BANGKOK, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Thai air force sent two of its JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to join Singapore Airshow 2018 on Tuesday, said an air force source.

The Thai air force's Swedish-built fighters took off from Air Wing 7 in Surat Thani province, about 640 km south of Bangkok, and flew to Singapore to join the international airshow which runs through next Monday.

This is the first time for the Thai air force to join such airshow overseas, according to the air force source.

Air force chief ACM Jom Rungsawang expressed his admirations for the reported maneuverabilities of the Gripen fighters, deployed in Thailand since 2011.

Last year, one of the Thai air force's JAS 39 Gripen fighters crashlanded during an air show on occasion of the National Children's Day at an air base in the southern province of Songkhla, killing the pilot.