Shouldn't a Thai blimp be full of hot air instead of helium, be cheaper to fill too with hot air being more abundant than helium here.

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Interesting.......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19676639

A post with an oversized picture has been deleted. This messes up the formatting on the page.

Shouldn't a Thai blimp be full of hot air instead of helium, be cheaper to fill too with hot air being more abundant than helium here.

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And where would they get the hot air from?

Parliament buildings?

Is the massive red dot on the side to aif aoming at it?

Ok , go ahead and jump on me and call me stupid and ignorant but I really have to ask ...... What is the purpose of these Blimps ??? and whatever the reason / puropse may be does it justify this =

"The Army has spent Bt25 million to maintain the Bt350-million blimp, which mostly involves Bt300,000 a month to keep it filled with helium to keep it intact and prevent leaks.

Kept in a hangar in Pattani, the blimp was controversially purchased by former Army chief Anupong Paochinda with an aim to provide surveillance and air support to security forces. It's manufactured by Worldwide Aeros Corp, one of the companies awarded the new contract.

People should really learn what they are talking about before posting.

For example, helium is NOT flammable, and shooting at helium filled balloons (and blimps) will NOT cause them to explode in giant fireballs.Do you really think they would use HELIUM to fill balloons at parties and fairs if it was that dangerous ?

Also, those large (helium filled) blimps are quite hard to shoot down apparently. Unless of course the (4-7) blimps that I see everyday, anchored in and around Kandahar are made from some magical material that is bullet resistant. Note: the company maintaining those blimps claim it takes hundreds of (bullet) holes to damage one enough to bring it down.

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Didnt you know the bullets just bounce off them..

Wonder how it takes a direct hit from a RPG?

I always love the blimp threads. I get a good laugh from some of the posters ignorance, however I can't tell if they are trolling or if they actually believe what they are saying. Either way, still funny.

Ha ha ha - my thoughts exactly, a red dot to help their aim - I mean could the target be any larger? One shot and this could be a huge flame out. Unbelievable using a helium filled object in a 'war' zone. And they can kiss their collective asses goodbye for the USD millions they put into it. Stupid is as stupid does comes to mind.

You didn't pay much attention in school science class did you?

Helium is not hydrogen!

Correct - science was not my most favoured subject - I recalled seeing the footage of the zeppelin and married the two. My mistake and thx for pointing it out. I would still stand by losing it to the ground with a tracer or similar shell thru the target though.

and geography,as well!this is your 2nd blunder in couple of days,before it was about new capital of Burma.

I think,we can not blame missed classes - I would suspect experiments with fire water?

Yes, we have not forgotten who approved the purchase...... But, OF COURSE, it was all above board if it was Mark's administration.

Wonder how it takes a direct hit from a RPG?

The blimp may be to soft to detonate the fuse so it will just bounce off...

Third world solutions for a third world country..

I guess no one considered the long term costs of keeping this cold air balloon aloft..(I know it's helium really)

Maybe they could consider an LPG conversion.. Thai style ??

Blimps what a crock of Bull_hit, proves they are filled with hot air, and 50 million to be pocketed, by the select few.

What the frigging hell do they need blimps for, to take snipper shots at the Reds again

I think they got a better deal on the GT200 bomb detectors, that dont work.

Naa, they couldn´t detect bombs, and they sure as he*l cant fly.

Ha ha ha - my thoughts exactly, a red dot to help their aim - I mean could the target be any larger? One shot and this could be a huge flame out. Unbelievable using a helium filled object in a 'war' zone. And they can kiss their collective asses goodbye for the USD millions they put into it. Stupid is as stupid does comes to mind.

You didn't pay much attention in school science class did you?

Helium is not hydrogen!

Correct - science was not my most favoured subject - I recalled seeing the footage of the zeppelin and married the two. My mistake and thx for pointing it out. I would still stand by losing it to the ground with a tracer or similar shell thru the target though.

Again, one might be thinking of the "anti-alfa particle", which has the same atomic weight as an helium nucleus but is made of anti-matter. But, of course, the inside surface of the skin would need a vacuum deposition of "red kryptonite" to contain it. This would possibly explain the cost.

Big misunderstanding, air force chief actually put in a request to attend a Zeppelin concert, to observe their security procedures.

Yes, we have not forgotten who approved the purchase...... But, OF COURSE, it was all above board if it was Mark's administration.

"If..."

Scotbeve, I am genuinely interested in finding out when, ie under whose premiership, the purchase of the blimp was approved. Could you help me with something less vague, perhaps a link to a news article that has the desired information?

The Thai army is the enemy of truth in this country .

Yes, we have not forgotten who approved the purchase...... But, OF COURSE, it was all above board if it was Mark's administration.

"If..."

Scotbeve, I am genuinely interested in finding out when, ie under whose premiership, the purchase of the blimp was approved. Could you help me with something less vague, perhaps a link to a news article that has the desired information?

Puccini,

Please see >>>

TV's cherished newspaper articles.

If they want to detect insurgents this would be the perfect way to not ever find anyone and one day get shot down in flames. Why not sell and purchase a couple of cheap unmanned drones for covert surveillance? Again shows how not serious they are about resolving problems in the south.

Cheap unmanned drones?

You can't but those in the night market.

Not cheap, certainly not the one's that carry all the surveillance kit.

Helium is a rapidly depleting raw material in the world. The costs of He are rising and will continue to do so. Let's hope they get value from the Blimp while they can still afford to refill it.

Helium is a rapidly depleting raw material in the world. The costs of He are rising and will continue to do so. Let's hope they get value from the Blimp while they can still afford to refill it.

The best thing they can do with the"Blimp" is to charge tourists 100 Baht for a guided flight over the Grand palace (or at any other place where they can find enough paying tourists). Thailand's only aircraft carrier is used as a Tourist attraction in Sattahip naval port because it was too expensive to operate, a guided tour of the aircraft carrier is 140 Baht and they also sold T-shirts and caps.

Perhaps in 20 years they will buy a few second hand drones from the USA.

Perhaps in 20 years they will buy a few second hand drones from the USA.

Why wait, they can have them now for a few thousand dollars a piece! And these particular devices can detect other important things like forest encroachment, even poaching, drug smuggling, timber trafficking and other crime, so of general use to law enforcement agencies http://conservationdrones.org/