【By Guan察 Zhe, Ruan Jiaqi】

The long-stalled S26T submarine project between China and Thailand has finally resumed. According to reports from the Bangkok Post and others on the 19th, General Kriangkrai Ongvith, Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, signed a supplementary agreement with Chinese authorities in Beijing on Tuesday (16th), advancing the construction work of the S26T Yuan-class submarines on behalf of the Thai government.

General Kriangkrai Ongvith, the signatory representative for Thailand, stated that the new supplementary agreement includes several major adjustments, with the most critical one being the replacement of the originally specified German-made MTU396 diesel engines with Chinese-made CHD620 diesel engines.

Additionally, the supplementary contract will extend the construction period by 1217 days (approximately 40 months), with the first submarine expected to be delivered by the end of 2028.

According to a post published on the official Facebook account of the Royal Thai Navy on Thursday (18th), the newly revised supplementary agreement was approved by the Thai Cabinet on August 5. During the subsequent 40-month period, the construction of the submarine, training of maintenance technicians, technology transfer, and preparation for submarine crew training will be carried out simultaneously.

At the signing ceremony, General Kriangkrai Ongvith reiterated the significant importance of the S26T submarine procurement project, stating that it is not only a reflection of the friendly relationship between the governments of Thailand and China, but also an important component of their comprehensive strategic partnership. He also praised both sides for successfully resolving related issues during the project's progress through friendly negotiations.

General Kriangkrai Ongvith, Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Navy Official Facebook Account

The Asian Military Review reported that this agreement will make Thailand the sixth country in Southeast Asia to possess submarines, with the other five countries being Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and Vietnam.

As early as 2017, the Royal Thai Navy signed the original procurement agreement for three S26T submarines with China Shipbuilding International Company (CSIC) in a government-to-government (G2G) format.

The initial agreement stipulated that the S26T Yuan-class submarines would use German-made MTU396 diesel engines. However, due to the EU's military hardware export restrictions against China, the engine configuration had to be adjusted. Coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and weak economic recovery, the project came to a standstill.

After confirming the inability to obtain the original engine, China proposed using the domestically produced CHD620 engine as an alternative. After China completed long-term testing and provided proof that its engine met the standards specified in the agreement, the Royal Thai Navy finally decided to accept the replacement proposal in May 2024.

Then-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Pinyo, revealed at the time that the new agreement needed final approval from the cabinet. He also pointed out that the S26T Yuan-class submarines equipped with advanced weapons will be the first of their kind in Southeast Asia, helping to enhance the overall strength of the Royal Thai Navy.

To date, the construction of the submarine has completed 64%, with the project divided into 18 installments. Thailand has already paid 10 installments, totaling approximately 7.7 billion THB (about 1.54 billion CNY), and the remaining 40% of the payment (approximately 5.5 billion THB, about 1.1 billion CNY) remains unpaid.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Observer, and any reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7551705725186228770/

Disclaimer: The article represents the personal views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.