The newly-built HTMSKrabi in dry dock at the Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard in Chon Buri province. The vessel is to be launched today to commemorate His Majesty the King’s 84th birthday on Monday. (photo : Bangkok Post)
SATTAHIP : Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will today preside over the launching ceremony of the HTMS Krabi, a new patrol vessel built by the Thai navy.
HTMS Krabi was built by the navy at a cost of 1.7 billion baht. It is intended to commemorate His Majesty the King's 84th birthday on Monday.
However, the ship will not be ready to be commissioned until late next year.
The ship is also part of the navy's strategic personnel development, said Vice Adm Manit Soonnadam, chief of the Royal Thai Naval Dockyard.
HTMS Krabi is a vessel with an almost 2 tonne displacement.
It is the fist time the navy has built a ship this size.
It has been constructed according to the suggestion of His Majesty the King, who named the ship. It is expected to be operational for 40 years.
HTMS Krabi is 90.5m long and 13.5m wide.
The height of the gunwale is 7.7m.
The displacement tonnage is 1.97 tonnes and the vessel has a maximum speed of 23 knots.
The space of its deck is enough to park a Super Lynx helicopter. The ship has 89 crewmen.
VAdm Manit said HTMS Krabi will be assigned to the task of carrying out marine intelligence missions, protecting fishing boats and national marine resources, assisting people facing difficulties in the sea, as well as enforcing marine laws.
The 1.7 billion budget for the contruction of HTMS Krabi comes from a tied-over budget between 2008 and 2011, he said.
(Bangkok Post)
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