The Prime Minister and his delegation flew to inspect Tactical Squadron Wing 1 in Korat, where they received a briefing on unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border and delivered guidance to civil servants, while three F-16 jets flew escort before landing.
At 08:00 on 14 Aug 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, in his role as chairman of the National Security Council (NSC), accompanied by Defense Minister Pol. Gen. Todun Boonthamcharoen, Permanent Secretary of Defense Gen. Tharapong Malakham, Supreme Commander Air Chief Marshal Ukrit Boontanont, and other officials, visited Tactical Squadron Wing 1 in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. They were welcomed by Air Chief Marshal Seksan Kantha, Commander of the Royal Thai Air Force, along with senior Air Force officers.
Upon arrival, the Prime Minister received a briefing on the key missions of Wing 1, the situation in the area, and operations during the unrest along the Thai-Cambodian border, as well as updates on important Air Force projects.
The Prime Minister then addressed Wing 1 civil servants, encouraging them to perform their duties diligently as good officials and personnel of the Air Force and the nation, before touring various military equipment used to prepare for critical Air Force missions.
Wing 1 is a tactical unit established under the national defense plan, with Air Force combat aircraft stationed at the base to carry out airpower missions upon command. The Prime Minister, as NSC chairman, inspected readiness across various aspects because the NSC is the country's main security organization responsible for setting policy direction, recommending strategies, prevention and resolution measures, formulating national security policies and plans, and issuing alerts on strategic threats to drive security missions. Therefore, visiting the tactical squadron is a vital NSC duty to ensure accurate, continuous, and timely command both in peace and wartime.
Reporters noted that before the Prime Minister’s plane landed at Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima, three F-16 jets flew escort in a simulated VIP protection mission that mirrored an actual escort operation.