By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE NAVY TODAY (Sep.13) confirmed it is going ahead with its project to retrieve a sunken corvette from the Gulf of Thailand sea floor whilst categorically dismissing allegations of non-transparency over it.
Navy spokesman Adm. Pokkhrong Monthatpalin said the Navy Fleet based at Sattahip will certainly have the sunken HTMS 442 Sukhothai retrieved by a private firm from the bottom of the sea off Prachuap Khiri Khan though six bidders had earlier failed to meet specifications under the 200 million baht project’s terms of reference.
The suspended bidding for the retrieval of the US-built corvette which capsized in stormy seas and claimed 24 fatalities among its crew last December had been by no means prone to alleged irregularities but will definitely resume on a date yet to be scheduled whilst all those firms who had earlier bid may do so again, Adm. Pokkhrong said.
The navy spokesman was apparently responding to criticism earlier made by Move Forward MP Jirat Thongsuwan that snags in the HTMS Sukhothai retrieval project could probably have been attributed to a non-transparent conspiracy between a certain firm desperately looking to win the bidding and certain navy officers involved.
CAPTIONS:
Top: HTMS 442 Sukhothai that sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Dec. 18, 2022. Photo: Sanook.com
Front Page: The navy’s search and rescue operation for missing sailors continued even during the New Year festival. Photo: Thai Rath
Also read: Navy wants to raise sunken warship for return to service
Navy slammed over missing sailors, sunk ship
Ex-navy officer: Warship’s front left hull was cracked
Big hunt for 30 crewmembers of sunk warship continues
Malaysian oil tanker rescues two Thai navy sailors
Huge waves pound Prachuap Khiri Khan Bay
One Reply to “Navy confirms retrieving HTMS Sukhothai from sea bed”