This is a Ki-43 of the Royal Thai Air Force squadron 15.
In 1941 when the Japanese "requested" that their troops be allowed free passage through Thailand to attack the British, the pro-Western Thai government stalled. So on 8th December the Japanese attacked Thailand. Facing defeat against hopeless odds, the Thai's were forced to sign an Alliance with the Japanese a few weeks later. During the war the Thai government was secretly working with the Allies, even transporting their agents. However they ordered the air force to intercept USAAF raids in order to allay Japanese suspicions. The Japanese had supplied aircraft including Ki-43s to their reluctant ally's air force and these were sent on intercept missions against USAAF raids on Bangkok. The US aircraft outclassed the Ki-43s which suffered great losses, although the Thai pilots did mange to bring down a B-29.
