New government can scrap sub plan, says Wissanu

[webfact]

New government can scrap sub plan, says Wissanu
By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said on Thursday that the new government could scrap the proposed purchase of a submarine if it did not see any necessity for the vessel.

 

The Cabinet has approved the purchase of one submarine from China for Bt13.5 billion, out of the total of three submarines proposed by the Navy.

 

The other two, if needed, would be tabled for Cabinet consideration later. A new government can consider the plan by itself and if it sees no necessity to have more, it can scrap the plan, he said.

 

Wissanu refused to confirm that the Navy proposed the purchase of two submarines with one bonus ship, saying it was up to the Navy or the Defence Ministry to clearly explain the deal.

 

Previously, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the purchase plan was for two submarines from China, while a third would be a bonus. 

 

The total budget for the purchase is set at Bt36 billion.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30313544

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-27

[mtls2005]

What "new" government?

[stubuzz]

The numbers keep changing. 1 for 13.5 billion or 2 + 1 free for 36 billion?

[clockman]

Not all plain sailing, Better cancel that new Mercedes?

[rkidlad]

Are they beginning to backtrack. 

 

A bit of advice for anyone wanting to keep credibility - always be consistent and predictable. Once you start backtracking you lose any respect you had. 

[brucec64]

New government? The fix is already in. The new PM and cabinet will be same as the current.

Sent from my SM-J710F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Nowisee]

Nothing like taking a sub for a cruise out into the deep blue.  Let's see how fast this mother will go... did you close the hatch?

 

Because really, is there a remote possibility that the thai navy is going to use underwater stealth to stop an attack by some foreign nations navy?    

It's almost too stupid to be funny.

what was it they said in the press release, “they [submarines] are not for battle, but so that others will be in awe of us.”

 

555555

[Ulic]

It would be a bold new government prim minister that would even consider scrapping this deal.

Like taking a bone from a dog. The Navy has been coveting new submarines for years.

[maoro2013]

12 minutes ago, Ulic said:

It would be a bold new government prim minister that would even consider scrapping this deal.

Like taking a bone from a dog. The Navy has been coveting new submarines for years.

Furthermore, depending on how this arrangement was made, Thailand could be in breech of contract, thereby further un-enhancing its international reputation and possibly be liable in a lawsuit.

[realenglish1]

Submarine shell game 

[jabis]

This a Schrödinger's sub deal now? :

[ratcatcher]

1 minute ago, jabis said:

This a Schrödinger's sub deal now? :

Schrödinger's ? That subject is deeper than these subs will ever go.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schrödinger's_cat

[jabis]

1 minute ago, ratcatcher said:

Schrödinger's ? That subject is deeper than these subs will ever go.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schrödinger's_cat

Yeah exactly what I was implying there  We don't know if the sub(s) exists' before the money either is off the coffers or then not, also the sum's keep on shapeshifting - a really transparent deal which has been both rubberstamped and at the same time this magical "new" govt could scrap it - TiT 

[ddavidovsky]

They're trying to play the issue down but that's only an indication that the subs will be bought.

 

Bangladesh recently bought two subs from the Chinese, and if Bangladesh have got them...

[Lucky mike]

McHale comes to mind.......

[Ricardo]

If the Thai navy needs to practise its sub-hunting skills, why doesn't it simply hold joint-exercises with some of its ASEAN  partners/allies, the same people it presumably wishes to "awe" with its skills ?

 

They might then identify a real need for more patrol-craft or sonar-equipped helicopters or land/sea-based drones, to protect the country against the perceived-threat to its maritime interests, and spend a lesser sum on more-effective vessels or systems ?

 

It's worth remembering that the lack-of-submarines has not been a problem, leading to a successful invasion by some aggressor, over the past 70-years, and indeed that the previous four submarines failed to deter (or even delay at all) the successful Japanese invasion during WW2 !

 

Certainly a future government might feel entitled to revisit this decision, and reappraise the bang-for-the-baht, which it represents !

Edited April 28, 2017 by Ricardo
poor spelling, yet again !

[sanukjim]

18 hours ago, clockman said:

Not all plain sailing, Better cancel that new Mercedes?

Hey Mr PM ,Go ahead and by it (while pocketing about 2.5 billion baht per submarine.Just think of the support from the public (they never read about the cost anyway) when you tie it up to the pier and let people go through it while charging them money as they do (triple price for farangs) Just as they have at San Francisco Pier 39. And hey yours will be even newer by about 50 years.PS: tell your Navy to sail it up the gulf of Thailand on top of the water for public and media viewing with you in the Conning Tower waving at the crowd (also you don't want to loose it by your inexperience Captains scrapping the bottom) .And hey you could put the "begging backpackers" to work ,scrapping the barnacles off the hull.

[12DrinkMore]

19 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Are they beginning to backtrack. 

 

A bit of advice for anyone wanting to keep credibility - always be consistent and predictable. Once you start backtracking you lose any respect you had. 

 

Maybe you could twitter Trump on that?

 

[PatOngo]

If they scrap the submarine deal, how can they guarantee the security of Yasothon and Mukdahan???

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

AFAICT, the supposed future new government is likely to be pretty much controlled by the same people who are running the current government.

 

Just re-arranging a few deck chairs on the top of the submarine... before it submerges....

[The Old Bull]

I suspect more than a little commision in the background. A brokers fee?

[phil2407]

If 1 sub 13.5 billion and buy 2 - get 3rd free so only paying 27 billion - where does 36 billion budget mentioned come from? 

[DrTuner]

15 hours ago, Nowisee said:

 

Because really, is there a remote possibility that the thai navy is going to use underwater stealth to stop an attack by some foreign nations navy?    

It's almost too stupid to be funny.

 

Yeah, that won't work, the sound of pokpok for the every-15-minutes somtam will be just about as stealthy as letting one rip in an elevator.

[sawadee1947]

20 hours ago, stubuzz said:

The numbers keep changing. 1 for 13.5 billion or 2 + 1 free for 36 billion?

Don't be so stupid. You can't count........You have also to add the tea money....

 

[mtls2005]

Thais, on Thai social media, are faithfully and reverentially quoting HRH Bhumibol Adulyadej's pronouncements from 2007 on the folly of submarines for Thailand. The 2006 Junta made a run at subs after that coup.

 

They are also questioning how this expenditure fits in to the "Principles of the Sufficiency Economy".

 

 

 

 

[elgordo38]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

The other two, if needed, would be tabled for Cabinet consideration later. A new government can consider the plan by itself and if it sees no necessity to have more, it can scrap the plan, he said.

Come on glasses who are you trying to fool. Next government means election when? and next government will look similar to the one in power now fat chance. 

[elgordo38]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

The total budget for the purchase is set at Bt36 billion.

 

Unless there is something wrong with my math 13.5 billion times 2 equals 27 billion with 1 sub free. The amount "set aside" is 36 million. Sounds like a glasses promotion I have seen here buy 1 pair get one pair 1 (without lenses) free

Edited April 28, 2017 by elgordo38

[Srikcir]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

the new government could scrap the proposed purchase of a submarine if it did not see any necessity for the vessel.

Is that because the funds have already "disappeared" into some military slush fund? Just buy the one sub for show & tell?

 

With the military armed with absolute power through Section 265 of the new constitution, in control of the Senate, the Ministry of Defense, the Permanent Minister of Defense and no doubt its loyalists in the House and Constitutional Court, what new government will dare oppose the military?