Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and entourage were forced to switch aircraft for a trip to Phuket on Friday when their plane had a cockpit instrument failure, delaying their departure for half an hour.
Gen Prayut, head of the National Council for Peace and Order, and several cabinet ministers were scheduled to board the army's Embraer No.1084 aircraft at the Army Movement Centre airfield in Don Mueang. They were flying out to attend the opening of the new terminal at Phuket International airport this morning.
Five minutes before departure about 7am, the cockpit crew reported an altimeter problem.
The prime minister and his entourage had to wait while another army aircraft, Embraer 1124, was readied for their trip. This caused a delay of about 30 minutes.
The prime minister is due to return to Bangkok at 6.45pm today.
Accompanying him to Phuket were Deputy Prime Minister Adm Narong Pipatanasai, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, Interior Minister Gen Anupong Paojinda, Agriculture Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya, and PM secretary-general Gen Wilas Aroonsri.
