Missing copter's wreckage finally found after 12 years

       An army Hor Tor 206 helicopter which went missing 12 years ago has been found in jungle on the ThaiBurmese border in Umphang district.
       The bodies of the pilot, Lt Adisak Pongpes, and three crew, Lt Charnvet Kiddee, SM 1 Anek Panchang and Sgt Jessada Thammasorn, have not been found.
       A search team from the 4th Infantry Regiment in neighbouring Mae Sot district called an early halt to their recovery operation amid heavy rain after some team members developed a fever.
       Phadung Yingphaiboon, commander of the regiment, said the team would go back when the weather improved.
       The discovery has put to rest the long-held theory that the helicopter,flying on a patrol mission on Aug 28,1997, had been shot down by the Burmese military, Col Phadung said.Burma asked Thailand to mount the search, because it did not want the shadow of the old claims hanging over it.
       Col Phadung said the search team found the helicopter had broken into two. The aircraft must have hit a large tree about 20 metres from where it was found, lost its balance, spun around,and then crashed into another large tree before falling to the ground, he said.
       No burn marks were found on the wreckage, he said.