22-10-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s Defense Minister, Sutin Klungsang, announced on Saturday that the country will establish a committee to engage in negotiations with China regarding the procurement of a frigate ship, as an alternative to a submarine. Klungsang emphasized that this amendment to the contract will not disrupt the Royal Thai Navy’s procurement plan, as they aim to augment their current fleet of four frigate ships by doubling the number to eight.
With two frigates already included in the fiscal year 2024 budget and the contract amendment, the Navy would possess a total of six frigates. However, this falls short of their requirements, according to Klungsang. He assured that the procurement process will be driven by the Navy’s needs and the satisfaction of society.
Thailand plans to approach China next week to initiate negotiations for the acquisition of a frigate, with a dedicated committee being established for the purpose of these discussions. Klungsang pledged his utmost efforts to ensure the completion of the procurement within the designated timeline.
The original deal between the Royal Thai Navy and China involved the purchase of China’s S26T Yuan-class submarine, with a specification that it be equipped with German-made MTU 396 diesel engines. However, due to a European Union embargo on military hardware, Germany was unable to sell these engines to China.
China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co., the submarine manufacturer, proposed a Chinese-made engine as a substitute for the German one. Nevertheless, the Thai Navy expressed reservations about this alternative.
