HTMS Prathong
HTMS Prathong was a large lading ship tank (LST). It was commissioned on July 27th, 1977. The ship was built at Jefferson Boat Yard, in United States of America. The Royal Thai Navy purchased this ship. The ship was 98.1 meters long, 15 meters wide. Its normal displacement was 1,780 tons, with the maximum speed of 11.2 knots. It had maximum operation range of 17,000 miles. The ship’s weapons were, including, 2 sets of the twin Bofors 40/60 mm guns, 4 sets of the single Bofors 40/60 mm guns, one .50 machine gun, with the crew compliment of 129. The construction project of the underwater learning center of Krabi and Phangnga Province requested the remains of HTMS Prathong back to Phangnga Province, due to the custom that once the warship that bears the name of the local area is decommissioned, it must be returned to that location, for the honor of the local people. On Friday 14thof March, 2014, HTMS Prathong was placed under the water, for the purpose of preservation, and as part of the restoration project of the marine and shoreline ecology system of Phangnga Province. HTMS Prathong was put to rest at the Gong Pla Lueang (The Artificial Reef), near Koh Prathong Island.