Top Thai ministers have slammed swirling rumours that the United States tried to swap tariff perks for military access to a strategic naval base on the Andaman coast, calling the claims baseless and speculative.
Three senior Cabinet ministers today firmly denied a report suggesting the US had demanded use of Thailand’s Phang Nga naval base during recent tariff negotiations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai voiced concern over the media chatter, saying he had never held any discussions with US officials about granting American forces access to the base.
Speaking at Government House, Phumtham, who is currently acting prime minister, insisted the Royal Thai Navy (RTN)’s ambitions to upgrade the Phang Nga facility were purely a domestic matter hampered by budget constraints, not part of any foreign bargaining chip.
“The RTN has plans to develop Phang Nga into a major facility,” he said. “But there simply isn’t enough funding at this stage.”
Deputy Defence Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit echoed the sentiment, telling reporters he had never seen any formal proposal from Washington.
“I have only seen unconfirmed media reports,” he said. “Thailand remains committed to a balanced policy when it comes to security and foreign relations.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa also poured cold water on the speculation, clarifying that the Foreign Ministry had received no official communication on the matter.
“The reports are only speculation,” Maris said.
A naval source familiar with the situation confirmed there were no plans to grant the US long-term access to the Phang Nga base. The same source dismissed any suggestion that Washington was considering funding the base’s development in exchange for strategic privileges.
“All visits by US warships are conducted under a long-standing bilateral logistics agreement. The Royal Thai Army has no intention of allowing any foreign military base on Thai soil.”
Thailand and the United States have cooperated closely on security and disaster relief for decades, but the idea of a permanent US military footprint remains politically sensitive, reported Bangkok Post.
As speculation continues to swirl, all three ministers urged the public to focus on verified information and avoid fuelling unnecessary tensions.
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