The Royal Thai Navy has chosen a South Korean
naval ship manufacturer to build a new frigate that will cost about 13
billion baht.
An RTN selection committee announced on Friday it had chosen Daewoo
Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering to manufacture the frigate, a navy
source said.
The company was one of the last two South Korean firms to enter the final round of the bid organised by the RTN panel.
The other three foreign firms ousted from the previous rounds were from Spain, Italy and China.
RTN chief of staff Chakchai Phucharoenyot, who chaired the panel,
said Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering was selected because it
had proposed specifications for the frigate that were in line with the
navy's demands.
The navy also asked the company to manufacture a Combat Management
System (CMS) which can be allied to the systems installed in the
frigates HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Taksin, he said.
The frigate, which will be the first South Korean-manufactured navy
ship in Thailand, is expected to be commissioned in two years' time, Adm
Chakchai said.
The new frigate will have a displacement of between 3,000 and 4,000 tonnes.
The cabinet earlier approved the RTN's procurement of two frigates
with a budget of 30 billion baht. The frigates will be considered for
manufacturing one by one.
According to the navy source, the RTN preferred European frigates but they were too expensive.
Meanwhile, a Defence Ministry source revealed that Defence Minister
Sukumpol Suwanatat will lead military top brass on a visit to Russia
between Tuesday and next Monday to bolster military ties.
Thai delegates will inspect the armaments industry in Russia, the source said.
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