Five killed in Thailand helicopter crash

BANGKOK - Five people, including a senior official, were killed in a helicopter crash in northern Thailand, an official said Wednesday.

It is believed that the helicopter crashed into a mountain in Namom district, Nan province, said Nisakorn Kositratna, deputy permanent secretary of the ministry of natural resources and environment.

Nisakorn blamed bad weather for the crash of the helicopter, which flew from Phitsanulok province in central north to Nan province in upper north Tuesday morning, Xinhua reported.

Saksith Trideth, permanent secretary for the ministry of natural resources and environment, as well as three other officials and a pilot were on board the helicopter.