Air Force ready to move planes from Don Mueang
The Air Force has mapped out a contingency plan to relocate its aircraft if Don Mueang air base is flooded, spokesman Air Vice Marshal Monthon Satchukorn said yesterday.
Monthon spoke after Nava Nakorn Industrial Estate was flooded, with water spreading to Sai Mai and Rangsit. If Sai Mai in Bangkok is inundated, there is a strong chance the flood will also spread to Don Mueang.
“In case of flood at Don Mueang, Air Force planes would be redeployed at air bases across the country,” he said.
The planes to be moved out of Bangkok would include C-130 transport aircraft. In regard to US help with flood relief, he said an advance team of the US Marine Corp arrived on Saturday to survey how it could help flood victims.
Should the Thai government request it, the US was willing to dispatch Sea Hawk helicopters to transport relief supplies, he said.
On the weekend, Premier Yingluck Shinawatra authorised the formation of three centres to coordinate flood relief, he said.
The Foreign Ministry would be in charge of coordinating foreign relief supplies. The Air Force would be responsible for air operations to distribute the relief and rescue flood victims. The Armed Forces headquarters would take charge of relief operations in the Central region.
The Air Force spokesman said the flooding had gone past the point of using helicopters in relief operations.
Remaining flood victims in remote areas did not want to be evacuated and relief supplies could be distributed by boats or vehicles, he said, noting that too many helicopters flying in a limited airspace over the flood waters could be a risk to air traffic.
