Thailand's purchase of first Chinese submarine runs aground

Germany's refusal to provide engine stalls procurement plan

20220411 prayuth and xi and submarine

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and Chinese President Xi Jinping. After Prayuth launched a coup in 2014, Thailand faced Western criticism and approached China. (Nikkei montage/AP)

YOHEI MURAMATSU, Nikkei staff writer

BANGKOK -- The Thai government's plan to procure its first Chinese submarine has run aground after Germany refused to supply an engine that the subs use.

The Thai government had planned to procure two additional submarines from China but was forced to suspend the plan in 2020 after facing criticism from the public, who think economic reconstruction should be given priority.

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