RTN clarifies on Chinese submarine deal

The Royal Thai Navy announced today (Monday) that the Yuan-class S26T diesel electric submarine it decided to purchase from China was worth the spending and the sub could operate in the Gulf of Thailand.

In its first official statement since the cabinet quietly approved the RTN’s plan to procure one submarine from China at an estimated 13 billion baht last week, triggering widespread criticism against the lack of transparency in which the project was endorsed, Admiral Luechai Rooddit, the navy chief-of-staff, stressed the need of the RTN to have a submarine after having lost its capability in submarine warfare for not having one sub for over six decades while most countries in the region have commissioned submarines in their services.

Full story: thaipbs.or.th

By Thai PBS Reporters