Thai police helicopter crash sparks corruption allegations
Leaked chat reveals pilot describes aircraft as completely unsafe before deadly flight
A friend of a police officer who died in a helicopter crash in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan claimed that a lack of maintenance caused the incident, while a Facebook page raised suspicions of corruption.
The Bell 212 Twin Huey helicopter, operated by the Royal Thai Police (RTP), crashed near Nong Phang Phuai Temple in Koh Lak sub-district, Mueang district, Prachuap Khiri Khan at around 1pm on Saturday, May 24. All three police officers on board were pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased officers were identified as Police Major Pratuang Chulert, Police Captain Songphon Boonchai, and Police Lieutenant Thinnakrit Suwannoi. The first two officers were the pilots, while Thinnakrit served as the onboard mechanic.
The helicopter had taken off from Aphakon Kiattiwong Military Camp in the southern province of Chumphon, bound for Narasuan Military Camp in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
While the reason behind the tragic incident remains unclear, a friend of Pratuang, Police Lieutenant Colonel Anuwat Raksayot, a deputy inspector at Mueang Surat Thani Police Station, publicly alleged that poor aircraft maintenance was to blame.
Anuwat stated…
“I’m not a pilot, but I’m a friend of his, and I don’t want anyone to die from preventable causes like this ever again.”
In a Facebook post, Anuwat included a screenshot of a conversation between him and Pratuang from the day before the fatal crash. Their exchange went as follows…
Pratuang: “The aircraft is not ready to take off. It’s completely unsafe.”
Anuwat: “No one looks after police aircraft in Thailand. In the US, every aircraft is monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They investigate everything, pilot training, instructor qualifications, and test procedures.”
Pratuang: “Here, only those who receive new aircraft are safe. I didn’t want to say anything, but most of our aircraft are unusable.”
Although Anuwat admitted he lacked technical knowledge about aircraft, he said he could sense the risks his friend faced every time he flew. He added…
“For the police pilots, it’s like risking your life every time you fly, not because of the pilot’s skills, but because the aircraft itself is the real danger.”
Later, the Facebook page CSI LA claimed that only nine out of 63 RTP aircraft were currently operational. The page also raised concerns over potential corruption involving the aircraft maintenance budget.
The Commander of the Royal Thai Police, General Kittirat Phanphet, told Thai PBS he was aware of the online allegations. He vowed to investigate the corruption claims and review the readiness of the aircraft fleet.
Kittirat added that the RTP planned to purchase new helicopters in the next fiscal year, though the decision would depend on necessity and budget considerations.
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