Royal Thai Air Force recruits first batch of female pilots

BANGKOK, April 19 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Air Force is recruiting the first batch of female pilots this week, set from April 18-24, to provide an equal opportunity for both males and females in the career. The application for female pilots was kicked off at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum in Bangkok's Don Mueang area on April 18, with the first applicant reported to be a 23-year-old lady from Pattani Province in the violence-plagued Thai Far South, Suwattana Chantalert, who has graduated her Bachelor's Degree on Aviation from the Aviation Institute of private-run Rangsit University and completed her pilot training course from the Bangkok Aviation Centre (BAC). Suwattana told reporters that she dreamed to be a pilot since she was 12 years old, when she was among affected Thai youths from the troubled Thai Deep South to have a good opportunity, provided by the Royal Thai Air Force, to visit the Royal Thai Air Force Museum. Suwattana said she has, thus, applied for the job now offered by both the Royal Thai Air Force and private commercial airlines. A Royal Thai Air Force pilot at Wing 6 of 602 Squadron, the Royal Guards, Squadron Leader Atthaya Sukosit, told journalists, meanwhile, that the application opened for female pilots is aimed to support a gender equality, as women are now equal as men in abilities and potential. Thai Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance initiated the three-year pilot project to recruit female pilots, five in each yearly-batch, to fly transport aircraft of the Royal Thai Air Force. (TNA)