goldbear said:

I met a Thai naval officer on a bus this winter. He had already been training in submarines in Germany. 

The RTN built a submarine base and sophisticated training center in Sattahip ~ 2013/2014. 

 

They had tried buying used subs from Germany in the past.

 

They've been angling for subs since the unsuccessful coup, aka Manhattan Rebellion in 1951, which was led by sub-mariners. Needless to say, RTN sub-mariners were on the outs after that.

 

His Majesty Rama 9 was relatively vocal about the lack of need for subs. 

 

[leeneeds]

WAR , war war, spend spend spend

 

PEACE+ peace+ peace,  is FREE

 

If Thailand spent no money on these purchases would suddenly the country be taken over ?

would we all suddenly  give away are basic rights , 

a fool and his money are easily parted 

as this future episode is clearly a case

 

[Ricardo]

" “We have not had any underwater safeguard mechanism for a really long time,” Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said. "

 

and  ...  " after a wait of more than seven decades, to guard its vulnerable security and economic interests, "

 

So I have a question  ...  during those several decades, when the RTN has had only surface-ships but no subs, exactly what damage has the country suffered, which might have been avoided by having submarines ?

 

I suspect that the answer is none, but would be delighted to learn, just what the "underwater safeguard mechanism" would have been needed for ?

 

I would also point out that the previous (Japanese-built) submarine-fleet was absolutely useless, in deterring the Japanese invasion during WW2.

 

Meanwhile there are excellent infrastructure-projects waiting, like a 3rd-runway at Swampy or speeding-up the long-delayed track-doubling program of the SRT, where the economic benefits of the capital-spending would accrue to Thailand rather than another country.

 

Even at this late stage, the government should think carefully about their priorities, and about which spending brings more benefit to the country and economy as-a-whole.

 

And the RTN should stick to patrol-boats & other surface-ships, with which it has a lot more hands-on experience.  Aren't they already successfully guarding the nation's vulnerable security & economic interests ?

[wirat69]

10 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

In the meantime, I'm assuming they'll still get the little rubber ones to play with in their bath tubs...  

Who puts a rubber on their bath toy???

 

  

[Ulic]

I always wonder if these guys actually believe the words coming out of there mouths

or are they just hoping to fool the dummy general public.

[jollyhangmon]

3 hours ago, Ricardo said:

" “We have not had any underwater safeguard mechanism for a really long time,” Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said. "

 

and  ...  " after a wait of more than seven decades, to guard its vulnerable security and economic interests, "

 

So I have a question  ...  during those several decades, when the RTN has had only surface-ships but no subs, exactly what damage has the country suffered, which might have been avoided by having submarines ?

 

I suspect that the answer is none, but would be delighted to learn, just what the "underwater safeguard mechanism" would have been needed for ?

 

I would also point out that the previous (Japanese-built) submarine-fleet was absolutely useless, in deterring the Japanese invasion during WW2.

 

Meanwhile there are excellent infrastructure-projects waiting, like a 3rd-runway at Swampy or speeding-up the long-delayed track-doubling program of the SRT, where the economic benefits of the capital-spending would accrue to Thailand rather than another country.

 

Even at this late stage, the government should think carefully about their priorities, and about which spending brings more benefit to the country and economy as-a-whole.

 

And the RTN should stick to patrol-boats & other surface-ships, with which it has a lot more hands-on experience.  Aren't they already successfully guarding the nation's vulnerable security & economic interests ?

So true, my sentiments exactly.

But far too much LOGIC in your opinion/post, sir ... something that makes plenty of people here cringe  

[DILLIGAD]

So true, my sentiments exactly.
But far too much LOGIC in your opinion/post, sir ... something that makes plenty of people here cringe  

So true!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[elgordo38]

17 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

but also to explore new things.”

Here's hoping you find a treasure ship under the waves to help pay for these white elephants. In 6 years when you take delivery they will be obsolete with the universe speed that technology is moving at. Explore new things is this guy a relative of Chris Columbus? Reminds me of the mentality I had when I was six years old playing with rubber boats in the bathtub. 

Edited April 6, 2017 by elgordo38

[fish monger]

They will get these subs in six years that are how old already...? Not sure if I'll be around in six years to hear about the first disaster, but I'm sure there will be one.... maybe three...!

[worgeordie]

I thought this  was already a done deal, buy 2 get 1 free, 

then they said they were secondhand !,now its in 6 years,

those subs will be knackered by then,this deal has more

twists and turns than the road to Mae Hong Son.

regards worgeordie

[PETERTHEEATER]

18 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

“We have not had any underwater safeguard mechanism for a really long time,” Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said.

“We have not had any underwater safeguard mechanism for a really long time,” Navy spokesperson Vice Admiral Jumpol Lumpikanon said.

 

From the leading image it would appear that Vice Admiral Jumpol is a man so why give him the epithet 'Spokesperson'? He is a spokesman!

 

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Now I know why they have ordered wheels....

 

The gulf is relatively shallow: its mean depth is 58 metres(190 ft) and the maximum depth is only 85 metres (279 ft). This makes water exchange slow, and the strong water inflow from the rivers reduce the level of salinity in the gulf (3.05–3.25%) and enriches the sediments.

Gulf of Thailand - Wikipedia

[elgordo38]

40 minutes ago, fish monger said:

They will get these subs in six years that are how old already...? Not sure if I'll be around in six years to hear about the first disaster, but I'm sure there will be one.... maybe three...!

Not to worry it will rock your boat where ever you are. 

[Ricardo]

2 hours ago, jollyhangmon said:

So true, my sentiments exactly.

But far too much LOGIC in your opinion/post, sir ... something that makes plenty of people here cringe  

 

You're very kind, it's a character-fault (here, at least) which I would be pleased to own to, I just can't help believing that logic is somehow important when it comes to spending large sums of money or to running a country !

 

If this is about face, well then Thailand has nothing to fear IMO, it's a long time since WW2.

 

If it's about the submarine-training school at Sattahip, and senior officers, well it's cheaper to simply let them continue in their own bubble, where Thailand really needs underwater safeguarding.  Let them buy some sonar-sets and depth-charges, perhaps helicopter-carried from shore-bases or surface-ships, that would be much cheaper, wouldn't it ?

 

If it's about commissions, then at least buy something which is manufactured locally, so that there is some benefit to the Thai economy, no need to go to Germany or Sweden or China !  Perhaps invest in the airbase at Utapao, or build better port-facilities on RTN land there, I'm sure that creative solutions can be found.

 

Oh, and why does it take six years to build the first submarine, when it's an established design, and from a formidable manufacturing country like China ? 

[Srikcir]

12 hours ago, Goldbear said:

I met a Thai naval officer on a bus this winter. He had already been training in submarines in Germany. 

For nearly seven decades the Royal Thai Navy has maintained an active submarine division. Gives a new meaning to an "inactive duty station."

[jollyhangmon]

12 minutes ago, Ricardo said:

 

You're very kind, it's a character-fault (here, at least) which I would be pleased to own to, I just can't help believing that logic is somehow important when it comes to spending large sums of money or to running a country !

 

If this is about face, well then Thailand has nothing to fear IMO, it's a long time since WW2.

 

If it's about the submarine-training school at Sattahip, and senior officers, well it's cheaper to simply let them continue in their own bubble, where Thailand really needs underwater safeguarding.  Let them buy some sonar-sets and depth-charges, perhaps helicopter-carried from shore-bases or surface-ships, that would be much cheaper, wouldn't it ?

 

If it's about commissions, then at least buy something which is manufactured locally, so that there is some benefit to the Thai economy, no need to go to Germany or Sweden or China !  Perhaps invest in the airbase at Utapao, or build better port-facilities on RTN land there, I'm sure that creative solutions can be found.

 

Oh, and why does it take six years to build the first submarine, when it's an established design, and from a formidable manufacturing country like China ? 

... and again you hit the (logical ;- ) mark ... 

[Reigntax]

When they receive the subs, will Prayuth enact a law to limit how many can sit on the back while cruising?