handbag of Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit which was stained with her blood. She was seriously wounded from a burst of heavy machine gun fire to her helicopter and died on February 16, 1977. Now displayed at the
National Memorial of Thailand Princess Vibavadi often visited soldiers and
Border Patrol Police stationed in areas where there was
communist insurgency. On the morning of 16 February 1977, she set off on what should have been a routine visit to villages and to boost the morale of troops at
Wiang Sa District, Surat Thani. While flying to her destination in an army
helicopter, she heard a
radio message saying two Border Patrol Policemen had been wounded by a
landmine. She immediately ordered the flight diverted to pick up the wounded men and rush them to a hospital. As they flew at low altitude over Ban Nua Khlong, the helicopter was attacked from the ground by communist insurgents. A burst of heavy
machine gun fire crippled the helicopter and seriously wounded the princess. She died one hour later. Prior to her royally sponsored
cremation at
Phra Si Mahathat Temple, on 4 April 1977, "in recognition of her services to the country and the people", the king elevated her to the higher royal rank of Phra Chao Worawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao (Her Royal Highness) and awarded her the highest level of the most Illustrious Order of the House of
Chakri. ==Legacy==