Thread: HTMS Sukhothai reported sunk in Gulf of Thailand

Originally Posted by sabang

Not unless the ship wasn't properly secured PH- hatches and covers left open, stuff like that. The RAN operates in probably the worlds roughest ocean, the Southern Ocean. The swell there regularly exceeds a ships freeboard. No problem- but we do make sure the hatches are tight, and secured. And competent people are at the helm.

Years ago in returning to the UK after my father’s posting to the Far East we travelled on a 10,000 ton P & O vessel voyaging around the Cape because the Suez canal was still blocked from the Arab-Israeli war. By the time we hit the Roaring Forties we had all gained our sea legs which was just as well given the mountainous seas that we ploughed through. We were all confined to lounges and decks aft of the forecastle as the Indian Ocean sprayed over the bows in 30 foot waves. It was an exciting ( terrifying ) rollercoaster of a day as we pitched high through one gigantic wall of water before falling, weightless like, into the next trough that we hit with a grinding, creaking crash that shook every deck. Meal service had been suspended for the day and in traversing below decks to our cabins we were stumbling as much along the foot of the passageway walls as their floor.

I have never experienced anything like it since. The sheer power and turbulence of those seas was truly awesome.

How yachtsmen do it is beyond any understanding - they must be on amphetamines.

I think the Thai ship mustn’t have battened down those hatches.

Seems they pilot and control their ships as they do their pickup trucks.



Buses.

Trucks.

Cars.

Scooters.


Pretty much everything that moves.

Went on a cruise ship to Egypt when I was little and I can't say it was very enjoyable.

It sunk 2 months later.

Never liked water anyway.

So many lives lost. I wonder why they couldn't get to lifeboats. Maybe the list was too severe to launch from either side. Whatever happened, it shouldn't have. There should be a court martial for the skipper.

The whole point of Thai society is that it protects all those upon whom it confers power and they rarely if ever suffer personally for the consequences of their incompetence and stupidity.

It’s all part of their rotten system, you get to the top it’s a free ride from then on. Fuck up and a transfer sideways is the worst that will happen until everything blows over and then back to mining those riches.

Look at the police general Big Joke Hakpan, caught extorting levies from inbound chink air passengers and suspended in disgrace but now back in harness and heading up all the big cases etc.

As I mentioned I expect a significant contributory factor was lack of safety drill, anyone new to the ship (those 30+) should received drill before sailing but I suspect that wasn't the case and I doubt they had sufficient life saving gear for the extra complement.

It'll get covered up...the real reason

^ When I work on vessels, if new or I haven't been on the vessel for six months there is a complete vessel falimiarisation course on joining. This is followed by muster drills every fortnight for all of the ship's crew and the marine vessel crew have many additional fire fighting drills, etc etc.

Life saving gear is at muster points and in cabins - life vests, survival suits, smoke hoods etc.

I would think that the capsizing/sinking of this naval vessel was very abrupt and the missing were probably trapped below decks with no chance to get to life boats, even if they were operational with the boat listing so badly.

Even in the highly regulated oil and gas industry things do still happen, check out the Bourbon Dolphin for example which sank a few years ago, but these events are extremely rare. And bear in mid we can get waves of 15m to 20m, a choppy 4m doesn't register.

This whole naval vessel sinking stinks of lack of sea handling, safety procedures, sea fastening etc... just as you'd generally expect in Thailand. You would have thought the Navy could do better.

Originally Posted by Mendip

You would have thought the Navy could do better.

...never occurred to me...

Originally Posted by Edmond

Indeed. Being on a stricken iron-coffin u-boat mustn't have been a barrel of sich lustig machen.

Gott im Himmel ruhe ihre Seelen

Still getting the final touches in Santas Grotto

Coming soon to a kitchen island near you

Originally Posted by Mendip

When I work on vessels, if new or I haven't been on the vessel for six months there is a complete vessel falimiarisation course on joining. This is followed by muster drills every fortnight for all of the ship's crew and the marine vessel crew have many additional fire fighting drills, etc etc.

Life saving gear is at muster points and in cabins - life vests, survival suits, smoke hoods etc.

Falang sure do think too much.

Originally Posted by Mendip

^ When I work on vessels, if new or I haven't been on the vessel for six months there is a complete vessel falimiarisation course on joining. This is followed by muster drills every fortnight for all of the ship's crew and the marine vessel crew have many additional fire fighting drills, etc etc.

Life saving gear is at muster points and in cabins - life vests, survival suits, smoke hoods etc.

"there weren’t sufficient life vests available for all crew"


“There weren’t enough life vests on board”
20 December 2022



The Royal Thai Navy’s Vice Admiral Pichai Lorchusakul announced this morning that a non-commissioned officer, Nathee Timdee, was rescued last night by HTMS Kraburi.

“All the men had been trained in survival techniques at sea, including swimming from one island to another, and how to stay afloat with a life vest, adding that being a good swimmer is not necessarily the best way to survive, but using as little energy as possible while in the sea.”

He also confirmed at there were four generators in the Sukhothai. “When one malfunctioned, there were three in reserve, but this time none of them functioned, because sea water leaked into the engine room.”

In contrast to earlier reports, he admitted that there were not enough life vests on board…
“but the Styrofoam boxes containing the life vests could be used as floatation devices”.

It would really be laughable if it wasn't so tragic.

Thirty or so horrific deaths and this idiot is saying that the styrofoam lunch box could have saved lives... rather than having the required amount of life vests.

And he will doubtless be with his family tonight wirhout the slightest trace of guilt to cross his conscience.

Must be horrific, just waiting waiting....

Originally Posted by prawnograph

He also confirmed at there were four generators in the Sukhothai. “When one malfunctioned, there were three in reserve, but this time none of them functioned, because sea water leaked into the engine room.”

'sea water leaked into the engine room'.


I'm sure that it happened by magic and it wasn't because they all just left doors and hatches open as it's so much more convenient.

Originally Posted by Bonecollector

It is very sad and I hope lessons are learnt. These sorts of tragedies are not isolated to one country or one people as some on here would like to appear it to be.

The small list below does not seem to be much different from many other nations own man-made or natural disasters.

List of disasters in Thailand - Wikipedia

Hope lessons are learnt???!!! In Thailand??!

Bonecollector? More like Bonehead.

Serial incompetence, reckless indifference and systemic cognitive dissonance is the leitmotif of this country, you fatuous idiot.

Which bit of over 20,000 people die in road accidents every year in Thailand did you not comprehend.

Opposition demand Thai PM’s resignation as defence minister over HTMS Sukhothai tragedy

Thailand’s opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from his position as Defence Minister, to demonstrate responsibility over the sinking of HTMS Sukhothai in the Gulf of Thailand on Sunday night.


The opposition also plans to submit an interpellation to the House on Thursday, seeking a clarification from General Prayut over the tragic incident, in which six crew members of the sunken ship have been found dead and 23 are still missing.


The Royal Thai Navy dismissed a report today (Wednesday) that another crew member had been rescued, insisting that 23 are still missing.


Pheu Thai Party and opposition leader Chonlanan Srikaew expressed his condolences to the families of those who were lost and his regret to the Thai armed forces over the loss of the ship.


He said that such a tragedy would not have happened in the first place if the right decisions had been made when the ship started to take on water before it sank.


As the defence minister, Chonlanan said that General Prayut must be held responsible and must answer questions from opposition MPs in parliament.


“We cannot let go of this issue because it is our duty to check the use of taxpayer’s money and it is also an important matter. If three out of six generators malfunctioned, it is a big issue. More than 100 were on board the ship, but there were insufficient lift vests.” The opposition leader is demanding to know how this could happen.


He asked “If the Thai armed forces want three submarines and more weaponry, when they cannot win a battle against themselves, how can they fight with anyone?

Opposition demand Thai PM's resignation as defence minister over HTMS Sukhothai tragedy | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Thai Navy plans to salvage the sunken HTMS Sukhothai

A Royal Thai Navy (RTN) mine sweeper is scheduled to leave port in Samut Prakan Province today (Wednesday), destined for the seas off Bang Saphan district of Prachuap Khiri Khan, to conduct an undersea survey of the sunken HTMS Sukhothai, in preparation for a salvage operation.


Informed naval sources said that Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, commander-in-chief of the RTN, has ordered the Bang Rachan 631 mine sweeper, equipped with a submersible, to be sent to the site where the HTMS Sukhothai sank. The vessel is due to arrive there tomorrow.


According to the Hydrographic Department, the wind speed at sea, off Bang Saphan district, has reduced from level 3-4 to level 2-3, but it remains to be seen whether the weather conditions will be suitable for the deployment of the submersible.


The information gained from this operation will be used in the planning of a salvage operation, said the sources, adding that the private sector may be asked to take part, because it is better equipped than the RTN for such work.


Meanwhile, His Majesty the King has agreed to take care of the injured and the deceased crew members’ families, while Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn has provided medical supplies to all the surviving crew members of HTMS Sukhothai, according to Admiral Choengchai.

Thai Navy plans to salvage the sunken HTMS Sukhothai | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Originally Posted by malmomike77

eh, you seem to forget the ongoing operation to re-float the vessel at approx 5 times its replacement value

Ah ha ...

^ The costs don't really come into it if there are likely bodies trapped and an investigation to carry out. Although the 'investigation' would be a bit suspect I would imagine.

Think of the astronomical costs so far in trying to locate MH370.

Originally Posted by Mendip

The costs don't really come into it if there are likely bodies trapped and an investigation to carry out.

Also no clear reports about what armaments it was carrying. I'm not expecting that information to be made public. If fully loaded there would be quite a lot of weaponry down there. They said 40m deep there, easy depth for divers to work. They should have had navy divers down there asap, maybe they did, there was always a chance of survivors in airlocks.

Originally Posted by Mendip

^ The costs don't really come into it

of course they do, firstly you have to determine the actual cost and then work out how many palms need crossing

Salvaging it shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge given the ship’s length probably exceeds the depth of the sea where it sank. Unless of course it broke up in which case it would be futile.
Given the circumstances it is now apparent to anyone that incompetence and poor seamanship caused the sinking but I should imagine there will be a considerable jockeying of position among what passes for their high command before the enquiry finally reports.

The Thai capacity for sheer fuckwittery is seemingly inexhaustible.