By Thai Newsroom Reporters
DEFENCE MINISTER SUTHIN Khlangsang and Navy Chief Adm. Adung Pan-iam have quietly departed for China to conclude the trouble-plagued, Chinese-built submarine purchase deal, a government official said today (Mar. 26).
According to the official at Government House, the civilian cabinet member and navy chief flew together to China yesterday in a last-ditch effort to wrap up the long-delayed purchase deal under which the Yuan-class S26T submarine will very likely do without a German-made engine as otherwise specified in the purchase contract.
The 12.4 billion baht submarine manufactured by China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. had earlier recommended a Chinese-made CHD620 engine be installed aboard the submarine in place of the unavailable German-made MTU396 engine.
The delivery of Thailand’s first submarine in six decades which had been earlier scheduled for last year has been indefinitely postponed due to the lack of the sought-after engine.
Suthin had earlier said the Chinese submarine deal would be wrapped up around the end of this month or early next month.
However, he said the S26T submarine purchase deal would not be scrapped despite the failure on the part of the Chinese shipbuilding firm to meet the boat’s engine specs to avoid the probability of a strain in relationships between the two Asian countries.
The defence minister had earlier suggested a Chinese-built frigate be purchased in lieu of the trouble-plagued Chinese submarine but commanding admirals had reportedly insisted they would finally prefer a submarine to any other types of warship.
Meanwhile, the navy’s fresh project to procure a new frigate with some 17 billion baht in funding for next fiscal year was not submitted to the cabinet for approval today.
The admirals have reportedly looked to buy the new frigate to add to a current fleet of seven frigates from five manufacturing countries namely Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and South Korea.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Two submarines. Photos: Thai Rath
Insert: Defence Minister Suthin Khlangsang addressing a press conference with Navy Chief Adm. Adung Pan-iam standing next to him at right. Photo: Sanook.com
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