The Joint United States Military Advisory Group Thailand (Jusmagthai) has submitted a second warning to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) about salvage operations being carried out on the US-built HTMS Sukhothai, which sunk in the Gulf of Thailand in 2022.
Chayaphon Satondee, Move Forward Party MP for Bangkok who is member of an extraordinary House committee reviewing the 2024 budget bill, disclosed documents submitted by Jusmagthai to the RTN during a debate in parliament on Thursday.
Mr Chayaphon said the document sent by Jusmagthai, an agency that supervises military trade between Thailand and the US, said the RTN has yet to respond to US concerns since the ship sunk on Dec 18, 2022.
Jusmagthai submitted the letter to the RTN as a second reminder on Dec 1, urging it to abide by the agreement following a report that it would select a Thai contractor which has joined hands with China to salvage the warship.
The first letter was submitted in January 2023, but the RTN has yet to tell the US about the incident.
Mr Chayaphon said the RTN has an obligation to acquire third-party transfer approval from the US government for approval of the contractor.
Jusmagthai warned the RTN that failure to do so will result in a violation of agreements which affect foreign military sales between Thailand and the US, Mr Chayaphon said.
Navy chief Adm Adung Phan-iam said the navy is figuring things out. “If the US takes part in the salvage operation, it may delay the operation from its original schedule set in April,” said a source.
As such, the navy has found a bid winner that will salvage the warship under a budget of around 199 million baht, pending approval.
Meanwhile, ACM Chanon Mungthanya, deputy commander-in-chief, representing his commander-in-chief, welcomed Adm John C Aquilino, commander of the US’ Indo-Pacific Command, to strengthen military ties.
Both sides agreed to expand military cooperation, particularly in the annual joint Cobra Gold military exercise in February.