KRABI, THAILAND – The Royal Thai Air Force denied that frequent US military landings in Krabi were linked to Middle East conflicts or the creation of an American base, describing them instead as routine security cooperation missions.
Local concerns over US flights in Krabi
Residents in Krabi had expressed concern about repeated take-offs and landings of US military aircraft at Krabi International Airport. According to local observations, the flights occurred daily, both during the day and at night.
Among the aircraft seen were C-130 transport planes, MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and H-60 Seahawk helicopters. The unusual concentration of flights led to speculation in the area about the purpose of the operations.
Speculation about Middle East war and US base
Some locals suspected a connection with the conflict in the Middle East, viewing the flight activity as a possible sign of military preparations. Others speculated that potential sites for a US military base along Thailand’s Andaman coast were being surveyed.
There was also discussion that Krabi might be used as a rest or transit point for troops returning from missions in the Middle East. The Royal Thai Air Force explicitly rejected these assumptions in its public statement.
RTAF: Activity not unusual, only new for Krabi
Air Marshal Chakkrit Thammavichai, spokesman for the RTAF, said on Wednesday that the level of activity was not out of the ordinary. It had primarily drawn attention because such aircraft were being handled at Krabi airport for the first time.
Similar operations had previously taken place at the U-tapao and Phuket airports. The RTAF said it had already issued an official clarification in order to address public concerns.
Routine missions: troop rotations and MEDEVAC
According to AM Chakkrit, the flights were part of regular US military operations, including troop rotations and medical evacuations (MEDEVAC). This also covered the transport of personnel from ships at sea to hospitals on land for treatment.
He stressed that the missions formed part of the long-standing security cooperation between Thailand and the United States. There was no connection to current conflicts in the Middle East, the RTAF spokesman underlined.
Authorisations through diplomatic channels
The RTAF stated that all requests followed established procedures, including diplomatic approval through the responsible channels. There had been no special arrangements beyond the usual process.
AM Chakkrit pointed out that every landing by foreign aircraft in Thailand went through the Foreign Ministry’s process and that suitability was carefully reviewed in each case. There had been no violations of regulations or agreements, and everything had proceeded properly.
Why Krabi? Other airports at capacity
Krabi was selected on this occasion by US counterparts because other airports usually used for such operations were at capacity. This led to the unusually high number of military flights for the region.
The RTAF spokesman said it was understandable that people on the ground were surprised, as this was a first for Krabi. That very novelty had reinforced the perception that “something extraordinary” was taking place.
RTAF: Thailand not drawn into regional conflicts
In an official statement, the RTAF affirmed that permission for US military aircraft had been granted under the same conditions that apply to other countries. The operations were not connected to any regional conflict.
At the same time, the air force made clear that this did not imply Thailand’s involvement in any dispute. All steps had been carried out under the close supervision of Thai authorities, with sovereignty, security and the interests of the population treated as the top priorities.
“The operations are routine missions under long-standing security cooperation and are not linked to any conflict in the Middle East or to the establishment of a US base in Thailand.”
said Air Marshal Chakkrit Thammavichai, RTAF spokesman.