The Royal Thai Police has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of aircraft—both helicopters and fixed-wing—pending comprehensive airworthiness inspections, following two fatal crashes in the span of a month.
Police General Kitrat Phanphet, acting national police chief, announced the decision on May 25 as a precautionary measure to ensure the operational safety of the force’s aviation units. The inspections will determine whether each aircraft is safe to fly before returning to service.
The order comes in the wake of two separate accidents. On April 25, a police fixed-wing aircraft crashed into the sea in Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Then, on May 24, a Bell 212 police helicopter went down while en route from Surat Thani to its base in Kanchanaburi, killing the pilot, co-pilot, and an onboard mechanic.
Pol Gen Kitrat confirmed that the helicopter involved in the May 24 incident had been in operation for over 40 years. He acknowledged that two more helicopters of the same model were still active at the time of the crash and stated that they too should be retired from service to prevent further risks.
He also emphasized the importance of replacing aging aircraft rather than continuing costly and potentially unsafe repairs. To this end, Kitrat will visit the Police Aviation Division this week to meet with officers, offer support, listen to their concerns, and oversee the implementation of safety reforms.
The Police Aviation Division operates several aircraft models in support of law enforcement and disaster response missions. Further announcements regarding the results of inspections and the timeline for the fleet’s return to service are expected in the coming weeks.
