22 October 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
A plan to buy Chinese boats has been put on hold by the Defense Ministry. Otherwise, it will change its course and buy a ship.
Sutin Klungsang, the defense minister, stated yesterday that the army now needs four more frigates.
If the power you acquire one more during the present fiscal year, it will have five battleships. The army will have six battleships if a submarine-to-ferret change deal can be reached, which is still little of its target of having at least eight.
Because the latter could not be outfitted with a German-made motor as Thailand had requested, Mr. Sutin previously stated that the navy would rather order an Chinese frigate.
The minister acknowledged that public opinion must be taken into account when making military sourcing decisions. The shift relates to establishing priorities and evaluating the project’s cost-effectiveness, he said.
But, if a change to the agreement must be made, justification for the change must also be provided.
In accordance with the original contract signed in 2017, Thailand was required to use a German-made diesel engine in an S26T Yuan-class Foreign underwater. Germany, however, forbids the use of the motor in Chinese military equipment.
Then China suggested using a Chinese-made website in the wedge, but Thailand objected, saying it wouldn’t be sufficient.
Previous military commander Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said last fortnight he would consider the government approves the use of a Chinese-made website after several rounds of negotiations with the Chinese side assuring the navy that the engine will be up to the task.
However, the government insisted on continuing to use the German website and requested a venture revision from the military.
The navy next made two suggestions: get a frigate that could fight submarines or buy an offshore patrol ship.
According to Mr. Sutin, he and the government decided on the fleet choice, which would cost 17 billion baht, or one billion more than the submarine option.
He claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang discussed the opportunity last week in Beijing. The Chinese area consented to take it into account.