daeng bireley Posted September 17, 2002 Report Share Posted September 17, 2002 Sukhumvit rd is named after Phraya Sukhumvit Director of the Dept of Roads in the 1930's I dont think Ive heard of a naval base with that name. Not Sattahip naval base is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted September 18, 2002 Report Share Posted September 18, 2002 Sorry, Daeng - I thought they said 'Sukhumvit', but I admit that my ear isnt terribly well tuned to Thai. It was the location for this weeks talks between the Tamil Tigers and the SriLankan government, if thats any help. Not really a locale I'd like to find myself in, Navy or no Navy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted September 18, 2002 Report Share Posted September 18, 2002 Hi! Sattahip should be on Sukhumvit highway but I have never heard the navy base called anything but Sattahip. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted September 18, 2002 Report Share Posted September 18, 2002 Yes they have a navy. In the nineties they even bought a carrier which was anchored up somewhere as they didn't have enough money to operate it. I don't know if it is still around. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbledonk Posted September 18, 2002 Report Share Posted September 18, 2002 There WAS a carrier in the news footage ! I thought it must be a visiting American boat : what Thailand is doing with such an expensive floating target (and the planes to go with it) escapes me. I respect Thailands right to defend herself, but even the US has many who question the phenomenal cost of the big-ticket items when the focus is on 'self-defence'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted September 18, 2002 Report Share Posted September 18, 2002 Hi! I think they ordered it before their finances crashed and were stuck with it. There was quite few articles in BKK Post at the time. It was described as an outrageosly expensive toy for the military brass. I doubt if it is anywhere near the size of a big American carrier. If I recall correctly figures of 20 - 30 aircraft were mentioned. The last I read about it they were considering to take on paying tourists to bring in enough money to keep it floating. I know that they have some kind of maritime disputes with the Burmese in the Andaman sea but I doubt if a carrier would be of much use. As you pointed out, it's a very large target. I remember an interview with a high ranking US officer during the cold war. He was clearly against the carrier groups. His position was that the Soviets had about 300 bomber with the range and nuclear capacity to wipe out an entire group. He said - "We can shoot down all but one attacking aircraft and the group is gone." regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 19, 2002 Report Share Posted September 19, 2002 Some of the peace talks have been at the Ambassador City hotel out in Jomtien Beach. According to the newpapers, the thai navy has been providing facilities at their naval base in Sattahib. That carrier has some 5-6 Harrier jumpjets, but since none of them is working they are all grounded. Before at least one was in operation and the others were stripped for spare parts, but according to a US diplomat I met on a flight recently the last one is now grounded... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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