24 Agustus 2023
HTMS Tachai, new tugboat for Amphibious and Combat Support Service Squadron of the Royal Thai Navy (photos : RTN)
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) held a ceremony to take delivery of the third medium-sized tug of the HTMS Panyee series, HTMS Tachai, on 21 August 2023 at Laem Thian Port Sattahip Port Authority, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province. The ship came about seven months later after the ship launching ceremony was held at the shipyard of ASIMAR: Asian Marine Service PCL, Thailand, in Phra Samut Chedi District, Samut Prakan Province on 25 January 2023.
The medium tug HTMS Tachai is still based on the Ramparts 3200 SD tug of Robert Allan Ltd. of Canada. The 2 previous HTMS Panyee medium tugs built by Ital Thai Marine Limited, namely HTMS Panyee (857) commissioned on 27 March 2017 and HTMS Lipe (858) commissioned on 23 January 2020.
The medium-sized tug boat HTMS Tachai will serve in the ACSSS: Amphibious and Combat Support Service Squadron, Royal Thai Fleet.
In Demand for replacement of a total of 8 tugboats, currently have 6 ships are HTMS Rin series tugs, 1 is HTMS Rin (853), 2 HTMS Samaesan series tugs are HTMS Samaesan (855) and HTMS Rad (856) and tugs HTMS Panyee series 2 ships, and it is understood that HMS Rin will be decommissioned soon, leaving 5 ships left, excluding the new HMS Tachai.
(AAG)