HTMS Sukhothai (FS-442) was a Ratanakosin-class corvette operated by the Royal Thai Navy, launched in 1986 and commissioned in 1987. Measuring 76.8 meters in length and 9.6 meters in beam, the vessel had a full load displacement of approximately 960 tons. It was powered by two diesel engines driving two propeller shafts, allowing a maximum speed of 26 knots and a range of 3,000 nautical miles at 16 knots. The ship's armament included two quadruple Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, an octuple Aspide surface-to-air missile launcher, a single OTO Melara 76 mm gun, supported by twin Breda 40 mm and Rheinmetall 20 mm autocannons. Its anti-submarine capability was provided by two triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes armed with Sting Ray torpedoes. Constructed in Tacoma, Washington, by Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, Sukhothai was the last major vessel built at that yard, with its keel laid on 26 March 1984, launched on 20 July 1986, and officially commissioned on 10 June 1987. The vessel was designed to provide the Royal Thai Navy with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile capabilities on a highly maneuverable platform. Throughout its service, HTMS Sukhothai participated in various naval exercises, including the 1994 Thai-Australian military exercise AUSTHAI 94 and the 1995 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Cruise (CARAT 95), during which it fired Aspide missiles against drone targets for the first time. On 18 December 2022, while en route to a commemorative event, the ship encountered a severe storm in the Gulf of Thailand, where high winds and 4-meter waves caused seawater to flood the vessel through an exhaust port, leading to electrical failures, engine shutdown, and subsequent sinking. Despite efforts by other naval vessels and helicopters, only HTMS Kraburi reached the sinking ship. The disaster resulted in the loss of 24 crew members with five presumed dead. Investigations revealed that the sinking was primarily due to flooding caused by multiple hull breaches, including a hole in the hull, the forecastle deck, and the ship's gun turret, which compromised stability. The incident prompted plans for salvage and memorialization, with a memorial unveiled in September 2024 to honor the fallen sailors.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.