Father and grieving widow
accept compensation for Lieutenant Commander Pipatpoom Srikadkao, who
died in service of his country.
Patcharapol Panrak
Top military and government officials joined family
members and friends in paying last respects to a Royal Thai Navy officer
who died of malaria while on a peacekeeping mission in Sudan.
Petty Officer 1st Class Pipatpoom Srikadkao died Aug.
17 in the Darfur region where 800 Thai troops were working in the joint
African Union/United Nations Hybrid Operation. Pipatpoom had telephoned
his wife, Nathakmol, only days before saying he was in the hospital
suffering from the flu.
Royal Thai Marine Corps Vice Adm. Pongsak Phureeroj,
Royal Thai Army Region 1 Development Director Maj. Gen. Hasapong
Yuwanawattana and Foreign Ministry international organizations Deputy
Director Supattra Srimaitreepitak attended the Aug. 27 funeral at the
Sattahip Naval Base crematorium.
Fellow sailors and family members also were on hand
and watched as military representatives presented Nathakmol with 2.35
million baht in compensation. The Royal Thai Navy posthumously promoted
Pipatpoom to lieutenant commander. He is survived by two daughters, ages
1 and 4 months, and parents Prayong and Khumsaenkhod Srikhudkhao in the
northeast province of Kalasin
Nathakmol said she knew her husband was ill, but
never expected he’d die.
Pipatpoom’s father, Prayong said he was sad to have
lost his son, but was proud he died in service of his country. He said
he worries, however, about his two nieces who are now fatherless.
Petty Officer 1st Class Theerasak Booncharoen, who
worked with Pipatpoom, said the sailor was a hard worker and generous to
everyone.
The Thai-Darfur Task Force 980 left Thailand for
Sudan on Dec. 4 on a mission to join UNAMID. Thai troops were tasked
with conducting patrols, providing protection to civilians, UN
facilities, convoys and the UN and other humanitarian workers, as well
as providing medical service. Their assignments will complement the
peace process in Darfur.
