Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed dissatisfaction with the Royal Thai Navy's clarification on the submarine procurement project, which he said has disclosed "too many details" on security issues.
One day after the navy addressed a press conference with details of its submarine procurement project, in response to growing criticism over its lack of transparency, Gen Prayut said Tuesday it was inappropriate for the navy to have given such detailed information.
According to the prime minister, no other country has ever had to disclose this much information about military hardware procurement as Thailand just did.
"This kind of issue concerns national security and every country keeps such matters secret and feel they do not need to explain everything," Gen Prayut said.
The prime minister, however, admitted the government had previously not given clear details of the procurement project prior to Monday's press event.
The navy attempted Tuesday to show the value of HTMS Chakri Naruebet by sending her for a brief cruise in the Gulf. (Photo courtesy Royal Thai Navy)
The navy's procurement of a 13.5-billion-baht Yuan-class S26T submarine from China was approved in secret at a cabinet meeting on April 18, part of a plan to purchase three submarines with total cost of 36 billion baht.
News of the approval was only made public last Monday after a series of media reports.
The navy on Monday explained the specifications of submarines including the types of weapons to be installed on them.
"I insist that every step [in the navy's submarine procurement] is subject to the same formal inspection as in every other procurement project of all other ministries. However, when it comes to a submarine, not much detail about its specifications can normally be revealed to the public," said Gen Prayut.
He insisted also that the government did not dip into the budget reserved for social spending and welfare, but used the military's own money.
Meanwhile, activist Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Constitution, demanded the government disclose more details of the submarine procurement project.
He said the navy had mentioned only the advantages of the project, leaving taxpayers to wonder what the disadvantages of the project will be.
He also suggested Gen Prayut should exercise his special power allowed under Section 44 of the interim charter to form an independent committee to probe the submarine procurement project to determine whether it was carried out properly.
Also Tuesday, the National Anti-Corruption Network (NACN) submitted a letter to Gen Prayut expressing its support for the purchase.
Mongkolkit Suksingtharanon, secretary-general of the NACN, said the group supports the submarine purchase given growing tensions in the region.