On December 20, Air Vice Marshal Prapas Sonjaidee, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), confirmed the deployment of two F-16 fighter jets to intercept an unidentified aircraft detected near the Thai-Myanmar border in Phop Phra District, Tak Province. The incident occurred as follows:
At approximately 10:51 AM, RTAF radar detected an unidentified aircraft flying at an altitude of 4,000–5,000 feet near the border. In response, the Air Force launched two F-16 fighter jets from Wing 4 in Nakhon Sawan to intercept and identify the aircraft. By 11:00 AM, the jets reached an altitude of 7,000 feet to engage, but the unidentified aircraft exited the area and disappeared from radar. The F-16s then conducted a patrol mission along the border before returning to base at 12:14 PM.
This swift action underscores the RTAF’s readiness to protect Thai airspace and uphold national sovereignty. Such missions aim to reassure border communities of their safety and security while demonstrating the Air Force’s operational capabilities in addressing potential threats.