Thailand’s Unlikely Aircraft Carrier Sails On

[reader]

Although you don't hear a lot about it, Thailand has had an aircraft carrier in service since 1997. In addition to its role as a combatant vessel, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet is well suited to disaster relief and humanitarian missions, with the ability to serve as a forward base for helicopters and small boats and to receive casualties while transporting food and supplies. It saw duty in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and flooding incidents in Thailand. This article tells the story of the Navy's flagship as well as providing a brief history of naval aviation in the Kingdom.

From The Warzone

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/the-harriers-are-gone-but-thailands-unlikely-aircraft-carrier-sails-on

[JKane]

Fascinating, and they had it built for themselves, it's not second-hand.  Though they can't afford to operate Harriers from it anymore, now it's just a helicopter carrier with an inconvenient bow and questionable air defense.  

[PeterRS]

And in the meantime Thailand is proceeding with its purchase of three Chinese submarines!! The reason? Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have subs of their own! The Thai government mght have added that Myanmar also has two submarines - a second-hand one from China and one from India. Offers were made by Germany, South Korea, Russia, Sweden and France. China was chosen - because they were the cheapest!

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/explained/article/3176532/thailands-chinese-submarine-deal-why-it-stuck-limbo-and-will-it?module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article&campaign=3176532