Wreck Diving in Pattaya Gulf of Thailand

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(The Divemasters and Instructors of Neptune Dive Center are all experienced wreck diver)

Steam Ship Bremen

Copyright. Steve Burton

Steam Ship Bremen

 Location:   About 30 km from Pattaya beach, in the channel between Koh Khram Yai and Sattahip on the mainland in Chong Khram Channel at  N 12.40.097 /  E 100.48.855

Diving: Depth: 19-24m
Visibility: 6-18m
Conditions:   There are strong currents because of its placement on the strait of two islands

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.

The Petchburi Bremen sank , when a fire broke out in the midships engine room. The resultant explosion buckled the hull and damaged 110-metres steel hulled freighter to rest on the sea bed 23-24 meters. Some of the cargo was reportedly salvaged, then the ship was scuttled. It rests up right on a sandy bottom, twisted and broken up not by the above-mentioned vicissitudes, but by the demolition practice inflicted on it by the Royal Thai Navy, who for many years used it for bombing practice.

Steam Ship Hardeep

Official name Vessel "Suthathip" Registration Thai

SS.Suthathip 1940

SS.Suthathip Today

Wreck details and location:  The Suthathip lies on its starboard side. Max depth 28 meters, with two 1000 pound bombs nearby in about 28 meters of water, approximately 1/4 mile off the northwest corner 3f Koh Chuang. The latter island is itself situated 4/5 miles south of the fishing village of Samae San

Conditions: Strong currents of 2-3 knots are common on this sites - occasionally visible on the surface

The wreck is a WWII casualty, sunk by allied bombing and sunk the 1^st of May 1942 12:55pm. lying on its starboard side oriented roughly north-south with its bow pointing to the south; its hull is relatively intact. The engine has been salvaged, leaving a large square hole cut out of the port side. The superstructure has deteriorated, but its general outlines are still apparent. The remnants of the funnel are resting on the seafloor, one end lying in 28 meters of water. Once having battled down the line against the fierce currents that often flow over this wreck, the Harddeep makes for a lovely dive. There is a lot of sea life on the wreck including a resident turtle, a few rays, the usual giant grouper, and a giant starry puffer fish often lurking just above the boilers. When diving the wreck aim to be first down the rope before other cretins scare them away.

HTMS Khram

HTMS Krahm 1944

HTMS Krahm 2006

HTMS Khram

Location 300 meter of Koh Phai (Bamboo Island). Diving Depth: 14-30m. Visibility: 10-25m. Conditions Moderate to strong currents

The Khram. began service at the end of World War II with the US Navy and was transferred to the Royal Thai Navy in 1962. Sixty years later, it was decided to sink the ship to help form Thailand’s first underwater conservation park. The Khram is 62 meters long and 10 meters at the beam. When afloat, she displaced 928 tons and carried five medium battle tanks. She is now located just off Koh Phai and can be included in diving trips to the Far Islands.

The top of the wreck is at 14 meters and the bottom at 30 meters, so this is not a wreck dive that Neptune recommends for Open Water divers. The Khram sits upright in the sand, parallel to the currents and is well marked with two buoys for easy descents ascents and safety/deco stops.

The Bridge/Radio Room. Depending on the tide, it is possible to stand on the bridge at a depth of 15 meters. This is the highest area of the wreck and entry/ exit is simple and safe. All the glass has been removed from the windows as has all the equipment.

 Deck Area and Side Passages. The center of ship is a large flat area with built up sides in order to carry the tanks, troops and equipment to the beachhead. The side corridors are well lit and easily accessible, but care must be taken not to kick up too much silt.

Engine Room. Entry to the engine room is via a large access hole in the middle of the load deck at the aft of the ship. Both of the main engines have been removed, but there are many gauges, pipes and dials still left which makes this an interesting technical diving classroom. There is natural light in this area, but again divers must be cautious about the silt.

A bit of history. The ship began service at the end of World War II having been commissioned in 1945 as USS LSM-469. The LSM (Landing Ship Medium) Class 1 ships of WWII were nicknamed the "Sand Scrapers". LSM-469 served the US Pacific Fleet during the post-war occupation of Japan, and her highest decoration was the American Campaign Ribbon. She was decommissioned on 29th August 1946 and "mothballed" until transferred to the Royal Thai Navy in 1962. After having been afloat for nearly 60 years, the RTN could no longer maintain the ageing vessel. It was decided over a year ago to sink the ship and start an underwater sanctuary for marine life. Vice-Admiral Somjai Wattanayothin, chief-of-staff of the Royal Fleet at the Satahip naval base, said the decommissioning of H.T.M.S KHRAM was a navy project to mark His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn's 50th birthday.

HTMS Kut

HTMS Kut 1945

HTMS Kut 2006

HTMS Kut today

HTMS Kut

The Kut began service as LSM-333 in the U.S. Navy. It was transferred to the Thai Navy in October 1946 where it was rebranded the LS1-1 and named after Koh Kood, an island of Thai city of Trat. It is a sister ship of the HTMS Khram (also named for an island), which was sunk off Koh Phai in February 2003. The Khram, now a thriving artificial reef, is Pattaya's most-popular dive site, a title it may not have once coral and marine life start calling the Kood home.

The ship was scuttled about 340 meters off the northeast tip of Koh Sak. bottom of the wreck lies at 31.5m,the deck at 26m and the top of the conning tower at 12m. Thus, the bulk of the vessel will only be accessible to those with an advanced ore higher certification. NITROX is a ferry good option…

On Sept 16, 2006 Thai authorities sunk the third Pattaya scuba diving shipwreck (this is without counting the Bremen and the ex Vertical Wreck which are respectively fully collapsed / gone and not dived anymore).

This new ship is the sister ship of the HTMS Khram Vessel, sunken as an artificial reef in february 2003, and which became Pattaya's most amazing dive site.

The ship went down about 350 metres off the northeast tip of Koh Sak and lies in 31 metres of Water, deck at 26 metres and top of the conning tower at 12 metres. This makes a great site for enriched air or rebreather dives as bottom time on air is quite short at these depth.

Even though it is the sister ship of the HTMS Khram, it is a much more challenging dive site. Less extra holes were cut in the decks and the inside of the ship wasn't cleaned as much as on the Khram. Some more holes were cut under the decks in between the different rooms which make it possible to visit the whole ship without ascending on the deck a single time. This make the wreck the most challenging wreck dive around Pattaya and an ideal training ship for the advanced technical wreck courses.

The Ship's History. The HTMS Kut started her service as LSM-333 in the U.S. Navy, operating as a World War II U.S. landing ship. She was transferred to the Thai Navy in October 1946 after its decommission from the US Navy and was renamed HTMS Kut, and then used for spare parts by Thai Navy since early 90s until finally designed to be used as an artificial reef and sunken in honour of his Majesty the King.

Detailed Specification. source of information Navsource Online.

LSM-1 Class Landing Ship Medium:

Laid down, 13 July 1944, at Pullman Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, IL.

Launched (date unknown)

Commissioned USS LSM-333, 25 November 1944, LT. William Russell Schulhof, USNR in command. During World War II LSM-333 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and participated in the. Okinawa Gunto operation; (a) Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 28 April to 18 May 1945 Decommissioned, 28 July 1946 Struck From the Naval Register (date unknown) Transferred in October 1946, to Thailand and named HTMS Kut (LSM-1) Decommissioned by Thai Navy, currently moored at the Amphibious Headquarters Final Disposition, to be sunk as a target, date unknown struck from the Royal Thai Navy List in 1990, retained for use as spare parts in Royal Thai Navy LSM-333 received one battle star for World War II service

Neptune Dive Center and Fairtex Sport Club and Resort. 179/208, moo 5, North Pattaya Road, Pattaya (Naklua), 20150, Chonburi, Thailand.

Tel: 038-371141 Fax: 038-371446

Mobile: English, Nederlands, Deutsch. 086-1532636

Mobile: Thai 081-1509562

Email: info@diveneptune.com   scuba@tttmaxnet.com  

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