Following the passing of H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America, while in office, on 16 March 2019, at 00.43 hrs. (GMT-4) at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. Ambassador Virachai passed away as a result of severe anemia and internal organ failure.

 

On 1 April 2019, Ms. Boosara Kanchanalai, Chargé d’Affaires of the Royal Thai Embassy, and members of the Team Thailand in Washington, D.C. participated in the dignified transfer of the remains of H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the United States of America, at Dulles International Airport, Virginia. During the ceremony, a funeral procession led by the U.S. police convoy left the Everly Wheatley Funeral Home accompanied by Mrs. Elizabeth Plasai, spouse of Ambassador Virachai, the Chargé d’ Affaires, and staff of the Royal Thai Embassy. Ambassador Sean Lawler, Chief of Protocol of the United States, and Mr. Patrick Murphy, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, received the procession upon its arrival at the United Airlines’ warehouse.

 

Soldiers assigned from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) began the ceremony by transferring the casket of Ambassador Virachai on to a platform, and the bereaved participated in a moment of silence. Afterwards, the family and staff from the Royal Thai Embassy approached the casket to pay their respects after which Mrs. Elizabeth Plasai boarded her plane to return to Thailand, sent off by the Chief of Protocol of the United States.

 

On 2 April 2019, 23.50 hrs., H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand attended a dignified ceremony to receive the remains of H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The ceremony was attended by former high-ranking officials, executives, civil servants from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Elizabeth Plasai and members of the family of H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai, as well as Mr. Peter Haymond, Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, and Spouse.

 

During the ceremony at Suvarnabhumi Airport, an honour guard of 8 soldiers transferred the remains of H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai pass an honour guard through the Bangkok Free Zone Building by a monk, Mrs. Elizabeth Plasai, and family members bearing incenses and an image H.E. Mr. Virachai Plasai. The Commander of the Honour Guard led the honour guard in paying their respects before transferring the casket on to a hearse where the family will proceed with the remains to perform the proper funeral rites.