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THAI
NAVY VESSEL 732 (Former USS LSM-469)
"Down
she goes":
Courtesy
Bangkok Post Article 1st Feb 2003
Further
information on US Navy Vessels from http://www.navsource.org/
The
Thai navy has sunk a decommissioned warship
near Koh Phi and Koh Larn islands off
Pattaya to turn it into a breeding ground
for marine life.
Vice-Admiral Somjai Wattanayothin, chief-of-staff
of the Royal Fleet at the Sattahip naval
base, said the decommissioning of HMS
Khram to was a navy project to mark His
Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn's
50th birthday.
The
United States gave this ship (Former USS
LSM-469) renamed HMS Khram to the Thai
Navy on the 25 May 1962. The ship, now
dilapidated beyond repair, has been in
use for more than 60 years. It now lies
about 300 meters from Koh Phi in 30m of
water.
The
Ship:
For
information on the History and Construction
of USS LSM-469 follow
this link
For
information on
Other
ships in the Thai Navy follow
this link.
Sinking
the HMS Khram:
At
Anchor +++ At Anchor (Side
View)+++ This
will make her sink quicker!+++ Settling
at the stern+++
Diving
the HMS Khram:
Depth
to the top of the wreck 15m; depth to
the sea bed=30m; visibility 5-15m; Best
choice of gas is Nitrox 38
This
ship has been well prepared by the Thai
Navy as a dive site, and is free from
armaments, oil and most hazards to divers.
Large holes have been cut in many areas
and penetration dives through the ships
passageways rarely takes the diver out
of natural light. Care should be taken
with a few of the rooms though, as big
steel watertight doors are still fitted
and may be locked easily with the unsuspected
diver still inside.
The
Bridge/Radio room
This
is the highest are of the wreck. It is
possible to stand on the bridge at 15m
depth. all the glass has been taken out
of the windows (sadly the portholes have
gone too, sigh!) telegraph, steering mechanism,
and any bits that may be used as spare
parts have gone. Entry into the bridge
area is simple and safe. A few new divers
will probably have there certification
cards presented to them in this room.
Deck
Area and side passageways
The
ship was made for carrying tanks, troops
and equipment to a beach head, so the
center of the boat is a large flat area
with built up sides. There are several
points of entry into the well lit side
corridors, don't kick up the silt in them
though as you swim through, else a complete
silt out will occur.
Engine
room
Located
aft, entry via a large access hole in
the middle of the load deck. again, great
natural light in this area (unlike most
engine rooms) Both main engines have been
removed (probably to use a spare for her
Thai Navy sister ship HMS Kut). This is
a great tech diving classroom, with pipes
gauges and dials everywhere, though who
knows how long they'll stay. Again, careful
with silt in this are, as it's possible
to get trapped under overhanging ledges
going far under the deck.
The
dive site is marked by 2 buoys at each
end of the wreck.
HARDEEP WRECK
Vessels
name:- Supornthep, Registration:-Thai,
Sunk:- May 1941
Bombed
by French Aircraft during World War II
during Franco/Thai Hostilities
Powered
by:- 3
cylinder Coal fired engine. Single Screw
Vessel
type:-
Cargo ship Length/Tonnage:60meters/1000tons
Wreck
Location:- N012’31.5, E100’57.5. Near
Koh Chuang, Gulf of Siam
Wreck
details:- Lying on its starboard side.
Max depth 26 meters, with two 1000 pound
bombs nearby
The Petchburi Bremen
Steamship:
PETCHBURI
Built
at:- George Seebeck AG shipyard, Bremerhaven,
Germany. Yard Number:- 173
Tonnage
: 2191 gross tonnage Length : 88,5 m Breadth
: 11,9 m Draught :7,3m
Engine
: 3-times expansion-steam engine Power
: 1150 Hp, Speed : 12,5 nm/h, Crew
: 34
24.09.l901
: Launching under the name PETCHABURI
for the company North German Lloyd in
Bremen.
28.10.1901
: Delivery to the North German Lloyd
August
1914 : At the beginning of World War I
the PETCHABURI was interned in Bangkok.
27.07.1917
: Confiscated by the Thais.
New
name: KAEO SAMUD
27.12.1920
: On a voyage from Bangkok to Swatow with
rice on board she ran ashore near Koh
Sichang in the Gulf of Siam and sank.
Wreck
Dive details:-
Current
Position in Chong Khram Channel at (approx)
N11'40", E100'49".
This
wreck is very broken up, in an area of
very strong currents, and subject to plenty
of Thai Naval activity. Recent attempts
to dive this wreck have lead to dive boats
being 'ushered off' by Thai patrol boats,
or the wreck just not being found
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