Captain Somchai remembers the day he first saw her towering above Bangkok’s harbor. It was 1997, and Thailand’s brand-new aircraft carrier had just arrived from Spain, gleaming white under the tropical sun. “We all felt so proud,” he recalls, watching from the dock as naval officers in crisp uniforms posed for photographers. “Finally, we had something that made us equal to the big powers.”
Twenty-seven years later, that same captain shakes his head as he walks past the HTMS Chakri Naruebet during his morning jog. The ship still dominates the skyline, but her flight deck sits eerily empty. No roar of jet engines, no bustle of deck crews preparing for takeoff. Just silence and the occasional tourist taking selfies.
This is the story of how Thailand’s dream of naval supremacy became one of the most expensive mistakes in Southeast Asian military history.
When Thailand Dreamed of Being a Naval Superpower
Back in the early 1990s, Thailand was riding high on an economic boom that seemed unstoppable. The country’s GDP was growing at double-digit rates, and Bangkok’s skyline was transforming with gleaming skyscrapers. Regional tensions were rising too, especially in the South China Sea, and Thai military planners felt their country needed something bold to project power.
The Thai aircraft carrier project was born from this cocktail of prosperity and ambition. Government officials looked at the navies of major powers and decided Thailand deserved its place among them. After all, no other Southeast Asian nation had an aircraft carrier.
Spain’s state-owned shipbuilder Bazán won the contract with a design based on their own Príncipe de Asturias carrier, just scaled down slightly for Thailand’s needs. The price tag seemed reasonable at the time: just under $300 million, which translates to roughly €667 million in today’s money.
“The Chakri Naruebet was supposed to turn Thailand into a serious naval power,” explains Dr. Siriporn Thanakit, a defense analyst at Chulalongkorn University. “Instead, it became a textbook example of what we call a ‘white elephant’ – impressive to look at but impossibly expensive to maintain.”
When the 183-meter vessel arrived in 1997, it came equipped with second-hand AV-8S Matador jets, which were essentially refurbished Spanish Harriers capable of vertical takeoff and landing. The ship could also carry anti-submarine helicopters and search-and-rescue aircraft, giving Thailand what appeared to be a complete naval aviation capability.
The Numbers Behind Thailand’s Naval Ambitions
On paper, the specifications of the Thai aircraft carrier looked impressive enough to justify the massive investment:
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Length | 183 meters |
| Top Speed | 25.5 knots |
| Range | 13,000 kilometers |
| Crew Capacity | 600 personnel |
| Aircraft Capacity | 12 fixed-wing + 6 helicopters |
| Original Cost | $300 million (1990s) |
| Inflation-Adjusted Cost | €667 million (2024) |
For a brief moment, Thailand actually achieved its goal. The country became the only Southeast Asian nation operating an aircraft carrier, and the ship participated in several joint exercises with allied navies.
But the reality of carrier operations hit fast and hard. Key challenges included:
- Extremely high fuel costs for regular operations
- Scarce and expensive spare parts for aging Harrier jets
- Need for specialized pilot training overseas
- Complex maintenance requiring foreign technical support
- Limited strategic missions that justified the expense
“Operating an aircraft carrier isn’t just about buying the ship,” notes Admiral Narong Pipatanasai, former commander of the Royal Thai Navy. “It’s like buying a Ferrari when you can only afford the gas for city driving once a month.”
From Prestige Project to Floating Museum
The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis delivered the killing blow to Thailand’s carrier ambitions. As the country’s economy collapsed and the baht lost half its value, military budgets came under intense scrutiny. Suddenly, spending millions on jet fuel and maintenance for a ship that rarely left port became politically impossible.
By 2006, the last of the Thai aircraft carrier’s Harrier jets were grounded permanently. Spare parts had become too expensive, and the pilots needed to operate them were being reassigned to other duties. The ship that was supposed to project Thai power across the South China Sea was now effectively a helicopter carrier.
But even that limited role proved too costly. Today, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet spends most of its time tied up at Sattahip Naval Base, emerging only for ceremonial occasions or the occasional disaster relief mission. Local media has nicknamed it “the most expensive yacht in Southeast Asia.”
The financial impact extends far beyond the original purchase price. Conservative estimates suggest Thailand has spent an additional €200-300 million on maintenance, crew training, and infrastructure over the past 27 years. That brings the total investment to nearly €1 billion for a ship that has conducted virtually no combat operations.
“Every year we debate whether to retire her completely,” admits a current Thai naval officer who requested anonymity. “But she’s become such a symbol that no admiral wants to be the one to recommend scrapping Southeast Asia’s only aircraft carrier.”
What This Means for Southeast Asia’s Military Future
The Thai aircraft carrier’s troubled history offers important lessons for other developing nations considering prestigious military acquisitions. Indonesia has floated plans for its own carrier, while Vietnam and the Philippines have discussed advanced naval capabilities to counter China’s growing influence.
Thailand’s experience shows that buying advanced military hardware is only the beginning of the financial commitment. Operating costs, training requirements, and maintenance expenses can easily exceed the original purchase price over a weapon system’s lifetime.
The strategic value has also proven questionable. Thailand’s main security challenges involve border disputes with neighboring countries, internal insurgencies, and natural disasters – none of which require an aircraft carrier to address effectively.
“The irony is that Thailand probably would have been better served by investing that €667 million in coastal patrol boats, maritime surveillance aircraft, and port security,” explains Dr. Michael Malley, a Southeast Asian security expert. “Those capabilities would have provided real, everyday security benefits rather than symbolic prestige.”
Today, as tensions in the South China Sea continue to rise, other Southeast Asian nations are watching Thailand’s experience carefully. The lesson seems clear: military prestige projects may boost national pride temporarily, but they rarely provide lasting security benefits that justify their enormous costs.
The HTMS Chakri Naruebet remains moored under the Thai sun, a monument to ambitious dreams and fiscal reality. She may still hold the title of Southeast Asia’s only aircraft carrier, but that distinction has proven to be more burden than blessing.
FAQs
Why did Thailand buy an aircraft carrier?
Thailand purchased the carrier during its 1990s economic boom to project naval power and gain prestige as the only Southeast Asian nation with such capability, amid rising regional tensions.
How much did the Thai aircraft carrier cost?
The original cost was just under $300 million in the 1990s, which equals approximately €667 million in today’s money when adjusted for inflation.
Does the Thai aircraft carrier still have fighter jets?
No, the last Harrier jets were grounded in 2006 due to high maintenance costs and parts scarcity. The ship now operates only helicopters occasionally.
What does Thailand use the aircraft carrier for now?
The HTMS Chakri Naruebet is mainly used for ceremonial occasions and occasional disaster relief missions, spending most of its time docked at naval base.
Is Thailand the only Southeast Asian country with an aircraft carrier?
Yes, Thailand remains the only Southeast Asian nation to operate an aircraft carrier, though it’s largely non-functional in its original role.
Could Thailand sell or retire the aircraft carrier?
While financially logical, retiring the ship would mean giving up Southeast Asia’s only aircraft carrier status, making it a difficult political decision for Thai naval leadership.