Quote:
According to The Nation of Bangkok, King Bhumibol Adulyadej's new 737 left Seattle this week and arrived in Thailand after making refueling stops in Hawaii and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. The king's new 737-800 replaces a Boeing Co. 737-400. The Massachusetts-born king has reigned for the past 60 years.
Any pics of this bird? Is this a standard 737-800 (in VIP configuration?) or a BBJ version?
CHRISBA777ER From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 4072 posts, RR: 50 Reply 1, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 6835 times:
A wonderful new aircraft for a great, great man. He deserves it. The Thai king is a legend.
"REJOICE! Bush is (bad) history! - GO OBAMA! Make the World love the USA again!"
Comet2404 From United States, joined Jan 2007, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 6779 times:
I want one!
Seriously - it must be pretty damn cool to order your own plane. I don't know much about the king of Thailand, but I do know he's lucky to have this bird at his disposal!
Warreng24 From United States, joined Nov 2005, 511 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 19 hours ago) and read 6626 times:
Flipping through the Photos DB, I found HS-TYR which is a A319 CJ.
Any reason that the King now has a Boeing and not an Airbus? Why would the RTAF need such a mixed fleet? I notice that they have a A310 and a 732Adv as well.
Dionysus From Thailand, joined Aug 2003, 67 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 6252 times:
It would be a much wiser decision that RTAF should purchase the A319CJ. However it seems that purchasing 737 instead of A319 for the sake of fleet commondity could be a political one. The A319CJ was purchased by the ex. prime minister Taksin and never before that the RTAF transport aircraft has "The Government of Thailand" paintwork. It was also unprecendented for the PM to have his own aircraft. This bold move lead to a lot of critisism toward the PM that the royal family is using a dated A310 while the gov't has brand new A319. To solve this mess, the RTAF decided to purchase B738 for the royal family and the paintwork is RTAF similar to A310. Perhaps someone might insist that they do not want to have the same aircraft-type as the gov't or vice versa.
Just look at TG fleet, why in the world would they need 772, 773, 772ER, A345 and A346 in the same fleet? And the infamous PW deals for A300-600Rs where existing planes are GE powered. These kinds of deal in Thailand are always political from export quota (thanks to A345/6), kickbacks (MD-11). and ect. ect. who knows?
Dionysus From Thailand, joined Aug 2003, 67 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 5013 times:
Just read the news moment ago, The Government of Thailand paintwork on the A319CJ will be changed to RTAF paintwork consistent with the A310, 734, and 738 currently in the VIP transport fleet.
Bohlman From , joined today!, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 4805 times:
I took a whole bunch of pictures earlier this week when I was picking up one of our planes. I actually saw it take off, to much pomp and circumstance. Sure was a beautiful airplane. Luckily, my camera somehow corrupted all the pictures I took of it, so we're out of luck for that.
DEVILFISH From Philippines, joined Jan 2006, 2707 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 2 hours ago) and read 4346 times:
Quoting Dionysus (Reply 17): The Government of Thailand paintwork on the A319CJ will be changed to RTAF paintwork consistent with the A310, 734, and 738 currently in the VIP transport fleet.
So be on the lookout for it and take your fill of photos of HS-TYR in the current livery while you still can.....
Flybyguy From United States, joined Jun 2004, 1393 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (1 year 2 months 2 weeks 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 3833 times:
Quoting Warreng24 (Reply 19): His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej of Thailand was born on December 5, 1927 at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
He is a US Citizen as well.
This was an article that was published on boston.com a few months ago.
Interesting read. How is it possible for a king of a foreign nation to retain citizenship of the United States? I thought the State Department automatically renounces a person's citizenship when they gain an official position in foreign government.
Quoting ENU (Reply 6): 55-555 (BBJ2) is already in the A.net database:
Certainly, it's great that the longest reigning monarch in the world get a good plane... but the paint-job on that plane looks a bit drab to me. I figure if the king is going to fly on that aircraft exclusively than it should have a more regal look to it, much like the Royal Jordanian scheme.
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