The Royal Thai Navy is expected to make a decision on the Chinese submarine deal by the end of the month. Commander-in-Chief Admiral Somprasong Nilsamai said Friday (April 8) that the Navy will speak with manufacturer China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co (CSOC) at the end of the month. Production of the S26T Yuan-class submarine halted in early March when Germany blocked export of the MTU396 diesel engine to China.
The admiral also chose not to confirm whether the navy would cancel the contract, as per Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s earlier statement. Prayut had told the press that the contract should be canceled if the engine is not the same as specified in the agreement.
The Navy signed a 13.5 billion baht deal in 2017 with CSOC to purchase an S26T submarine fitted with MTU396 diesel engines from Germany’s Motor and Turbine Union Company.
However, Germany blocked the export under a European Union arms embargo imposed on China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
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