South-East Asia (Page 987)

The government’s decision to procure a Chinese-made frigate to replace a submarine the navy ordered in 2017 will pose a significant challenge for the navy, especially given that numerous items have been procured to support the submarine plan.

HTMS Chang, a new amphibious transport dock ship

Commissioned in April, HTMS Chang was to be used to help HTMS Ang Thong until the construction of the 13.9-billion-baht S26T submarine was finished. HTMS Chang, also called a landing platform dock (LPD) ship, was intended to serve as a submarine tender. However, with a displacement of 20,000 tonnes and a seven-figure operating cost, the vessel spends more time docked than at sea.

First phase of a submarine dockyard and support facility at Laem Thian in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district

The first phase of the submarine dockyard and support facility, with a budget of 857.6 million baht, is said to be behind schedule by 200 days and is 50% completed. About 434.8 million has been paid to the contractors. It is expected to be completed in December.

Second phase of a submarine base and support facility at Laem Thian in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district

The second phase, with an estimated budget of 810.2 million baht, is about 50% complete and nine days behind schedule. About 379.7 million baht has been paid. It is expected to be completed in November next year.

Submarine maintenance depot, infrastructure and support system

Estimated to cost 919.7 million baht, the facility is about 40% complete and 280 days behind schedule. It is expected to be completed next April. About 403.1 million baht has been paid.

A testing facility with storage for torpedoes and mines

The facility was completed in July with a budget of 129.3 million baht.

A testing facility with storage for guided missiles

Construction was completed in July with a budget of 136.9 million baht.

Submarine communications, command and control system

A budget of 300 million baht was set aside for systems procurement, and 10.5 million baht was disbursed. It comprises radio comms equipment (70 million baht), to be completed next September, and strategic command and control equipment and system (230 million baht), procurement of which is expected to begin next year.

In summary, the support system for the submarine project is estimated to cost 3.15 billion baht, and about 1.49 billion has been spent.

A 20-man delegation was deployed to Wuhan in China but the officers returned to Thailand when construction of the submarine was suspended.

Some 44 officers have been recruited to be the submarine crew.

Govt fingerprints all over navy’s axing of deal with manufacturer in China, writes Wassana Nanuam

The Pheu Thai-led government’s decision to acquire a Chinese-made frigate instead of a submarine in the wake of problems and delays with the original purchase came as no surprise following Pheu Thai’s intense scrutiny of the scheme.

The submarine deal remained in limbo for months after it was revealed that China had failed to procure a German-made MTU 396 engine for the submarine on order and offered the Chinese-made CHD620 engine instead.

According to the original agreement signed in 2017, Thailand was to use the German-made engine in an S26T Yuan-class Chinese submarine it ordered from China. However, Germany now forbids engines made domestically from being used in Chinese military hardware, so China proposed that a Chinese-made engine be used in the submarine.

After several rounds of negotiations and assurances that the Chinese engine would be up to the task, former navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said before his retirement, the navy was prepared to recommend the Chinese-made engine.

As it turned out, the government decided not to proceed with the submarine procurement and proposed to buy a Chinese-made frigate as an alternative.

Considering Pheu Thai’s criticism of the purchase when it was in opposition, it was foreseeable that the project would not see the light of day upon coming to power.

“There has been no order from the government or the Pheu Thai Party. It is a solution worked out by the Defence Ministry and the navy,” Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang said.

However, a naval source said the frigate proposal was drawn up following the meeting between Mr Sutin and the navy. To avoid being associated directly with the party, Mr Sutin reportedly instructed the navy to explore alternatives if the submarine deal could not go ahead, the navy source said, which was confirmed by a source in the Defence Ministry.

According to the naval source, the navy, therefore, came up with two proposals — one was to buy a Type 054A Jiangkai II frigate, and the other was to purchase a Corvette Type 056 Jiangdao offshore patrol vessel (OPV).

However, the navy already has seven frigates in its fleet, with the Prayut Chan-o-cha cabinet approving its plan to acquire a new one with an estimated cost of 17 billion baht in the 2024 fiscal year.

While the new frigate project is not yet finalised, South Korea is said to be high on the tentative list of suppliers. The navy’s seventh frigate — HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej — was built by South Korea under a budget of 14.9 billion baht and commissioned in January 2019.

According to the source, the submarine is essential to the navy’s strategic and defence capabilities plan, although the number is reduced to one from originally three. China is obliged to take responsibility and compensation for its failure to fulfil the contractual requirement.

The navy had held talks with China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC), which is contracted to build the submarine under a government-to-government agreement, but the firm could offer only free spare parts for eight years and free training.

If the government agreed with the change from the German-made engine to the Chinese-made engine, it would have been expected to lobby China to hand over two second-hand submarines to Thailand for training as it awaited the purchased submarine’s completion and delivery in about three years.

“CSOC never responded to the second-hand submarine request, so that issue would have needed to be handled by the government. The second-hand submarines are part of the Chinese navy fleet, not owned by the firm,” said the naval source.

It is possible that the Pheu Thai-led government will consider a new submarine acquisition scheme after Mr Sutin expressed his interest in a German-made submarine under a barter trade agreement, the source said.

Mr Sutin’s decisive role in scrapping the Chinese-made submarine deal has several political analysts reassessing the defence minister and his role in military affairs, particularly military reforms.

The S26T Yuan-class submarine was originally due to be delivered to Thailand this year, but the pandemic had postponed its delivery to next April.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) have set up a joint committee to supervise a walkway project to link tourist attractions along the Chao Phraya River on the Thon Buri side.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said that BMA plans to build a riverfront walkway connecting Wat Kalayanamit Woramahawihan to Wichai Prasit Fort, located in an RTN compound.

After a meeting with the RTN chief Adm Adung Phan-iam, the governor said the two parties will discuss walkway construction next week.

Besides the old fort, the RTN also houses another historical attraction, the Thon Buri Palace of King Taksin the Great.

The RTN understand the need for the project as it will facilitate tourists, but RTN also need to preserve their office zone from outsiders, said Mr Chadchart.

The Fine Arts Department will also join the talk as the walkway construction will occur along the historical sites.

The governor said the walkway project would start from Wat Kalayanamit Woramahawihan and cross the Bangkok Yai Canal to Wichai Prasit Fort. After that, tourists can walk along the Arun Amarin Road to other touristy spots, including Wat Arun and Wang Lang Market.

In addition, tourists can walk from Wat Kalayanamit to the Phra Pokklao Sky Park.

Mr Chadchart said the walkway design is set to be completed by the end of this year.

He also said the BMA plans to build a promenade along the Klong San to connect the Santa Cruz Church, the Princess Mother Memorial Park and Tha Din Daeng Road in Klong San district.

The BMA has already improved the landscape in the Kudi Chin community where the Santa Cruz Church is located by renovating an existing walkway, installing street lamps and planting gardens.

Wan’s hostage talks a success, Iran rep says

Recent negotiations with Iran have gone smoothly, with the Palestinian militant group Hamas poised to release all Thai hostages immediately, according to Saiyid Sulaiman Husaini, leader of an association of Shia Muslims in Thailand.

Mr Husaini provided an update on Friday on the progress of the negotiations, saying the team formed by House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha arrived in Tehran and launched into talks with Hamas at 10am local time on Friday.

The team is being led by former Narathiwat MP Areepen Uttarasin and Lerpong Syed, Mr Husaini’s brother.

The majority of Iranians are Shia Muslims, whereas most Palestinians and Hamas militants are Sunnis.

Iran is believed to be supporting Hamas with funds, weapons and training in its ongoing war with Israel.

Mr Husaini reportedly has a strong reputation and wields considerable influence among Shia Muslims both in Thailand and in neighbouring countries.

“(Friday) morning, the negotiations went smoothly. But details cannot be disclosed until the negotiation is concluded,” Mr Husaini wrote.

“Hamas has given a signal to Thai representatives that it will release Thai hostages immediately when the situation is safe as they claimed that Israel is attacking all sides of the Gaza Strip (in a bid to) to sacrifice foreign hostages to discredit Hamas.”

Khampee Disthakorn, a spokesman for the House speaker, said Mr Wan was negotiating with parties on all sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict, regardless of their religion, to help release all of the Thai hostages.

His scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia next Friday has now been postponed, however, after the Saudi government said it is not ready to welcome guests amid the ongoing war.

Separately, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin refuted a report on Friday claiming that 54 Thai nationals are among the 220 hostages being held in the Gaza Strip.

“I have checked and verified the situation with our Thai ambassador in Israel, as well as with security agencies, and they confirm that 18 Thais are being held. The number 54 may be the result of some sort of confusion,” he said.

Reuters quoted the Israeli government mid-week as saying the number was 54.

Mr Srettha also referred to the issue of Thai workers whose salaries have not been paid and who wish to return home.

He said he had spoken to Orna Sagiv, Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, and the salaries will be paid as soon as they leave the country.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kanchana Patarachoke said the current Thai death toll from the conflict stands at 33, with 18 others injured and the same number held hostage.

So far, the remains of 15 Thais have been returned to the kingdom, she said, adding that 4,771 Thais have returned to Thailand on 23 government-sponsored flights.

At least 40 Thais who enrolled to study at the Arava International Centre for Agriculture Training in Israel have returned to Thailand, while 75 others wish to remain in the country, she said.

She advised those who are staying there to make safety their top priority, recommending they return home first and reconsider their options.

Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry would not send Thai workers to resume their jobs in Israel until the war has ended.

Mr Phiphat urged Thai workers to enjoy some rest with their families in their home provinces while the Employment Department negotiates with Israel on how to allow them to resume working there once the situation returns to normal.

Israel has decided to extend for another year the work permits of those whose contracts have ended, Mr Phiphat said.

The ministry is also in talks with South Korea and other countries in Europe, as well as Australia, to see if they have demand for Thai workers with expertise in agriculture, he said.

Some countries have already informed Thailand that they wish to recruit Thai workers for fruit picking or farm jobs, he added.

Mr Phiphat said the ministry will compensate Thai returnees from Israel to the tune of 15,000 baht each. It will seek a bigger budget from the cabinet next week, he added.

Myanmar actively backs crackdown

The Foreign Ministry has successfully helped 153 of 219 Thai nationals who fell victim to a human trafficking ring in the northern Shan State of Myanmar.

According to Kanchana Patarachoke, the ministry’s spokeswoman, the rescue followed reports filed with Thai authorities by the families of the victims, which said they had been lured to work in Myanmar in Laukkaing, in the northern part of Shan State. All reported having been assaulted by their employers.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon has been in contact with related sectors regarding the rescue of Thai labourers who were lured by a criminal gang to work in Laukkaing sometime earlier this month, said Ms Kanchana.

Of the 153 Thai nationals who reported being safe, 120 are under the care of Myanmar authorities, 22 are waiting for officials at a hotel, and the other 11 are at the local police station, she said.

In the meantime, information regarding another 107 Thai nationals who were said to have fallen victim to a similar trafficking ring in Pyay, the principal town in Bago district, and the city nearby Laukkaing was reported to the ministry, according to Ms Kanchana.

Myanmar authorities have recently offered to assist with rescuing human trafficking victims of various nationalities.

One such operation, said Ms Kanchana, included the suppression of call centre scam gangs, in which Myanmar is working together with Chinese authorities.

With that said, Ms Kanchana said that the rescue process actually takes time and requires following Myanmar’s legal process.

Thai nationals were lured into working in Myanmar illegally and fell into trafficking scams in various forms, with the same promises of reasonable jobs and wages.

Thai authorities aim to help all of those returning to their motherland, said Ms Kanchana.

Regarding the Laukkaing area, Ms Kanchana said that the ministry, the Department of Consular Affairs, and the Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon had informed those not to succumb to the lure of working in this self-administered area as the region is riven with internal conflicts and foreigners had, until recently, been banned from entering the country.