Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, chief government spokesman, insists the submarine purchase was transparent, and that cabinet approval of the 13.56 billion baht deal wasn't withheld, but no one asked about it. (Post Today photo)According to the broader plan, the navy will buy three Yuan-class subs costing a total of 36 billion baht in instalments over 11 years. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, who is also the defence minister, insisted there was nothing untoward about the procurement project. "We insist the procurement was handled transparently and is fully [under the jurisdiction] of the navy," Gen Prawit said. In a Facebook post, he said the approval was deliberately made in secret when people were preoccupied with celebrating Songkran.

Source: Bangkok Post April 25, 2017 21:56 UTC