The Japanese say 'No more Treaties!' and the major powers go mad laying down large numbers of 35,000 ton battleships. Khmer just can not afford them. Anything to keep the price down they do. Rather than promulgate a new set of turrets and guns, the 14" twin they still have the rights to is chosen for the new ships. Their armour and speed will set them as Battlecruisers rather than Battleships. But the Khmer Navy had to use them in the battle line with the Loethai class. That was Battle Squadron One. The Taipan made a round the world cruise showing the Flag and appearing at the 1937 Kings Coronation Review. Taipan made a fine sight amongst the other capital ships of Foreign Navies. During Taipan's cruise, the senior Cabinet Ministers, that went with the ship, had many meetings with the Politicians of the countries the ship visited. Looking for friends and allies.
The shooting war started in 1937 for the Asian countries when Japan attacked China. A savage little war. The Khmer Empire was friends with both and remained neutral, the time for choosing sides had not yet arrived. Khmer enforced a no warship ban on the combatants from passing through its territorial waters. This affected China the most as the warship reinforcements it had purchased had to take the long way round.
Both ships carried on through the later 1930's with only six single 25mm being added to the armament. It was not till 1942 that major changes were made with an electronic refit to add many different aids to search and targeting equipment. It was during this series of refits that the torpedoes and aircraft handling facilities were removed.
