Thailand June 3-4th

Location : East Suffolk Spotter Watch Member : yes

Here is a copy of the report I sent too Steve Darke of thaiaviation.net relating to a couple of days in the capital

Back out in Thailand again and have a report for you,

3rd June, Don Meaung

ERJ135, 2112 Thai Navy

737, 55-555

BKK (?) ,HS-BHS of 'Bangkok Helicopter Services'

4th June, Don Meaung

T41, 60430 ( Special Anniversary Marks)

CT4, 60445,24

DA42, HS-BAQ

Skyvan, looked like 21(3)19 in the digital photo

Then I went to Thanon Ram with the girlfriend, she got me in to take up the stuff on display there,

C47, 219789, on plinth at main gate

CT4 (?) , 1909

Dornier Do28, 1815

Cessna 310, 702

Sikorsky S61, 801

UH12 (?) , 1009 ( really 1006, I had printed your notes from the website!! , then when I come to write this mail promptly lost them,(doh!!) which is why im guessing the UH12 and CT4 because thats what they looked like!)

S55, u/m (600 from your site)

then I noticed the Beagle at the end of the road and drove up to it seeing;

KH4, -1119 on roof of building to the left

Beagle, 1409 on roof of Building (ops building?)

This is when things got interesting, on the airfield were;

UH1H, 2601

UH1H, 2224

I noticed 2 hangars and we drove towards them, the operational hangar was the first and had maybe 8 servicable UH1H in there and the second hangar, seemed a storage facility, had maybe 12 UH1H and at least 5 jetranger in, but I was asked why I was there and did'nt take photos and explained what I was doing, unfortunatley a group of western spotters had turned up recently and despite assurances proceeded to put their photos on the internet getting the base commander in trouble. I was told that no more trips will be allowed and to "sling my hook!' but more politley than that! They were nice about it but I did'nt log any numbers because they were all covered by the stablisers on the angle I could see them! One may have been 171_ but that was it!

I went to the museum to see if the Merlin had turned up and ended up talking to the boss, a thoroughly nice chap who said he would arrange in the future the chance for me to go round and get pictures of the wrecks and relics around the airfield but could not do at the moment due to the delicate political situation, anyway the Merlin is still at its old squadron as they are charging the museum 400,000 bt for its removal!!!

The only thing different from my last visit was that F5A 69159,1311 had been put on display in the foyer in a climbing turn configuration, the serial upside down on the port side! The G222 was also in the process of having its mainplane put back on.

Hope this helps

Mark