A relative of one of the nine victims killed in Monday's military helicopter crash has pleaded with the army to improve the safety of its choppers.
The remains of the nine victims of Monday's helicopter crash in Phayao were carried in wooden coffins, each draped with a national flag, during the formal transfer of the bodies from Phayao to Phitsanulok where the funerals will be held. (Photo by Saiarun Pinaduang)
"I'd like to beg the army to make sure that all of its vehicles currently in use are as new as possible and safe to use.
"Don't risk the lives of military personnel like that again," said Phachoen Phueanfung, an uncle of Col Yuttaphong Phuenfung.
"I'm feeling like I've just lost a son," said the 60-year-old who looked after Col Yuttaphong after the death of his parents.
Only a few days before Monday's crash, Mr Phachoen and Col Yuttaphong agreed to hold a family reunion.
Mr Phachoen described Col Yuttaphong as a very nice, smart man who had sacrificed his dream of becoming a medical doctor to fulfil his father's wish for him to become a soldier.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday offered his condolences to the families of the nine military personnel killed in the helicopter crash in Muang district of Phayao.
Maj Gen Songphol Thongjeen, deputy 3rd Army Region commander, was among those on board the chopper.
Gen Prayut pointed out that the crash was an accident, saying the exact cause was being investigated.
Despite admitting that the Bell 212 helicopter was a rather old model, Gen Prayut insisted the model was still being used by other countries.
The army has an even older model — between 30 and 40 years old — that works just fine if it is maintained properly, Gen Prayut said.
The army plans to purchase new helicopters to replace its older ones but they cannot be replaced all at once due to budget limitations, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said he has already received a report that a formal investigation is being conducted to find out the cause of the crash.
He said he thinks bad weather might be to blame for the crash on Monday.
The army currently has 40 Bell 212 helicopters and all of them have had their engines replaced and upgraded, Gen Prawit said.
The army currently has a total of 285 helicopters but only about 90 are fully functional, said an army source.
A number of the helicopters were left by the US after the Vietnam War, the source said.
Over the past two years, the army has purchased eight Fennec, six Mi-17, and six Black Hawk helicopters, said the same source.
The Fennec helicopters cost 335 million baht each.
The Mi17s cost 300 million baht each and each of the Black Hawks cost 1.5 billion baht, said the same source.
Following Monday's crash, Maj Gen Nopporn Ruanjan, chief of the 4th Infantry Division, said the 3rd Army Region has temporarily grounded its Bell 212 helicopters while a maintenance check is carried out on them to determine if they need new parts.
The nine bodies of the crash victims were transferred from Phayao to Phitsanulok where a royally sponsored funeral bathing ceremony was performed.
The royal cremation of the bodies is set for next Tuesday.