Three ill-fated chopper’s crew members posthumously promoted

[webfact]

Three ill-fated chopper’s crew members posthumously promoted



BANGKOK: -- The Royal Thai Air Force has given eight-step posthumous promotions to three crew members of a helicopter who died after the craft crashed into the dense mountainous forest in Chanthaburi province while on a resupply mission on June 25.

Squadron Leader Pasit Techasen, the chopper’s pilot, was promoted an air marshal; Flight Lieutenant Alongkorn Chankrachang was promoted an air vice marshal; and Flight Sergeant (1st class) Visut Puttharaksa was promoted a group captain.

Besides the posthumous promotions, families of the three deceased officers will receive compensation from the Welfare Fund – three million baht for Pasit, 2.7 million baht for Alongkorn and 2.5 million baht for Visut.

After the chopper went missing on June 25 as it was delivering supplies to an Air Force’s radar station on Khao Chamao, search and rescue operations were launched by the air force with assistance from the army’s special force and marines. UAV was also deployed to help in the search.

It took the search parties four days before they finally located the crash site and the bodies of the three crew members who were flown by a helicopter to Sattahip naval base.

The victims’ bodies were flown to Bangkok Tuesday morning and later taken to Bhumibol hospital for an autopsy.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/three-ill-fated-choppers-crew-members-posthumously-promoted/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-29

[phantomfiddler]

Lost for words ! Could some of this constructive energy possibly be directed towards incarcerating the murderers of the crippled bread delivery man in Bangkok recently ?

[balford]

So the loss of three lives in an accident means nothing? Seems the west season's bringing the cockroaches out early.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

[farcanell]

Whilst the loss of three men's lives is undeniably tragic, the rest of this beggars belief.

They crashed their chopper, and have posthumously received staggering promotions for doing so (a sergeant to a group captain level etc), and their families have additionally received a staggering amount of compensation.

The other side of the coin sees victims of (sometimes unbelievable) atrocities, get jack sh-t

Thailand truly is amazing

[tifino]

the compensation is calculated such to be commensurate with the age, level of experience, and Rank.

... and maybe it makes the families feel a little bit better, and IMHO it seems to indicate a level of guilt, indicating possible aircraft failure?

[macksview]

well i am one who is happy for these men's family.

cash, decent pension especially in the case of the flt sgt tech's family.

they suffered a loss, strength and best wishes to the familys.

poor flying,poor chopper, pure bad luck?, RIP men.

[Prbkk]

Yes, well it would be better to spend more of the budget on upgrading the hardware these guys had to fly: ancient choppers, not well maintained. Fewer Generals, even cutting back to 3 or 4,times the actual requirement, would pay for a lot of equipment.

I don't begrudge these payments but make the point that the bloated top, almost inverted pyramid, needs to spend less on themselves and better look after the guys who do the real work.

[tifino]

Yes, well it would be better to spend more of the budget on upgrading the hardware these guys had to fly: ancient choppers, not well maintained. Fewer Generals, even cutting back to 3 or 4,times the actual requirement, would pay for a lot of equipment.

I don't begrudge these payments but make the point that the bloated top, almost inverted pyramid, needs to spend less on themselves and better look after the guys who do the real work.

well, at least they're looking after the families, who are the only ones to suffer the actual loss

Huey flying can be more scary, with each passing year... the last last I had in a particular H model back in 1977, was the last - as it went down a week later, with a delaminated blade

It wasn't RTAF, but was of equivalent vintage - exVietnam

[bangon04]

Yes, well it would be better to spend more of the budget on upgrading the hardware these guys had to fly: ancient choppers, not well maintained. Fewer Generals, even cutting back to 3 or 4,times the actual requirement, would pay for a lot of equipment.

I don't begrudge these payments but make the point that the bloated top, almost inverted pyramid, needs to spend less on themselves and better look after the guys who do the real work.

well, at least they're looking after the families, who are the only ones to suffer the actual loss

Huey flying can be more scary, with each passing year... the last last I had in a particular H model back in 1977, was the last - as it went down a week later, with a delaminated blade

It wasn't RTAF, but was of equivalent vintage - exVietnam

Surely the US left behind enough old Huey clunkers after Vietnam that the RTAF can still be using them....

[JAG]

Whilst the loss of three men's lives is undeniably tragic, the rest of this beggars belief.

They crashed their chopper, and have posthumously received staggering promotions for doing so (a sergeant to a group captain level etc), and their families have additionally received a staggering amount of compensation.

The other side of the coin sees victims of (sometimes unbelievable) atrocities, get jack sh-t

Thailand truly is amazing

Look who's running the show?

[Srikcir]

Eight step promtion from Squadron Leader to Air Marshall.

Rather than a practice of arbitrary after-death promotions that seem not typically commensurate with rank, service time, experience and responsibility, what about providing gvernment paid insurance policies whose death benefits are adjusted to be commensurate with rank, service time, experience and responsibility?

[Inyourendo]

?.

[balford]

I was flying in Hueys out of RAAF Butterworth up to 1983 and we had no problems with them then notr after they were handed over to the army for a number of years. They were and are a reliable aircraft and will probably be around for some time yet.

With the post mortem promotions the families will at least get some compensation, and the idea of indexed 'insurance' policies is a good one. These blokes were supporting their immediate families and possibly extended families as well. But, despite that the promotions and compensation are the sole business of the Thai defence forces and not the regiment of barstool commandos.

In the RAAF when an officer retires he takes the next substantive rank - no doubt other services including the RAF have the same policy.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

[farcanell]

I was flying in Hueys out of RAAF Butterworth up to 1983 and we had no problems with them then notr after they were handed over to the army for a number of years. They were and are a reliable aircraft and will probably be around for some time yet.

With the post mortem promotions the families will at least get some compensation, and the idea of indexed 'insurance' policies is a good one. These blokes were supporting their immediate families and possibly extended families as well. But, despite that the promotions and compensation are the sole business of the Thai defence forces and not the regiment of barstool commandos.

In the RAAF when an officer retires he takes the next substantive rank - no doubt other services including the RAF have the same policy.

Bob A. Relaxed in Lampang

Love hueys... Jumped out of a bunch of them... But it's always easier to have faith in a chopper when you've a parachute on your back (plus altitude of course)

As to the "regiment of barstool commandos" comment..... I think your missing the point of this website... It's were "regiment barstool commandos" discuss and make opinion on issues about Thailand.

We realize (generally) that our opinions mean nothing to the Thais, but that doesn't mean we can't exchange opinions...,and learn from one another... Which we do herein, whist occasionally getting into some damn entertainting discussions (arguments even)... One of the favorites being about the inequalities we observe daily.... And this is one such example of the privileged benefiting overly much, whilst the plight of the commoner is largely ignored.

so.... Thanks for your input, as part of the discussion, valid points... Well noted... But... Relax Bob