The community is all a buzz at the thought of 2 more wreck dives on Koh Tao.
So there is talk among the Koh Tao Dive Operators Club and the Department of Coastal Resources that the government & the Thai navy are about to release one of two retired Navy vessels as wreck dives on Koh Tao.
Nothing is confirmed as yet but having done a bit of detective work myself it appears that the boats in question are both Knox Class frigates. HTMS Phutthayotfa Chulalok (FFG 461) and her sister ship, the HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai (FFG 462).
The Knox class frigates are 133.5 m long overall and 126.5 m at the waterline, with a beam of 14.2 m and a draft of 7.5 m. At 4,130 tons, with a length of 133.5 metres and a beam of 14.3 m with a speed of 27 knots (50 km/h), these ships will be incredible wrecks to dive on. I literally can’t wait!!
These ships were originally designed by the US Navy primarily as antisubmarine warfare platforms.So they come with with a Sonar detector, anti submarine torpedo tubes, forward and aft rocket launchers, as well as a helicopter deck and hanger, a surface to air missile system, anti radar missiles and 2 bad Ass Anti ship missiles!
It’s doubtful that both boats will be sunk around Koh Tao but we live in hope! Even one will be awesome for Koh Tao and the marine life that exists here in the Gulf of Thailand.
The big question is where will be the best place to sink them? The team at Big Blue Tech have been making their recommendations so we’re keen to hear what the officials have to say about Aow Mao & a few hundred meters due west of Nang Yuan Island.
Recommendations below please people.
I served aboard USS Ouellet FF1077 until her decommissioning from the U.S. Navy in Pearl Harbor in August 1993. Prior to her decommissioning, it won numerous awards for outstanding performance across the board. It later proudly became FFG462 in the Thai Navy. In fact, I attended the commissioning ceremony for HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai. I’m very curious to know where my old ship ended up and would appreciate any information you can provide. Thank you.
Hey Alex! As far as we can tell, the HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai is currently being used as a floating museum and learning centre at the Sattahip Naval Base in Pattaya. The vessel is moored in Sattahip Bay and offers exhibitions of the history of the ship and its equipment. It also has a coffee shop on the mid-deck offering great views of the bay. If you’re ever in the area, contact the Royal Thai Fleet at the Sattahip Naval Base to arrange a tour of your old ship!
Thank you, Adele. Great news!
I was very proud of how meticulous we prepared our ship for decommissioning from the U.S. Navy, back in 1993. Prior to its commissioning in the Royal Thai Navy, the new Captain and I toured every space aboard, and I was able to provide him with important lessons that my crew and I had learned over the last couple years of its award-winning USN service. In fact, I rode the ship out of San Diego with the new Thai crew and disembarked near the sea buoy before she headed out into the Pacific toward her new home.
I’d love to see my ship again. Maybe I can offer them some information and photographs or mementos that they may want to display. I’ll reach out to the U.S. Defense Attache.
Have a great day, and thanks again!
So interesting to hear the history of a particular ship and be able to track it down so many years later. Keep me posted when you reach out. I’d love to hear that some of your keepsakes are being displayed in the exhibit. Now that I’ve done some reading on it I plan on stopping in to see it myself next time I’m up in Pattaya. Cheers, Alex!