HTMS Thonburi

Thonburi in 1938
History
Siam
Name	HTMS Thonburi
Namesake	Kingdom of Thonburi
Awarded	Bravery Medal[1]
Builder	Kawasaki Co
Laid down	12 January 1936
Launched	31 July 1937
Commissioned	31 January 1938
Decommissioned	26 September 1941
Stricken	19 June 1959
Fate	Wrecked in Battle of Koh Chang on 17 January 1941, refitted in Japan, decommissioned and used as a training vessel until being stricken.
Status	Become a memorial site (deck & front turret) at Royal Thai Naval Academy, Samut Prakan.
General characteristics
Class and type	Thonburi-class coastal defence ship
Displacement	2,265 tons
Length	252.66 ft (77.01 m)
Beam	47.25 ft (14.40 m)
Draft	13.75 ft (4.19 m)
Propulsion	2 MAN Diesels 5,200 shp
Speed	15.5 knots
Complement	234 officers and men
Armament	4 × 8 in (203  mm )guns, 4× 3 in (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns Before WWII 4 × 20 mm AA Madsen During WWII 4 × 40 mm AA Vickers
Armor	Main Belt: 63.5 mm (2.5 in) Deck: 38 + 25 mm (1.5 + 1.0 in) Turrets: 102 mm (4 in) Conning Tower: 102 mm (4 in)

HTMS Thonburi, also known as Dhonburi, was a coastal defence ship of the Royal Thai Navy.

Design[]

HTMS Thonburi 4 days before fight, in January 1941

Thonburi and her sister ship, HTMS Sri Ayudhya, were designed following the incorporation of the earlier Rattanakosindra-class gunboats into the Siamese Navy in the 1920s. The Ratanakosin class were British-built ships which featured six-inch guns in two turrets and light armor. Under Plaek Pibulsonggram's command, the Siamese Navy began a series of modernization efforts. Priorities for the navy consisted of protecting the extensive Thai coastline, and coastal gunboats were viewed as the best resource. Several foreign firms from European countries offered a variety of designs, but in the end the Japanese company Kawasaki won the tender.

The new vessels were basically larger versions of the earlier Ratanakosin ships. The ships were laid down at Kawasaki's facilities in 1936, and the first, Sri Ayudtaya, was launched on 21 July 1937. The resulting "battleships," as they were referred to in Siam at the time, displaced 2,265 tons, featured increased armor protection (protecting machinery and gun turrets), and were powered by twin diesels produced by MAN of Germany.

Armament consisted of four 8-inch (203 mm)/50 calibre guns mounted in two twin turrets. The Japanese 8-inch rifles were of the same type as mounted in early Imperial Japanese Navy heavy cruisers and the aircraft carriers Akagi and Kaga.It is theorized that the guns may have come off the aircraft carrier Kaga and/or a Myoko after their reconstructions.The main armament had a maximum range of 24,000 metres (26,000 yd) at 25 degrees of elevation. A tower above the bridge featured a gun director for aiming the main guns. Additional armament consisted of four 3-inch and four 40-mm guns.

The new ships were enthusiastically received by the Royal Thai Navy. Purchasing further vessels of the type was considered by the government, but ultimately it was decided to purchase two Italian-built light cruisers in 1938. Both ships were seized by Italy in 1941 before construction had finished (they were never completed), leaving Thonburi and her sister ship Sri Ayyudtaya as the most powerful combatants in Thai service.

Service[]

HTMS Thonburi Memorial, Royal Thai Naval Academy, Samut Prakan, Thailand.

Both ships of the class had entered service by the time hostilities had broken out in Europe during the Second World War. Thonburi engaged a Vichy French squadron in the Battle of Koh Chang on 17 January 1941. The resulting battle was nothing short of a massive defeat, as the Thai ship was severely damaged by fire from the French cruiser Lamotte-Picquet, fires spread out of control so she was towed to Laam Ngop to be beached in order to prevent her sinking. She would capsize a few hours after the order to abandon ship was given. Thonburi was later raised and attempts were made to repair the extensive damage, though she would never sail under her own power again. She would continue to serve the navy as a training vessel until being stricken in 1959. Part of her bridge and forward gun turret are preserved as a memorial at the Royal Thai Naval Academy with other relics from her such as the remains of her bow garuda and bell would be spread around the country in various museums. Sri Ayuthia had a rather more unfortunate fate, being sunk in the Manhattan Rebellion of 1951.

References[]

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