The Khmer Navy had 60.000 tons of Capital ship tonnage that it could start using from 1928. This could be split up in any way Khmer chose. 4 x 15,000, 3 x 20,000, or 2 x 30,000 ton ships. The final decider was cost. The Navy would have loved to have two 30,000 ton ships added to the Fleet, but, the cost would have only been spread over two ships. It was more cost effective to spread the costs over 3 ships and also get the savings from producing three sets of everything rather than two. Also the three ships could still be effective units with good armour and armament. They would be enlarged Krait type ships with a better armament. While nominally 20,000 tons they actually displaced 24,000 tons standard displacement. Somebody missed their slide rule by 20%.
These three ships were under construction as the Khmer Navy went through the change from Low Angle weaponry to Dual Purpose weapons. The Taksin was too early to take advantage of the change and completed with the Low Angle 5.1" twin turrets. The Khmer designers had made sure that the barbette rings on both 5.1" turrets (LA and DP) were exactly the same so that the older turrets could be replaced when enough of the DP turrets were available to swap them out. Added to the new turrets, they also required new dual purpose directors.
The Ananda and Thaisa were completed with the dual purpose turrets and it was not until 1940 that a new set of turrets were produced for the Taksin. All three ships were taken in hand during 1940 to add the new 40mm quad turrets and to upgrade the single 25mm mk1920 with twin mk1938 25mm weapons.
The three ships were finally all the same at the end of 1940.
