B22.5bn sub buy gets nod

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Money should go on Covid aid, say critics

House subcommittee scrutinising the budget bill for the fiscal 2021 approved the navy's controversial procurement of two submarines worth 22.5 billion baht from China, though not unanimously.

Critics of the defence spending are ramping up the pressure by demanding a review of the armed forces' weapons procurement plans including those on the submarine purchases so more money could be saved and injected into efforts to help solve the country's economic problems caused by Covid-19.

Yutthapong Jarassathian, a Pheu Thai Party MP and deputy chairman of the subcommittee under the House committee on durable product items, state enterprises, ICT equipment and revolving funds, told a press briefing yesterday that the subcommittee considered the Royal Thai Navy's (RTN) budget request for the purchase of the two submarines for a second time.

In the first meeting, the subcommittee had to put the matter on hold because it could not decide whether to allow the RTN to buy the submarines, Mr Yutthapong said.

The RTN told the subcommittee that it has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to buy three submarines from China, he said.

According to the RTN, the purchase of the first submarine was already completed, using the money from the 2017 budget, and it will be delivered in 2024, he said.

However, at Friday's meeting, the RTN showed the MoU for the purchase of the first submarine to the subcommittee, but the document does not say that Thailand was obliged to buy the other two submarines, Mr Yutthapong said.

 

[Guest]

I wonder which countries Thailand perceives as a threat sufficient to justify all this military spending ?      

China seems to be the most aggressive military power in the region, so buying subs off them wouldn't make sense, just in case they have some way of hacking all the electronics.  

[vinapu]

6 hours ago, z909 said:

I wonder which countries Thailand perceives as a threat sufficient to justify all this military spending ?      

 

Brunei, Maldives and Timor Lest I guess not to mention that great naval power of Laos

[reader]

NOTE -- Thailand hasn't had a submarine force since 1951 but the navy never gave up hope, maintaining the submarine division for seven decades without ever having an actual submarine in the fleet. In 2013, a new sub base was completed at Sattahip.  The following article describes the history of the submarine in earlier years (1934-1951), providing a wealth of history about then Siam and later Thailand.

From The Combinedfleet.com

History of Royal Thai Submarines in World War Two

© 2016 Bob Hackett
Revision 2

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Thailand was one of the Axis states which assisted Japan in World War II. On 8 December 1941, Japanese forces invaded southern Thailand, but resistance lasted only a few hours before ending in a ceasefire. On 21 December 1941, a mutual offensive-defensive alliance pact between Thailand and Japan was signed.

On 25 January 1942, the Thai government declared war on the United States and Britain. Thai Lt General Jarun Rattanakun Seriroengrit's Phayap (Northern) Army invaded and occupied northeastern Burma, which was former Siamese (Thai) territory that was annexed by Britain much earlier. Thailand then proceeded to annex territories in neighboring countries, expanding northwards, southwards and eastwards, and gained a border with China.

The official policy of the U.S. Government (USG) is that Thailand was not an ally of the Axis, and that the United States was not at war with Thailand. Since 1945, USG policy has been to treat Thailand not as a former enemy, but rather as a country which had been forced into certain actions by the Japanese. Thailand has been treated by the United States in the same way as such other Axis-occupied countries as Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Poland and the Netherlands.

In 1934, Admiral Sindhu Kamalanavin, then Chief of Staff of the Royal Siamese Navy (RSN), led a warship-procurement project which was approved by parliament in 1935. The proposal included a 6.9 million-baht budget for three submarines the Navy wanted to protect Siam's almost 1,000 mile long coastline along the Gulf of Siam from foreign incursion, most notably by the colonial French colonists. The Siamese lacked domestic capability and the experience needed to build such vessels, so in October 1935, the RSN opened international bidding for the three submarines. Bidding was was won by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, which offered a price of 820,000 baht each for four boats and terms including technical training of prospective officers and crews in Japan.

In 1936, the RSN let a contract and purchased four submarines for delivery in 1937. Siamese navy officers and sailors were sent to Japan to be trained to operate the submarines by Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) personnel. On 31 May 1936, the first group of about 40 officers and men departed Bangkok aboard NACHISAN MARU, the Mitsui Line's first passenger liner. On 12 June 1936, they arrived at Kobe. [1]

In May 1936, two 374.5 ton submarines were laid down at Kobe based on a private Mitsubishi design. Both were launched on 24 December 1936. In May 1936, two more such submarines were laid down at Kobe. Both were launched on 14 May 1937.

From 13 June-25 October 1936, the Siamese sailors were billeted and trained at the Funabashi Elementary School in Tokyo. There the prospective Siamese crews underwent submariner training by the IJN in Japanese language training, gymnastics, Kendo martial arts and naval infantry training. On 15 September 1936, the trainees visited Yokosuka and the decommissioned IJN MIKASA, flagship of Admiral Togo Heihachiro throughout the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. [1]

On 25 October 1936, they embarked by train from Tokyo, arriving the next day at Kobe where Mitsubishi had constructed a wooden submarine model for training purposes. IJN Captain (Vice Admiral, posthumously) Yatsushiro Sukeyoshi (40)(former CO of RO-61, I-63) was their Chief instructor.

On 19 April 1937, another 41 officers and men departed Bangkok, Siam on 4,433-ton liner NACHISAN MARU. They arrived at Shiminoseki, Japan in May 1937 whereupon they embarked by train for Tokyo. [1]

On 4 September 1937, all four submarines were completed and delivered to Royal Siamese Navy. MATCHANU and WIRUN then underwent testing for several weeks including torpedo firing in Kobe Bay. Thai Submarine Day is now observed on 4 September.

Continues with photos

http://www.combinedfleet.com/Royal%20Thai%20Submarines.htm

 

[reader]

From Channel News Asia

Thailand delays US$724m China submarine deal after public anger

BANGKOK: Thailand delayed on Monday (Aug 31) its US$724 million purchase of two submarines from China, following public outrage over the controversial deal as the kingdom's economy flatlines due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Under a 2015 deal, Thailand was one of the first countries to buy Chinese naval hardware and finalised its purchase of three submarines in 2017, with the first one expected to be delivered in 2023.

An order for two more for 22.5 billion baht (US$724 million) was approved earlier this month by a parliamentary sub-committee - a move which drew public outcry as Thailand struggles with a freefalling economy.

Angry Thais took to social media to criticise the deal, and the hashtag "People don't want submarines" trended on Twitter.

Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri announced Monday Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha - also defence minister - had "requested the navy to consider a delay" in the purchase of the two additional submarines.

"The navy will negotiate with China to delay for another year," Anucha told reporters.

[reader]

After a long absence from the headlines, the news returns to Thailand's efforts to acquire two new submarines from China.

From the Pattaya Mail

Thailand may scrap Chinese submarine deal if no German engines available

Government officials have warned that a massive government-to-government submarine procurement deal could be scrapped if China is unable to fit the engines specified in the purchase agreement.

The officials were responding to questions from reporters after it was reported that a German company had refused to supply MTU396 diesel engines to China for use in the S26T Yuan-class submarine being built for the Royal Thai Navy.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said he had instructed the navy to do everything possible to complete the deal, but acknowledged that the contract would be terminated if China failed to meet the terms of the agreement.

The premier insisted, however, that any cancellation would have no impact on Thai-Chinese relations and that both sides were working closely to resolve the issue.

The submarine’s engines were to be supplied by Germany’s MTU under the terms of the agreement, but the company was unable to sell them due to an embargo because they are classified as military/defense items.

Navy spokesman Vice Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin said the Navy will hold talks with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) this month to resolve the issue.

CSOC had reportedly requested that the terms of the contract be changed to allow for Chinese engines of comparable quality, such as the MWM 620, but the navy says it is sticking to the original contract. (NNT)