F-16 has been a main fighter jet in of Thai Royal Air Force for almost 30 years.
The new F-16 fleets are considered the most advanced air combat aircrafts imported from the US and stationed at Thai Royal Air Force since 1991. The RTAF also supplied 8 aircrafts of F-16A and 4 more of F-16B to station at the squadron 103,1st RTAF Wing, Korat. Later in the year 1991, RTAF supplied 6 more of F-16A. In 1994 RTAF was considering the new fleet of air combat fighter and the options were to make between F-16A and F-7M, however RTAF saw the superiority of F-16 and ordered 12 of them and also 6 of F-16B. It is the total of 18 jets currently are in the stations. The new F-16 were designed for night combat with 2 rear seats for weapon officers to do ground combat. They are now stationed at squadron 403, Wing 3 Takri.
In 1999, the RTAF brought 16 of the second-hand F-16 ADF inclusive of 15 of single seat and 1 of duo seat planes with shooting missile air-to-air medium range capability. This combat aircrafts can attack the enemies beyond the eyesight and aircrafts. They all are stationed at aquadron 104 RTAF Wing 1, Korat. In year 2004, Royal Singapore Air Force granted the RTAF with 7 and 4 of F-16A/B in an exchange for the use of training facilities Thailand. In summary, RTAF has F-16 stationed in three fleets. They are at 102 squadron in Korat with running star symbol, second one is 103 squadron based in Korat with thunder symbol and the last one is squadron 403 based in Takri with king cobra symbol.
For the statistic of plane crash of F-16, on 18 October 2010, F-16 fighter jet from 403 Squadron of Air Wing 4, Takri based in Nakorn Sawan Province crashed on the misson during the way to Air Wing 41 based in Chiangmai. It was crashed in Ban Tak district in Tak province. This accident results in the death of the pilot, Flt LT Thanikorn Luengrungvaree. On 14 Feb 2011, two F-16 planes taking part in Cobra Gold military exercise with the U.S. crashed in tapioca plant field in Chaiyapoom province but the pilots safely ejected. Recent crash was on 20 Feb,2015 when F-16A no. 10316 from 103 Squadron had an accident and crashed in Lopburi after flying for 40 mins. The pilot killed.