Admiral Phairoj, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, is confident that the frigate selection process is transparent, insists the ships chosen are of high quality, and plans to announce the results in mid-July, including the winning company's name and details of the ships' performance.
29 Jun 2026 GMT+7 Admiral Phairoj Fuangjan, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (C-in-C, Royal Thai Navy) revealed the progress of the Navy’s frigate procurement project, confirming that every step remains on schedule. He stated that before the official announcement, the Navy will submit the matter to the Permanent Secretary of Defense for consideration according to protocol.
When asked about concerns regarding transparency in the selection process, the Navy Commander immediately replied, “Of course! We have always affirmed that.” He emphasized that the entire process is conducted transparently. Reporters then asked further, whether the selected frigate would be the “quality ship” society expects. Admiral Phairoj nodded and responded briefly with a firm “Yes.”
He added that the Navy will present the evaluation results to the Permanent Secretary of Defense first, following the established timeline, while the official announcement of the selection results is expected around mid-July, with the Navy spokesman assigned to clarify the details.
Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiphan, Navy spokesman, commented on revealing the winning company’s name and the ship’s performance details, saying “Possibly, yes.” He added that they still await confirmation before the official press briefing.