Phumtham says he’s yet to study report on stalled submarine project

Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Wednesday that the long-delayed submarine procurement project with China was still in limbo.

“The project’s fate is still not clear because I have not yet studied it,” Phumtham said.

“I’ll make a decision after studying it.”

Phumtham, who is also a deputy prime minister, denied that he was dragging his feet on the project as it was initiated when Palang Pracharath Party leader General Prawit Wongsuwan was the defence minister in the post-coup government of General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

“You imagine too much and too far. I have not given it a thought yet. I have not made any decision and I’ll give priority to the interest of the armed forces and the appropriateness so that the public can understand,” Phumtham said in reply to a reporter’s query on whether he was trying to delay it because Prawit was now on the opposition side.

Reporters asked Phumtham whether he would submit the amendment of the submarine procurement contract to the Cabinet for approval after Royal Thai Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Jirapol Wongwit and his deputy, ADM Chonlathit Navanukroh, met Phumtham at the Defence Ministry on Tuesday.

Phumtham said he had not made a decision on whether to continue with the procurement, let alone amending the contract.

“It has not reached the point of contract amendment yet. We still have to consider it,” Phumtham replied when a reporter asked him whether the Navy chief had pushed for the deal.

Phumtham added that he had discussed several issues with the Navy chief and the Navy simply reported to him that the submarine procurement was still pending.

In July, then defence minister Sutin said he had decided to go ahead with the procurement of an S26T Yuan-class submarine from China for 13.5 billion baht because it had already been built by China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. Sutin said cancellation of the deal could hurt the friendly ties between the two nations.

While Sutin was awaiting consultation with then prime minister Srettha Thavisin in July, Srettha was deposed by the Constitutional Court, leading to appointment of a new PM and Cabinet, and Phumtham replaced Sutin as the defence minister.