September 23, 2016

"Submarine acquisitions in the East Asia region are arguably symptomatic of three features. First, they reflect ongoing geopolitical movements and trends. The ultimate fear, rationally or irrationally, is that submarines may become the capital ships in sea-lane denial missions for countries in the region. Submarine acquisitions are as much for bilateral diplomacy as they are military hardware acquisitions. Second, they are markers of coping mechanisms to deal with recent tensions in both the East China and South China Seas. Third, besides politics, the submarine deals are also a reflection of the economic capabilities and influence of the supplying countries.

In June 2015, Thailand chose to acquire Chinese submarines. The acquisition was interpreted by observers as part of the Thai tilt towards China. It also marked the 40th anniversary of bilateral ties between the two countries. Since the military coup to depose the last of the Thaksin family members in power, former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Thailand has been ruled by the military under General Prayut Chan-o-cha and has faced sanctions from Western nations due to restrictions on democracy placed on the Thai political system. It has since tilted towards China for economic cooperation while remaining a firm strategic ally of the West."

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