- Messages
- 4,756
- Reactions
- Nation of residence
-
- Nation of origin
-
The navy is pushing to pay in yearly instalments for the two submarines it is buying, saying it has a duty to propose the spending despite heavy criticism.
The national budget expenditure bill, before the House of Representatives, includes the navy's contentious plan to purchase two subs from China worth 22.5 billion baht.
The purchase is part of the wider 200-billion-baht defence budget being considered by a House scrutiny panel following the bill's second reading.
The first payment was supposed to have been approved last year but was postponed so the money could be diverted to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The navy is back at the House to defend the spending again. Navy spokesman Chettha Jaipiam insisted the force was duty-bound to do so.
"It's a matter of procedure," Adm Chettha said, noting that whether the spending will be passed or not is a separate issue. "There is no ulterior motive," he said.
The navy was aware of opposition to the defence budget and its plan to acquire the subs.
"We face resistance whenever the issue is brought before the committee. It's not the first time we've been given a dressing down," Adm Chettha said.
www.bangkokpost.com
The national budget expenditure bill, before the House of Representatives, includes the navy's contentious plan to purchase two subs from China worth 22.5 billion baht.
The purchase is part of the wider 200-billion-baht defence budget being considered by a House scrutiny panel following the bill's second reading.
The first payment was supposed to have been approved last year but was postponed so the money could be diverted to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
The navy is back at the House to defend the spending again. Navy spokesman Chettha Jaipiam insisted the force was duty-bound to do so.
"It's a matter of procedure," Adm Chettha said, noting that whether the spending will be passed or not is a separate issue. "There is no ulterior motive," he said.
The navy was aware of opposition to the defence budget and its plan to acquire the subs.
"We face resistance whenever the issue is brought before the committee. It's not the first time we've been given a dressing down," Adm Chettha said.
Navy pushes ahead with subs buy
The navy is pushing to pay in yearly instalments for the two submarines it is buying, saying it has a duty to propose the spending despite heavy criticism.
