The army will spend at least 30 million baht to repair its troubled blimp which crash-landed in Pattani province on Thursday while on duty.
The army inspected the surveillance blimp after the accident and estimated the damage at around 30 million baht.
Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday ordered the repair and said the army had no plan to ground the aircraft.
The 350-million baht surveillance blimp has been used to patrol the skies in the southern border provinces to aid security authorities to fight insurgents. It was used during Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's visit to the region on Thursday, when it crash-landed at 4pm at the Bor Thong air base in Nong Chik district of Pattani.
Earlier reports said two military pilots and two technicians who were on board when the airship crashed escaped with minor injuries.
But an army source confirmed on Friday that three pilots were on board during the accident and all were safe.
The inspection revealed that the blimp's propeller, motor, and gondola (passenger cabin area) would have to be repaired at the cost between 20 milliona and 30 million baht, the source said. The envelope fabric has to be replaced at the cost of 15 million baht, the source said.
The blimp's insurance was said to have expired, said the source, adding that the accident damaged more than 50% of the airship.
The source said many military officials have argued that the airship should no longer be used because of high maintenance and repair costs.
The army will have to pay at least 50 million baht a year for its maintenance, according to the maintenance contract with Aeros, a US blimp manufacture and repair company. The airship also requires helium fuel that costs an estimated 2.52 million baht per flight.
The army tried to downplay the accident, insisting the blimp did not crash-land.
Deputy army spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said that the airship was forced to perform an emergency landing because the crew noticed turbulence after the airship rose to around 20 metres.
"We confirmed that the airship did not crash-land because of an accident during a mission. The blimp had to perform an emergency landing because of turbulence," he said.
The army purchased the surveillance airship in 2010 when Gen Anupong Paojinda was the army chief, amid criticism it was yet another waste of taxpayers' money.