The owner of Pattaya Air Park died in hospital late on Saturday after a plane he was flying crashed in tambon Huay Yai in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district, police said.
Pol Col Kampol Leelaprapakorn, Huay Yai police chief, identified the crash victim as Navaporn Savetwong, aka Sia Tang, 55, owner of Pattaya Air Park, a private airstrip in Bang Lamung district.
He said Mr Navaporn had taken up his latest aircraft, which he had brought from England two weeks ago. He flew from Pattaya Air Park at about 6pm to give it a test run. About 15 minutes after take-off, the aircraft spun out of control and crashed into a tapioca field in tambon Huay Yai.
Mr Navaporn was seriously injured. He was admitted to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.