Government House, “Sutin”, Minister of Defense, confirms that the Royal Decree has responded, the submarine contract can be amended, using the Cabinet resolution, ready to submit to the Prime Minister for approval next week.
Mr. Suthin Khlangsaeng, Minister of Defense, said about the case of asking the Council of State for its opinion on the submarine purchase that the Council of State has already given an answer. Waiting for the answer to look at our facts and there is some information that we have talked with China that is still pending. If China responds next week, we will bring the information to discuss with the Prime Minister to summarize and let him decide. The Council of State has already given an answer, but it is in principle. We will look at it with the facts that are being processed, both in terms of contract changes and important and unimportant matters.
When asked if the Secretary-General of the Council of State stated that the contract change law had not yet been forwarded to the Council of
State for consideration, Mr. Sutin revealed that discussions had been held for 2-3 months, with both the Office of the Attorney General and the Council of State. They replied that it could be done. If it was to be done, it would have to be a Cabinet resolution. However, before a resolution is made, there must be complete information first, so that discretion can be exercised. This is considered homework that we must do, as to how to explain it to the Cabinet.
As for the contract change, there are 2 points: 1. There is an extension of time. 2. The engine will be shut down and replaced with a new engine, which requires a Cabinet resolution. It is expected that the information will be complete today. There is no need to discuss with China. If China responds to the important issues we asked, we will report it to the Prime Minister. However, if the Prime Minister asks us to find more information, we will discuss it later.
When asked if China pressured us, Mr. Sutin said that they also wanted it to end because th
ey had been doing it for a long time. They wanted it to end, but not to the extent of pressuring them, just asking for sympathy. As for the matter of selling Thai engines to Indonesia, there was no truth. I checked and didn’t know where it came from.
Source: Thai News Agency