Thailand aims to swap Chinese sub with frigate after troubled deal

BANGKOK (Reuters): The Thai government may buy a frigate instead of a submarine from China after the Chinese manufacturer was unable to include a German engine as specified in the original deal, Thailand's defence minister has said.

Thailand has already paid a 7 billion baht (US$193.7 million) instalment to China for the purchase of one of three Yuan Class S26T submarines with German-made diesel engines, but the deal was delayed when Germany forbade the use of its engines for Chinese military exports.