Royal Thai Army Mi-17 delivery?

[Le Addeur noir]

Today at U-Tapao,a drab green Mi-8MTV or Mi-17 was seen being offloaded from Volga Dniepr AN-214-100 RA82078.The helicopter appeared to have a small roundel and 2 letters on the tailboom,which may have been the 2 Thai letters indicating 'army aircraft'.Further examination was 'discouraged' by the presence of uniformed military personnel moving people away from the parking lot adjacant to the civil terminal here.

[Optimus]

Well, according to Wikipedia, they ordered 6 Mi-17s in October 2008.

Due to the current tensions with Cambodia and the ongoing unrest in the Southern provinces, I don't think the Thai authorities are too keen on 'negative' media exposure on this additional hardware .

Cheers,

Kees

[Le Addeur noir]

Well, according to Wikipedia, they ordered 6 Mi-17s in October 2008.

Due to the current tensions with Cambodia and the ongoing unrest in the Southern provinces, I don't think the Thai authorities are too keen on 'negative' media exposure on this additional hardware .

Cheers,

Kees

Which is why the Bangkok Post reported the delivery of 6 Gripens to the RTAF at Surat Thani yesterday?.

Most military going ons are well reported in the Thai media.However there was no mention of these helicopters arriving,although the subject has been covered in the Thai media at the time of their order.

[Optimus]

Yes, indeed remarkable as I also checked the Bangkok Post yesterday whether or not anything was written about their delivery. Besides that, a Gripen looks a lot flashier than this workhorse .

Kees

[DJdeRidder]

At least one (serial 6403) seems to have been delivered recently. Some pics here.

[Le Addeur noir]

At least one (serial 6403) seems to have been delivered recently. Some pics here.

There does not appear to be any text to this photo on their website.

Their quote of a helicopter delivery to the Thai(not Royal Thai) Air Force is incorrect.You can just make out the 2 Thai letters indicating Tha Bok(army aircraft) in one of the photos.

It will be interesting to find out just how many of these helicopters were delivered last week.

[Le Addeur noir]

A local newspaper,the Pattaya Mail ran a story on this stating that 5 Mi-17 were airfreighted in on 12th February(incorrect-the date was 22nd February) and that inspection and re-assembaly would take 10 days,then these helicopters would be delivered to Lop Buri.

The army are interested in purchasing 3 more Mi-17s.

[Le Addeur noir]

An on base visit today(6th March) found Mi-17V5s 6401,6402 and 6403 with tail rotors,but not main rotors attached.

So still another week or so before the appearence of these helicopters at Lop Buri.