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The ''Matchanu'' class comprised the only four submarines ever employed by the Royal Thai Navy. They were built in Japan by Mitsubishi, and were in commission from 1938 throughout the Franco-Thai war and World War II. The boats were decommissioned following the Manhattan Rebellion in 1951 and the subsequent dissolution of the navy's Submarine Group. ==Construction and design== The Royal Siamese Navy had shown interest in submarines in various procurement proposals dating as early as 1910. However, its expansion plans were limited by financial constraints throughout the early twentieth century. In 1934, Sindhu Kamalanavin, then Chief of Staff of the Navy, led a warship-procurement project which was approved by parliament in 1935. The proposal included a 6.9 million-baht budget for three submarines. Bidding was held in October 1935, and was won by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan, which offered a price of 820,000 baht each for four boats. Siamese navy officers and sailors were sent to Japan to be trained to operate the submarines by Imperial Japanese Navy personnel.〔 The submarines were built in Kobe, with the first two being laid down on 6 May 1936. Construction of the others began on 1 October.〔 The first group was launched on 24 December 1936, with the second following on 14 May 1937. The first two submarines were completed and delivered to the Royal Siamese Navy on 4 September 1937, the date the Thai Navy still observes as Submarine Day. The others were delivered on 30 April 1938. The Thai Navy's submarines were named after literary characters known for their mythical diving abilities from the ''Ramakien'', ''Phra Aphai Mani'', and ''Khun Chang Khun Phaen''. They are: *HTMS ''Matchanu'' (II) *HTMS ''Wirun'' *HTMS ''Sinsamut'' *HTMS ''Phlai-chumphon'' The Thai submarines were relatively small, since they were intended primarily for coastal defense.〔 Each had a displacement of on the surface and when submerged. They were armed with four torpedo tubes, plus a 76/25-millimetre (3-inch) deck gun and an machinegun. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Matchanu-class submarine」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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