Army sergeant killed, 7 troops injured in accidental explosion in Ratchaburi

[snoop1130]

Army sergeant killed, 7 troops injured in accidental explosion in Ratchaburi

By The Nation

 

 

A mine-clearing drill at an Army base in Ratchaburi resulted in an accidental explosion that killed a sergeant and injured seven other troops, a deputy Army spokesperson said on Tuesday.

 

Colonel Sirichan Ngathong, deputy spokeswoman of the Royal Thai Army, said the explosion happened at 11am inside the Jarumanee strategic training facility of the Burachat base in Ratchaburi’s Mueang district.

 

The sergeant who died in the blast was named as Yutthapong Chankhonkaen, an officer of the 11th Engineering Regiment of the Royal Guards.

 

Yutthapong and the injured troops were aboard a boat and were taking part in a drill for demonstrating how to clear mines in water, Sirichan said.

 

They were supposed to show the marine mine-clearing technique to a visiting delegation of the engineering corps on Wednesday.

 

The injured were rushed to Phanu Rangsi Army Hospital, she added.

 

Sirichan said the Army would conduct an investigation to ascertain the cause of the explosion.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30357998

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-6

[webfact]

Update: Officer killed, many hurt, in military drill blast

By SAICHON SRINUANCHAN 
THE NATION

 

 

A MILITARY exercise drill at an Army base in Ratchaburi province went tragically wrong on Tuesday when an accidental explosion killed two officers and wounded several others.

 

The drill, at the Charumanee strategic training facility inside Burachat Camp, was held by engineering department personnel as a dress rehearsal for a scheduled visit today by a group of visitors.

 

Pol Colonel Chanin Imcharoenchai, of Ratchaburi police, confirmed that an explosion has occurred inside the camp in Muang Ratchaburi district. When police arrived they found that those affected by the blast had already been taken to hospital.

 

Sergeant Yutthapong Chankonkaen and Sergeant Major First Class Pien Tarajam, who were seriously injured by the explosion were later pronounced dead at hospital. The others being treated for injuries were named as Sergeant Major First Class Weerayuth, Sergeant Major First Class Chinchatchara, Sergeant Apiwat, Private Wanchalerm, Private Bannawut and Private Prateep.

 

Pol Colonel Chanin did not reveal the names of those injured from the engineering department.

 

Police sealed off the area and did not allow media inside the camp.

 

Chanin later said that the explosion ripped apart an inflatable rubber boat that those involved had been in. 

 

Earlier reports suggested that the Army personnel were in a boat and taking part in a drill to demonstrate how to clear mines in the water. Their intention had been to show visitors their marine mine-clearing techniques.

 

Colonel Sirichan Ngathong, deputy spokeswoman of the Royal Thai Army, said in Bangkok that a committee had been set up to establish the cause of the accident.

 

The Army will take care of the medical costs of all those injured, as well as Yutthapong’s funeral and his family’s rights to compensation. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358035

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-07

[ChrisY1]

The RTA doesn't need a war.....

[hansnl]

58 minutes ago, ChrisY1 said:

The RTA doesn't need a war.....

Nonsense!

Accidents in the military resulting in deaths and wounded can happen and happen everywhere in the world, also in training

Even highly trained troops have accidents.

Your quip is rather stupid.

[Rimmer]

An overly derogatory post has been reported and has now been removed

[Ulic]

Accidents do happen in training but why use a fully armed mine. Have the mine armed by a firecracker sized charge so you know you made a mistake. Not a full charge. RIP to the sergeant and a full recovery for the injured. 

[marko kok prong]

demonstrating how not to do it

[webfact]

Posthumous promotions for soldiers killed in drill

By Jitraporn Senwong 
The Nation

 

 

Two soldiers killed in an explosion during a drill at Muang Ratchaburi’s Burachat Army Camp on Tuesday (November 6) will posthumously receive seven-rank promotions, deputy Army spokesperson Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said on Friday.
 

Royally sponsored cremation rites will be held on November 10 – at a Buddhist meditation centre in Nakhon Phanom for Master Sergeant Pian Tarajaem and at Wat Na Nong in Ratchaburi for Sergeant Yutthapong Jankhonkaen. 

 

The posthumous promotion will make Pian a lieutenant colonel, entitling his family to Bt950,000 in initial assistance.

 

Yutthapong will become a lieutenant and his family will receive Bt690,000 initially, Sirichan said.

 

Six soldiers injured in the practice exercise for the following day’s visit by the Army Engineers Department are in stable condition. 

 

Four of them remained at Ratchaburi Central Hospital as of Friday.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30358233

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-09

[gk10002000]

Practice on a full charge mine?  Please say that wasn't the case

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 11/7/2018 at 4:32 AM, webfact said:

Chanin later said that the explosion ripped apart an inflatable rubber boat that those involved had been in. 

 

Sounds like it was!!!! 

 

 

[chickenslegs]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Two soldiers ...  will posthumously receive seven-rank promotions

This is something I admire about the Thai armed forces. At least their wives and children will now receive a decent pension.

I don't know whether this is common practice in other countries, but it should be.

 

[Damrongsak]

3 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

This is something I admire about the Thai armed forces. At least their wives and children will now receive a decent pension.

I don't know whether this is common practice in other countries, but it should be.

 

In The U.S., the military death gratuity program provides for a special tax free payment of $100,000 to eligible survivors if it's due to combat/combat training or hazardous duty.  Otherwise it's $12,500.  In addition, there is up to $400,000. in term life insurance available at $7. per month per $100,000.  We received both when our son was killed in Iraq.

 

In addition, there is monthly annuity paid by the military to the surviving spouse or, in some cases, eligible children, of a member who dies on active duty. The initial annuity paid to a surviving spouse is equal to 55 percent of the retired pay (reduced to 35% after age 62) to which the member would have been entitled based upon years of active service if retired on the date of death (if the member was retirement-eligible). A spouse can stay in the same military housing for up to a year.

[Srikcir]

9 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

This is something I admire about the Thai armed forces. At least their wives and children will now receive a decent pension.

There's no stated nor written policy for such compensation.

It seems whatever the high command decides. So any award is arbitrary and capricious.

It also seems that (in reference to several crashed military aircraft since 2014) that such awards are made irrespective of whether personnel is at fault.

As far as the death and injuries addressed in this article, if the military was negligent or irresponsible to using live munitions in a practice exercise - there is nothing to be admired.