Hotel Siera
3rd Mar 2001, 22:04
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- A flight attendant was killed when a commercial airliner that was to carry Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra burned at an airport gate SaturdayAnother four crew members suffered minor injuries in the blaze aboard Thai Airways Flight 114, which caught fire 35 minutes before its scheduled takeoff.
The five members of the cabin crew were the only people aboard the plane at the time. Officials said fueling of the craft had been completed, but its jet engines had not been started when the fire erupted.
Thaksin was on his way to the Bangkok airport to catch the flight. The Boeing 737-400 was to fly to Chiang Mai, the prime minister's home city in northern Thailand.
Thai Airways President Bhisit Kuslasayanon said many people heard an explosion, and the aircraft erupted in flames shortly before the two cockpit crew members and most of the 149 passengers were to board.
Investigators combed through the remains of the 10-year-old plane to determine the cause of the fire.
Asked by CNN if there was any evidence to suggest an assassination attempt against the prime minister, Bhisit said, "Not at all."
Thaksin later flew to Chiang Mai on an air force plane.
The five members of the cabin crew were the only people aboard the plane at the time. Officials said fueling of the craft had been completed, but its jet engines had not been started when the fire erupted.
Thaksin was on his way to the Bangkok airport to catch the flight. The Boeing 737-400 was to fly to Chiang Mai, the prime minister's home city in northern Thailand.
Thai Airways President Bhisit Kuslasayanon said many people heard an explosion, and the aircraft erupted in flames shortly before the two cockpit crew members and most of the 149 passengers were to board.
Investigators combed through the remains of the 10-year-old plane to determine the cause of the fire.
Asked by CNN if there was any evidence to suggest an assassination attempt against the prime minister, Bhisit said, "Not at all."
Thaksin later flew to Chiang Mai on an air force plane.