PUBLISHED: 04:00 on September 15, 2023.
According to Adm Pokkrong Monthatphalin, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Navy( RTN ), the auction was canceled in order to save HTMS Sukhothai due to the lack of sufficient bidder documents.
He was responding to Jirat Thongsuwan, a Move Forward Party MP for Chachoengsao, who stated on Wednesday that an administrative with ties to Gen Songwit Noonpakdi’s coming defense forces commander was involved in the bid for the grant to save the fleet, which sank in Prachuap Khiri Khan in December.
Monday, Gen Songwit denied having any involvement in the situation.
Mr. Jirat claimed that the RTN had set up an auction in August and approved a 200 million ringgit budget to save the ship. On August 25, on 15 bids submitted paperwork as required by the terms of service, but a” controversial” business submitted its command three days later and was accepted to enter, he said.
The RTN announced on September 8 that it had canceled the bidding but did not provide any further details. The RTN therefore gave all companies the option to republish their requests.
The contentious company, according to Mr. Jirat, was established on January 9 and had a female professional with the same last name as Gen Songwit.
Adm Pokkrong refuted Mr. Jira’s claims.
He added that a committee for the selling process had been established and that the Royal Thai Fleet Division was tasked with overseeing the ship rescue.
Just six of the roughly 14 organizations that were interested in the project submitted proposals on August 25, according to him.
Adm Pokkrong cited a report looking at the documents of all six bidders and claimed that none had submitted all the necessary documents, which resulted in the termination of professional and cost proposals.
He claimed that the board would shortly announce the following auction. ” I would like to reassure the public that the RTN is processing the hiring of a ship rescue organization and the skill of recovery equipment transparently.”