Bangkok: Chuan Leekpai, a Member of Parliament from the Democrat Party, has raised concerns over the Royal Thai Police’s handling of its aircraft maintenance budget following two helicopter crashes within one month that resulted in the deaths of nine skilled officers. The incidents highlight, according to Chuan, systemic issues in the allocation and management of maintenance funds for police helicopters.
According to Thai News Agency, Chuan addressed the House of Representatives during discussions on the draft of the 2026 budget bill. He pointed out the alarming state of the Royal Thai Police’s fleet, which comprises 71 helicopters, with 24 currently in service, 27 under repair, and 20 awaiting decommissioning. The recent crash involved one of the helicopters deemed operational, despite known risks associated with its condition. Chuan emphasized that these tragedies were not due to confrontations with criminals but stemmed from substandard equipment.
Chuan called for a thorough review of the maintenance budget, which has remained unchanged at 950 million baht since 2015. He expressed concern over potential corruption within the National Police Office, noting rumors of unethical practices in other security agencies, though the maintenance budget was reportedly not implicated. Chuan urged for transparency and adequate funding to prevent future incidents and safeguard the lives of police personnel.
Furthermore, Chuan requested an investigation into the status of the 24 helicopters still in use, seeking to ascertain whether they are similarly compromised. He criticized the Royal Thai Police for allowing flights to proceed despite pilots’ awareness of the aircraft’s inability to fly safely. Chuan insisted on making this case an example to avert further loss of valuable police personnel and to rectify systemic flaws in aircraft maintenance.
Chuan plans to bring this issue to the attention of the Police Commission chairman to ensure comprehensive discussions and actions are taken to address these critical concerns.