Can the Chinese vessels Thailand is buying fulfil regional security objectives? Experts don’t think so. They also question the quality of the submarines and wonder whether these are effective or efficient enough, given their planned roles in the Andaman sea and Thai gulf.

Thailand’s submarine fleet cannot be a strategic consideration in the context of the on-going tension in the contentious South China Sea as the issue is not relevant to this country, said David Shambaugh, distinguished visiting professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Thailand initially purchasing one out of three Chinese-made submarines would also not have any significant impact on regional security, he said.