HTMS Songkla (No 33)  HTMS Thonburi, a.k.a Dhonburi (No 34).

The HTMS Thonburi was 76 m x 14 m. The torpedo boat wreckss at Koh Chang HTMS Chonburi and HTMS Songkla were 67 x 6,5 m.

[ Koh Chang ]

depth 5-12meters; air diving

HTMS Thonburi and HTMS Songkra

17 มกราคม พุทธศักราช 2484 เข้าทำการรบกับ
หมู่เรือรบฝรั่งเศสที่เกาะช้าง ในกรณีพิพาทอินโดจีน
ฝรั่งเศส ร.ล.ธนบุรี ถูกหมู่เรือรบฝรั่งเศสยิง และ
แล่นมาจมที่แหลมงอบ แล้วได้กู้ขึ้นมาในภายหลัง

Thai Translation:- ‘On the 17 January 2448 Buddhist Era (1941 CE) came to fight with a group of French Boats at Koh Chang.
During the subsequent actions, suffered shots from the French Boats and came to sink at the Jorb Headland( Koh Chang). It was later raised.’

On 17th January 1941 French forces composed by light cruiser Lamotte-Piquet and gunboats Dumont d´Urville, Amiral Charner, Thahure and Marne under overall command of Captain Bérenger closed in on Thai forces anchored south of Koh Chang. Below an image from Thai historical archives compares the size of the Thai vessel Thonburi(white) with the very much  larger French vessel Lamontte-Picquet(black) involved in this battle. From the outset, there could have been There could little doubt about the eventual outcome of the battle.

The first shots were fired from HTMS Songkla (No 33) 06H14 followed by HTMS Chonburi (No 34). The torpedoboats were desperately trying to raze steam and could not move or use their torpedoes.

Both torpedo boats received several hits and caught fire. They were abandoned 06H45. HTMS Songkla sunk 06H53 and HTMS Chonburi 06H55.

HTMS Songkla lost two men and HTMS Chonburi 14 men.

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My thanks to Khun Suphakorn P [[email protected]] of Loxley Information systems Bangkok, for researching this Thai Language resource and for shedding much light onto the events as they actual happened as they were reported by Thai sources, which are entirely missing from all western historical archives.