Who is James Ruangsak? Thai pop star and 1998 plane crash survivor draws eerie connection to AIR India crash sole survivor

Actor and Thai pop star James Ruangsak Loychusak has resurfaced in the news after a recent Facebook post. He revealed that he had been seated in 11A. It was the same seat number as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the June 2025 Air India catastrophe—when he survived the 1998 Thai Airways disaster that claimed 101 lives.

Following the news that Ramesh, 40, had been sitting in 11A when the Air India aircraft AI 171 crashed shortly after departure from Ahmedabad Airport, Ruangsak posted his reaction on Facebook. He has been a prominent figure in Thai pop culture since the 1990s. There were 242 passengers on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed into a doctor’s hostel and exploded. Ramesh survived with only minor injuries.

He wrote on Facebook:

“The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Goosebumps.”

James Ruangsak was aboard Thai Airways flight TG261 from Bangkok to Surat Thani back in 1998. During landing, the Airbus A310-204 skidded and plunged into a swamp. 101 of the 146 passengers perished. Ruangsak, one of the 45 survivors, had been sitting in 11A.

According to MailOnline, Ruangsak also revealed that he suffered trauma from the incident for almost 10 years. He feared flying, became anxious upon seeing clouds, and avoided interacting with people on planes.

James Ruangsak said:

“I avoided speaking to anyone and always stared outside the window, blocking anyone from closing it to maintain my sense of safety. If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell,”

He added:

“I can still remember the sounds, smells, and even the taste of the water in the swamp the plane crashed into. For a long time, I would keep the feelings to myself.”

A Facebook friend commented on the James Ruangsak’s post:

“I clearly remember the day I went to visit you at the hospital. I was standing in front of the glass room and saw you with tubes all over your body, looking like you were asleep or unconscious. After visiting you, I had to rush to catch my next flight to Surat Thani immediately. I was really scared at that moment.”

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh: The lone Air India survivor who sat on seat 11A:

It has been called a miracle that Ramesh survived the June 12 crash. Shortly after takeoff, the plane struck a residential complex and crashed. The plane lost communication at just 625 feet above the ground, according to flight data.

A video that has gone viral shows Ramesh leaving the wreckage, clearly injured but still conscious. Speaking to the local media in Hindi, Ramesh said:

"Everything happened in front of me and I couldn’t believe how I had come out alive. I thought for a second that I was going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive. I tried to slip out of the plane."

He went on to talk about what he witnessed moments before the plane crashed into a residential building:

"I saw the air hostess, other passengers all in front of me. Within a few seconds, it felt the plane had stopped, and the green and white lights switched on. It felt like maybe [the pilot] suddenly accelerated to take off, but it went down to a hostel from there at high speed. "

He continued to describe how he escaped the aircraft before it went up in flames:

"I saw everything. The door broke [near me] broke off and I tried to slip out. The opposite side of the plane hit the wall. That's why others could not get out. When I got out, I was taken to the ambulance and rushed to the hospital. My treatment is going well, and the people are very supportive."

According to his boarding card, he had been seated close to the emergency exit in 11A. Later, James Ruangsak told The Sun:

"The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. I want to offer my condolences to all those who lost loved ones in the tragedy."

More about James Ruangsak

James Ruangsak’s career includes acting roles and a number of successful albums. He married his longtime partner, Natcha “Goi” Daengngam, a fertility coach and teacher, in 2015. The couple resides in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, and they have a daughter together.

The incident occurred in 1998, and though it’s been nearly 30 years, James Ruangsak still deals with psychological trauma. Though he has continued to work successfully in the entertainment industry, he often reflects on the crash and how it changed his perspective on life.

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more information.

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