F-16 fly-by “no cause for alarm’

PHUKET: The roar of an F-16’s jet engines ripped through the air over Phuket at 3:20 this afternoon, startling more than a few people across the island. The Royal Thai Air Force warplane was on a practice run from its base in Haad Yai and back again, said Sumeth Charoensin, Watch Supervisor of the Phuket branch of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai). He added that there was no cause for alarm. “The pilot contacted us before entering Phuket airspace and did not land at Phuket airport,” he said. “Phuket International Airport is a commercial airport and military aircraft are not allowed to land there. “It’s normal for people near air bases [to see military aircraft] because the Air Force practices almost every day, but in Phuket we don’t see them often.”