Mar 28, 2011
DPA
Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has approved a plan for the Royal Thai Navy to purchase six secondhand submarines from Germany for 7.7 billion baht (257 million dollars), a newspaper reported Monday.
The U-206 Class subs, which are intended for missions in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, would constitute Thailand's first submarine fleet, to be commanded by Rear Admiral Suriya Pornsuriya, the Bangkok Post said.
The Thai navy has had submarines on its wish list for many years. It commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, in 1997.
The submarine purchase is part of a long-term plan by the Abhisit government to buy weapons for the army, navy and air force over 10 years at a total cost of more than 500 billion baht.
Military budgets in Thailand have skyrocketed since the army overthrew the government in 2006. Since then, the military has reasserted its pivotal role in Thai politics although civilian governance was restored in 2008.
Previous plans to deploy submarines have been criticized on the grounds that the Gulf of Thailand was too shallow for their effective use.
The U-206 Class sub was first deployed in the 1970s and is one of the smallest attack submarines in the world with a displacement of about 500 tons. It is said to be particularly effective in depths of about 20 metres.
It runs on diesel engines and electric motors and is tasked for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, mine-laying and reconnaissance.
With a crew of 22, the sub can be armed with eight torpedoes and 24 mines.
The German navy has operated the subs for more than 30 years but is in the process of decommissioning them.
The submarine purchase was expected to be proposed to the Thai cabinet for formal approval in the near future.
Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has approved a plan for the Royal Thai Navy to purchase six secondhand submarines from Germany for 7.7 billion baht (257 million dollars), a newspaper reported Monday.
The U-206 Class subs, which are intended for missions in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, would constitute Thailand's first submarine fleet, to be commanded by Rear Admiral Suriya Pornsuriya, the Bangkok Post said.
The Thai navy has had submarines on its wish list for many years. It commissioned its first aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, in 1997.
The submarine purchase is part of a long-term plan by the Abhisit government to buy weapons for the army, navy and air force over 10 years at a total cost of more than 500 billion baht.
Military budgets in Thailand have skyrocketed since the army overthrew the government in 2006. Since then, the military has reasserted its pivotal role in Thai politics although civilian governance was restored in 2008.
Previous plans to deploy submarines have been criticized on the grounds that the Gulf of Thailand was too shallow for their effective use.
The U-206 Class sub was first deployed in the 1970s and is one of the smallest attack submarines in the world with a displacement of about 500 tons. It is said to be particularly effective in depths of about 20 metres.
It runs on diesel engines and electric motors and is tasked for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, mine-laying and reconnaissance.
With a crew of 22, the sub can be armed with eight torpedoes and 24 mines.
The German navy has operated the subs for more than 30 years but is in the process of decommissioning them.
The submarine purchase was expected to be proposed to the Thai cabinet for formal approval in the near future.
6 comments:
Thailand is spending roughly $6 billions annually to maintain its regional military supremecy. Thailand is ASEAN second biggest military spender after Singapore. Lately, Thailand had purchased 6 jet fighters, JAS-39 Gripen, tanks and LAVs, and now looking to purchase German used submarines. Why? If Thailand is planning to attack and invade Cambodia, such military hardwares purchase is unnecessary. What Thailand has is more than sufficient to fight Cambodia. There is more to what Thailand is doing. What Thailand doing is not a good thing, regionally. Thailand is creating a regional arms race. No doubt, Malaysia and Myanmar are paying close attention about Thailand military build up.
not too worry about those sub if they come to cambodia water is a dead trap .
cambodia water is not deep enough for them it will be visible from helicopter if cambodia can pin point where the sub is cambodia can use bm21 .especially bm30 randomly to hunt them down .
bm30 or PHL-03 can coverage 60HA area .
Well I am not afraid to be the first Khmer guy who willing to applaud the enormous wisdom of the great thai leaders who had decided to purchase these indispensable
submergible vehicles for the urgent need of thai people!
Everybody know that many parts of thailand are prone to a very deep flood which could lasted many months at a time. To have a submarine which easily converted to a mobile public restroom for flood victims to poop and pee inside could comfort the distressed people and make them smile at least temporarily!
Chhaiyo Abhi Shit!
Pendant la période de tension à la frontière khméro-thailandaise , La thailande annonce : achatS des avions de combats suèdois , des sous-marin allemands...
Tout ça pour faire peur à l'adversaire !
Mais est-ce que les cambodgiens ont réellement peur de ces objets ?
Je ne pense pas !c'est du gaspillage de l'argent du peuple thailandais !
11:22AM, let be realistic. I don't think Cambodia can BM21 her way to destroying those second-hand Thailand's submarines. BM21 or BM30(9K58 SMERCH or PHL03) is not design to destroy submarines. There are other ways to destroy those iron fishes lurking in Cambodia's water. Just lay a lot of underwater mines and have plenty of depthchargers ready to drop in the water.
Thai submarine craps! Thai can't even walk pass 4.6km? Folk, Thai can't drive submarine today...Thai can't even ride water buffalo?
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