PUBLISHED: 29 Apr 2024 at 18: 47
Following Mr. Sutin’s appointment following the most recent cabinet reshuffle, Navy Chief Adm Adung Phan-iam is again asking Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang to review the military’s underwater sourcing strategy.
” The defence minister has promised to finalise the talks ]with China ] on submarine procurement as soon as possible”, Adm Adung said.
According to a cause, Mr. Sutin will arrive in China in the following quarter.  ,
Adm. Adung reiterated his call for Mr. Sutin to “attach necessity to protecting the world’s sea territory and interests” after reiterating that the army had submitted its budget plan for the 2025 fiscal yr.
We want the government to give greater value to preparing sea fleets in order to safeguard the country’s maritime interests and country, he said.
Adm. Adung said the issue was n’t in the finances proposal for the 2025 macroeconomic year, but that he had previously said it might be in the budget request for the 2026 season. When asked if the army still plans to accept a ship in place of the two ships.
He noted that the military “has a very small fleet of warships” and that more ships are required to fulfill its responsibilities effectively.
After taking over as defense minister in September of last year, Mr. Sutin made the announcement that he would push for a frigate instead of the navy’s underwater procurement program.
The decision was made after a lengthy disagreement over the type of website to be installed on the boats Thailand had ordered. The navy requested a European motor for the submarines, but Berlin forbids the fitting of a German website on a Chinese submarine.
China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co ( CSOC ) offered to fit Chinese engines on the submarines, but the navy declined because the engines have yet to go through performance testing.
Mr. Sutin is currently pursuing a conclusion with China regarding the submarine-related alternative procurement program.
Prior to his earlier remarks, he had stated that China was open to the idea of purchasing a frigate or two offshore patrol vessels ( OPVs ) in place of a S26T Yuan-class submarine.
However, the CSOC, which has reportedly completed about half of the first underwater ordered by the military, expressed concerns about the swap plan.