Sutin gears up for Cabinet decision on controversial submarine project
Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang said he plans to meet the Navy chief soon to deliberate on the contentious Chinese submarine project before seeking a final decision from the Cabinet.
Sutin said on Monday that the Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam was away on a foreign trip and would return on Tuesday.
“I will meet him after he returns, so the issue can end as soon as possible,” Sutin said.
He added that he will approach the Cabinet for a definitive decision once the Office of Attorney-General (OAG) has responded to the Royal Thai Navy’s legal consultation on the project.
Last week, Sutin voiced dissatisfaction with the OAG’s reply, saying it said “nothing at all”, which is why he would seek a definitive answer from the Cabinet.
The submarine project hit a significant setback when Germany pulled back from supplying a diesel engine for the vessel. German law restricts the use of German-made engines in weaponry made by foreign nations, thus stopping it from being mounted on Chinese submarines.
In response to the prohibition, China proposed a locally manufactured engine as an alternative, a proposition that was rejected by the Royal Thai Navy.
In a move to end the impasse, the Thai Navy proposed acquiring a frigate from China, but the plan was put on hold due to the additional 1 billion baht cost associated with the frigate.
Sutin said the Cabinet’s decision would be based on three critical factors: the Navy’s operational needs, protection of national interest and avoiding any adverse impact on Sino-Thai diplomatic relations.
