Thai PM agrees in principle for Navy to buy submarines

BANGKOK, December 15 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Thursday that she has agreed in principle for the Royal Thai Navy's plan to buy new submarines. Speaking to journalists after paying her first visit to the Bangkok-based Royal Thai Navy headquarters after taking office in August 2011, Yingluck acknowledged that the Royal Thai Navy's plan to acquire six used submarines from Germany, worth about 7.7 billion baht, to boost its weaponry needs a careful study, although the government has agreed in principle with the plan. The Puea Thai premier said that the Thai Ministry of Defence will be assigned to study the Royal Thai Narty plan. Premier Yingluck, meanwhile, thanked the Royal Thai Navy for cooperating with the government in assisting flood victims over the past couple of months, covering naval boats in pushing floodwater in the western side of the Chao Phraya River to the sea. The prime minister earlier paid her first visits to the Royal Thai Armed Force and the Royal Thai Army headquarters. (TNA)