Thailand Picks South Korea's Hanwha Ocean to Build $503M Frigate
The Royal Thai Navy chose Hanwha Ocean out of six bidders to build a new frigate that will replace ageing ships set for decommissioning.
BANGKOK, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Thailand's navy said on Friday that it had selected South Korea's Hanwha Ocean to build a frigate with a budget of 16.73 billion baht ($502.70 million).
Here are some details:
• Royal Thai Navy Spokesperson Rear Admiral Paraj Ratanajaipan said the procurement is part of the navy's long-term plans.
• The new vessel will replace ageing ships scheduled for decommissioning, he said.
• Hanwha Ocean was selected out of six parties that submitted proposals, Paraj said.
• The bid from Hanwha Ocean was selected after a comprehensive review, he added.
• The company's offer was below the project's budget limit, Paraj added.
• Thailand's navy has nearly 70,000 personnel. It also has one aircraft carrier, seven frigates, and 68 patrol and coastal combat vessels, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, an independent British think-tank.
• The naval aviation division has its own fleet of aircraft, including helicopters and UAVs, and a marine corps that has 23,000 personnel, backed by dozens of armed fighting vehicles.
($1 = 33.2800 baht)
(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by David Stanway)
