Thailand was a close ally of the United States during the Southeast Asian War, and permitted bases in its country to be used for raids on both the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and Cambodia. Thailand was also focused on neighboring Laos, where it was believed if the Pathet Lao won there would be a general destabilization which would open Thailand to direct attack by communist forces. In addition, a division of Thai troops were fighting in South Vietnam.
As a close US ally, Thailand was a natural customer for the Freedom Fighter. After Vietnam, Thailand was the second nation in South East Asia to receive Freedom Fighters, although the first aircraft actually arrived in Thailand in 1966 before the SVNAF had declared its F-5s operational. Thailand received its F-5s as part of an agreement in which Thailand would allow American forces to be stationed on its soil.
Thailand ultimately received 24 F-5As, four RF-5As, and two F-5Bs. In Royal Thai Air Force service, the F-5A has been given the designation B.Kh 18. The planes were all based at Don Maung AB, with the F-5As being allocated to 13 Squadron and the RF-5As to 11 Squadron. No 13 Squadron later relocated to Nakhom Ratchisima (formerly the old USAF base at Korat) and became 103 Squadron.
By the early 1980s, attrition had reduced the number of F-5s to 14. Only a few of these remained in use, although two extra F-5Bs were acquired from Malaysia in 1981. They have been supplemented by F-5Es and then by F-16s. 103 Squadron began to take delivery of the F-16 in 1988, transferring its F-5s to 231 Squadron in 1989. All of the Thai F-5As have now been retired.
Sources:
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F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990
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Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.
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Thailand's Air Arms, Rene van Woezik, Air International, December
1995.
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Northrop F-5, Jon Lake and Robert Hewson, World Airpower Journal, Vol
25, 1996.
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Library of Congress Country Study--Thailand
- Northrop F-5, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F-5#Switzerland
