2 days ago
New sub can be 'ready in three years'
The navy's new submarine can be completed within three years, following the recent cabinet approval of Chinese-made engines, Adm Jirapol Wongwit, commander of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), said on Wednesday.
The confirmation came following the cabinet's approval of an amendment to the submarine procurement, including a switch from German-made engines to Chinese-made ones. Adm Jirapol said Thailand and China would draft a new contract.
The Thai attorney-general will then have to approve it before the two sides agree. After that a new timeframe of about 1,200 days will come into effect, and the ship-building will finish ahead of the expected deadline in three years.
Another key issue is crew readiness as with the project has already been stalled for nearly three years, and some personnel initially assigned for the submarine have since been promoted or reassigned, he noted.
Adm Jirapol also confirmed plans to procure two frigates, also approved by the cabinet, although funding is currently available for only one, he added.
The navy chief also commented on Cambodia's seemingly closer ties with the United States, saying Thailand must monitor this.
"International relations can change at any time, depending on how countries want to safeguard their own interests," he said, adding Thailand must be mindful of its own strategic positioning.
Addressing reports the US might be granted the use of the Phangnga naval base, Adm Jirapol simply said Thailand welcomes visits from all friendly nations without conditions, and ties between the two nations were strong. Phangnga base is small, he noted, but with plans afoot to expand naval capabilities in the Andaman Sea, questions have arisen over who would provide the support for that, said Adm Jirapol.
