China can’t buy German engines, Thais are afraid of being handed over old submarines
A Chinese Type 039A submarine. S26T is an export variant of this submarine – Photo: SCMP
According to the newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP) On May 5, the government of Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha was struggling to protect a US$1.05 billion submarine deal with China as the country faces a sluggish economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2017, China’s 13.5 billion baht ($392 million) deal to build three S-26T diesel-electric submarines for Thailand was hailed by experts as one of the focus of the deal. Beijing’s defense export plan.
However, the first one scheduled to be delivered in 2024 is in danger of being delayed as the manufacturer is unable to procure the German-made diesel engine as specified in the contract. According to SCMPan official at the German Embassy in Thailand in February said Beijing had not coordinated with Berlin before signing the contract with Bangkok in 2017.
In that context, observers believe that China may transfer old submarines to Thailand as a form of compensation (due to the untimely delivery). This prospect became the subject of debate on Thai social media and media.
The debate also drew the opposition in Thailand into the fray with a proposal to immediately stop the deal to buy Chinese submarines to ensure national interests. Despite all that, the Thai navy and military remained silent.
“If China offers to deliver to Thailand two refurbished submarines instead of completely new construction, Bangkok is likely to refuse to accept these ships because it wants the new one, not the old one,” he said. SCMP quoted Ian Storey, a research expert at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute (Singapore), as saying.
Model of Chinese submarine S-26T built for Thailand – Photo: SCMP
Earlier, the Thai Navy announced that China Shipbuilding & Offshore International – the unit responsible for building ships of the Chinese side – must comply with the contract stipulating the use of German-made MTU engines.
Observers believe that the agreement is unlikely to be canceled, possibly stemming from the fact that the Thai government is prioritizing consolidating and maintaining a “close neighbor” relationship with China as well as with China. strengthen defense capacity.
According to Mr. Storey, the Thai government has always wanted to have the ability to operate military under water for decades to keep up with neighboring countries. Even its slower-growing neighbor Myanmar now operates two submarines.
In Southeast Asia, Thailand, along with Brunei, Cambodia, and the Philippines, are landlocked but do not have submarines. Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have all had submarine fleets in operation for a long time.
“China will want this deal to go through as arms sales are increasingly becoming an important component of its defense diplomacy in Asia,” said Storey.
It is not uncommon for China to transfer old submarines to foreign countries, mainly to countries that have bought Chinese weapons.
At the end of 2021, the Beijing government delivered a Type 035 class submarine to Myanmar. The ship was later commissioned and renamed UMS Minye Kyaw Htin, becoming the second submarine of the Myanmar Navy after the submarine. UMS Minye Theinkhathu is also an old Kilo-class submarine transferred by India.
at Blogtuan.info – Source: tuoitre.vn – Read the original article here
