The
Thai Organizing Committee is comprised of a select team of officers
in the Royal
Thai Air Force. This Committee coordinates
all official communications, secures all official permissions,
and provides the operational and technical support within Thailand
that
is required to conduct the Royal Sky Celebration. The
Thai Organizing Committee began preparations for the Royal Sky
Celebration
on 1 October 2005.
In
addition to aircraft and oxygen support, the Thai Organizing
Committee will prepare
the Wing 23 Air Base in Udon Thani with
an operational RTAF headquarters and a World Team administrative
headquarters. They will establish a Media Center, provide
local transport, and prepare team tents, video review rooms, packing
areas, rigging and packing services, DZ communication and rescue
services, and a DZ restaurant for mid-day meals and drinks.
The
Leaders of the Thai Organizing Committee for the Royal Sky Celebrations
have always
been some of the RTAF’s highest-ranking
and most capable officers. The Chairman of the Thai Organizing
Committee for Royal Sky Celebration 2004, Air Chief Marshal
Chalit Pukbhasuk, has recently been promoted to Commander-in-Chief
of the Royal Thai Air Force. ACM Chalit’s replacement
as Chairman of Royal Sky Celebration 2006 is Air Chief
Marshal Sommai Dabpetch. ACM Sommai has a long and productive
history of participating in skydiving events supported by RTAF
aircraft. RTAF’s
Air Marshal Bunchuay Supbornsug, a long time friend of the international
skydiving community and part-time skydiver, is once again a key
player in RTAF’s Organizing Committee. Air Marshal
Bunchuay’s
son Kwan is one of the RTAF pilots flying C-130s.
Supporting the efforts
of the Air Marshals is Group Captain Peerayut Keosai, Secretary
of the Thai Organizing Committee and Group Captain
Somkid Puawes, Assistant Secretary – both active skydivers
in their own right. In addition, the Thai Organizing Committee
has many other capable officers who have been working for months
to prepare for the Royal Sky Celebration 2006. |
