Bayside soldier dies in Iraq

Another soldier from Queens has died in Iraq.
Specialist Chirasak Vidhyarkorn, 32, who lived in Bayside, died in Diwaniyah, Iraq on September 29, of injuries that Department of Defense (DOD) officials are only describing as non-combat related.
Vidhyarkorn’s aunt, Saipun Kunatee, who also lives in Bayside, said that his parents live in Thailand, and they are finalizing arrangements to come to Queens to bury their son.
Kunatee also said that Vidhyarkorn’s parents instructed the rest of the family not to speak to the media until they arrived in Queens, which Kunatee said could be within the next few days.
He was assigned to the Ozark, Arkansas base Battery C, 2nd Battalion, of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 142nd Fires Brigade during his deployment to Tallil, Iraq.
“This Soldier was serving his second tour of duty in Iraq,” said Major General
William D. Wofford, the adjutant general of Arkansas. “For that in itself we owe a great debt of gratitude. He joined our Arkansas Soldiers just prior to the unit’s deployment in February of this year. He became part of a great team and part of our Guard Family. Our thoughts, prayers and support go out to his Family at home.”
Vidhyarkorn was due to come back to Queens for a brief leave to celebrate one of his cousin’s birthdays.
The incident related to his death is still under investigation.