Submarine fleet project for about $1.1 billion (36 billion baht), is again in the scope of the Thailand's Defence Department.
Last Wednesday, the defence minister of the country, Prawit Wongsuwon, expressed the necessity of Royal Thai Navy (RTN) to be equipped with submarine fleet and answer the level of the neighbouring countries' fleets.
Plans for a submarine fleet are not new to the Thailand's Government. Through the past years they were negotiating with different countries, which are submarine suppliers, including South Korea and Germany.
So far, no agreement has been reached. Sources close to the committee say for the moment one of the favoured choices are the U-class submarines from Germany and South Korea, for their sonar screen. They are competing with the Chinese-made Yuan class, which is being favoured for its specifications. Though the lack of a single submarine, the Defence department built last year a submarine-training center for about $ 17.6 millions.