The Royal Thai Navy has commissioned two new M36-class patrol boats, T114 and T115 in a ceremony at its Sattahip base in Chonburi on March 29, 2021. The M36-class patrol boats have been built by Marsun Company and are intended to serve the maritime patrol requirements of the Royal Thai Navy. The first three vessels in the class were designated as T111, T112 and T113. The boats were launched by Marsun in March 2014 and delivered to the Royal Thai Navy later the same year. Marsun laid the keels for the fourth and fifth M36-class vessels in June 2018 at its shipbuilding facility in Samut Prakan.
The M36-class patrol boats have been built by Marsun Company and are intended to serve the maritime patrol requirements of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The patrol boat can conduct a range of missions such as marine law enforcement, prevention of onshore or sea infiltrations and protection of shipping and fishing boats. It is also able to participate in search-and-rescue (SAR) missions and perform security operations to provide safety to HM the King and the royal family. The concept of a military-style patrol boat on a commercial hull platform was developed with the engineering departments of Marsun Shipyard and the Royal Thai Navy.
The mono-hull design ensures the vessel’s high-performance and durability and is designed to offer extended service-life, even when operating in harsh weather conditions. It has an overall length of 36m, a beam of 7.6m and a draught of 1.7m. The deck has a load capacity of 50t and can house two 20ft containers at the aft. The on-board fuel tank has a maximum fuel-carrying capacity of 34m³, while the vessel’s freshwater storage unit has a capacity of 7.6m³. The boat can accommodate up to 28 crew members and 13 special operation forces. The patrol boat accommodates a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) at the rear deck area.
The M36-class vessels also feature two weapon mounts that can hold machine guns, which are able to fire 0.50-calibre (12.7mm) ammunition. Its duel-fed cannon is assisted by a hydraulic device for rearming process, while two large boxes are stationed near the weapon station to house the cartridges. The forward bow deck is fitted with a single 20/30mm machine gun. The aft deck is capable of accommodating a pedestal-mounted surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, allowing it to launch weapons such as Mistral SAMs. The M36-class is equipped with 25kW and 12kW marine radars, a differential global positioning system and direction and wind speed measuring devices.
