A new problem is faced by the Thai military, which is adding a defense equipment system to its country. Constrained by funds, the Thai military is rumored to be delaying the acquisition of two Chinese-made S26T Yuan-class submarines.
Thailand will not submit funds for the purchase of two Yuan S26T submarines in the 2023 budget submitted in October 2022. Meanwhile, Thailand will only propose an allocation to purchase two more Chinese submarines in the 2024 budget to be submitted in October next year.
Reporting from Defense Security Asia, initially Thailand bought the submarine reportedly because it did not want to be left behind with Malaysia, which already has two French-made Scorpene submarines.
The leading Bangkok Post newspaper said Thailand's Navy Chief Admiral Somprasong Nilsamai had agreed to delay the application for an allocation for the purchase of the two submarines for one year.
The Thai Navy chief argued that the allocation for the purchase of the submarines should be channeled to charity.
"It was the decision of the TNI Commander without any direction from the government. Although submarines are a much-needed strategic asset, the country's economic situation does not allow us to get them," he said.
"Therefore, the submarine procurement policy was postponed until 2023," the source told the Bangkok Post.
Somprasong said that although the procurement of submarines was important, it needed people's approval.
Following the economic problems caused by the protracted COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand decided to channel the allocation that should have been spent to the defense and security sector in an effort to boost the economy and help its people affected by the pandemic.
The Thai government's efforts to channel funds to buy two additional submarines for its navy in the past two years have drawn strong protests from citizens who say the move is futile.
The government led by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has postponed an application for the purchase of the two submarines three times due to protests from the country's public.
In 2015, Thailand agreed to buy a US$470 million Chinese submarine that Bangkok is expected to receive in 2024.
Shortly thereafter, Thailand planned to buy two more submarines from China for about $740 million but the proposal met strong opposition from the country's residents.
Loud protests from the Thai people caused the country's government to delay the allocation of the procurement of the two submarines. It appears that Thailand's attempts to acquire two more submarines from China were unsuccessful and should be postponed to next year.
According to Navy Recognition, the S26T is based on the Type 039B Yuan-class submarine operated by the Chinese Navy. The ship is estimated to weigh about 2,600 tons, have a top speed of 18 knots, and a submerged endurance of up to 20 days. It will be armed with up to 16 torpedoes and up to 30 mines.
In November 2017, Chinese shipbuilding group China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) unveiled three new submarine designs including the S26T at the Defense & Security defense exhibition held in Bangkok, Thailand.
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