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Thai Navy explained cause of ship loss

More than a year after the sinking of the HTMS 'Sukhothai', a Rattanakosin-class corvette, in the Gulf of Thailand off the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province on the night of Dec 18, 2022, the Thai Navy has reported a sudden, unexpected and extreme change in weather conditions. and sea conditions were blamed for the ship's sinking and the deaths of 24 people, five of whom are still missing. The 'Sukhothai' was only designed for a maximum wave height of four meters. The 6-meter waves made it impossible for the commander to steer the ship, which ultimately led to its sinking. Six other ships, including a 2,123-ton freighter, also sank in the Gulf that night and early the next morning. Admiral Adoong explained that the 'Sukhothai's crew were unable to carry out their duties as usual in these conditions and that the darkness and poor visibility made rescue operations difficult. He added that the heavy seas scattered the crew over a wide area, making it difficult for them to survive in these extreme weather conditions. Rear Admiral Apirom Ngernbumroong, head of the Naval Science Department, said that following the sinking of the 'Sukhothai', the Thai Navy conducted four diving operations to examine the wreckage, the last of which was in collaboration with the US Navy. During the fourth diving operation, no trace of the five missing crew members was found, but it was discovered that water had entered the ship through the hull, causingit to list. A steel plate that was supposed to protect the ship from waves was badly damaged.

Royal Thai Navy will reallocate its budget for salvage costs

The Royal Thai Navy will reallocate its budget to find a way to pay the cost of salvaging the HTMS 'Sukhothai', after the Budget Bureau said it could only put up 70 million baht towards the 130-million-bah costs. Navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet has asked the navy's comptroller to review its budget to see if it could find the money to pay the difference.

Approvals sought for disbursement

Approvals from the Budget Bureau and the Election Commission are being sought for the disbursement of a 200-million-baht budget earmarked for salvaging the sunken HTMS 'Sukhothai'. If the agencies greenlight the fund, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as defence minister, will forward it for cabinet approval. Once the fund is ready, a firm will be hired to undertake the operation, which is expected to take about 90 days to complete.