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Royal Thai Army กองทัพบกไทย (RTGS: Kongthap Bok Thai)
Emblem of the Royal Thai Army
Active	1874
Country	Thailand
Type	Army
Size	7 infantry divisions 1 armoured division 1 cavalry division 2 special forces divisions 1 field artillery division 1 air defense artillery division
Part of	Royal Thai Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Bangkok
Motto	เพื่อชาติ ศาสน์ กษัตริย์ และประชาชน (For The Nation, Religions, King, and People)
Colors	Red
March	มาร์ชกองทัพบก (Royal Thai Army March)
Anniversaries	18 January (Royal Thai Armed Forces Day)
Engagements	Franco-Siamese War World War I Franco-Thai War World War II Korean War Vietnam War 2008 Cambodian–Thai stand-off
Commanders
Commander-in-chief	Anupong Paochinda
Notable commanders	Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena Plaek Pibulsonggram Sarit Dhanarajata Thanom Kittikachorn Prem Tinsulanonda Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Suchinda Kraprayoon Surayud Chulanont Sonthi Boonyaratglin
Insignia
Royal Thai Army Flag
Unit Colour

The Royal Thai Army (Thai: กองทัพบกไทย) is the army of Thailand responsible for protecting its sovereignty. It is the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The army was formed in 1874, partly as a response to new security threats following the Bowring Treaty with Britain, which opened up the country for international trade.

History

Command and Control

The Royal Thai Army is commanded by the Commander of the Royal Thai Army (ผู้บัญชาการทหารบกไทย); the current Commander is General Anupong Paochinda, who was appointed in 2007. The Royal Thai Army Headquarters is located in a building on Ratchadamnoen Nok Road in Bangkok, Thailand.

• Commander-in-Chief: General Anupong Paochinda
• Deputy Commander-in-Chief: General Jiradech Kotcharat
• Assistant Commander-in-Chief: General Theerawat Boonyapradap
• Assistant Commander-in-Chief: Lt. General Viroj Buacharoon
• Chief of Staff of the Army: Lt. General Prayuth Jan-ocha

List of Commanders

Organization

Field Organization

The Royal Thai Army is divided into 4 Army Regions:

• First Army Region - headquartered in Bangkok and is responsible for the country's western and central provinces including the capital city.
  • 1st, 2nd, 9th and 11th infantry divisions, and
  • 1st Development division.
• Second Army Region - headquartered in Nakhon Ratchasima and is responsible for the northeastern quadrant.
  • 3rd, 6th and 12th infantry divisions, and
  • 2nd Development divisions.
• Third Army Region - headquartered in Phitsanulok, responsible for the northern and northwestern parts of the kingdom.
  • 4th infantry division,
  • 1st armor division, and
  • 3rd development division.
• Fourth Army Region - headquartered in Nakhon Si Thammarat, responsible for southern Thailand.
  • 5th infantry division, and
  • 4th development division.

Tactical units

Altogether the army is organized into the following Tactical Units:

• 7 infantry divisions (including 5 tank battalions),
• 1 armoured division,
• 1 cavalry division (a light armour division),
• 2 special forces divisions trained and geared for small unit special and airborne operations,
• 1 field artillery division, and
• 1 air defense artillery division.
• 8 independent infantry battalions,
• 3 airmobile companies provided the ground force units with battlefield support.

The Royal Thai Army also controls at least one television network, the Thai Global Network.

Royal Guards

ATLAS

The Army Tactical Level Advanced Simulation (ATLAS) is an interactive, distributed, constructive simulation used to conduct military Command Post Exercises (CPX) within the RTA. ATLAS utilize a continuous terrain model, incorporates HLA 1516, and displays 1:250,000 1:50,000 and Satellite Imagery. ATLAS was developed between 2002 and 2005 through cooperation with RTA Command and General Staff College (CGSC).

Equipment

Stingray light tank in Royal Thai Army service

Main Combat Weapons:

Origin	Type	Quantity	Remark
Main Battle Tanks
People's Republic of China	Type 69-II	98
United States	M48A5 Patton	105
United States	M60A3 Patton	178	Ex-US Army
Light Tanks
United Kingdom	FV101 Scorpion CVR(T)	154
United States	M41 Walker Bulldog	200
United States	Stingray	106	RTA is only operator in the world
APC
Germany	Condor	18
Germany	Rasit	?
People's Republic of China	Type 85 AFV (YW531H)	450
South Africa	REVA 4x4	85	Delivery undergoing.
United Kingdom	Alvis Saracen	20
United States	M113A1/A3 APC	400
United States	M901A3 Improved TOW Vehicle	18
United States	V-150/LAV-150 Commando	300
Ukraine	BTR-3E1	96	Delivery undergoing.
Field Artillery
France	GIAT LG1 Mk II 105 mm Towed Howitzer	24
United Kingdom	L119 105 mm Towed Howitzer	34
United States	M101 105 mm Towed Howitzer	285
United States	M102 105 mm Towed Howitzer	12
Thailand	M618A2 105 mm Towed Howitzer	32
People's Republic of China	Type 59-1 130 mm Towed Howitzer	54
People's Republic of China	Type 82 130 mm MLRS	60	On Type 85 AFV
Austria	GHN-45 155mm Towed Howitzer	42
Israel	Soltam M-71 155mm Towed Howitzer	32
United States	M198 155 mm Towed Howitzer	170
United States	M114 155 mm Towed Howitzer	56
France	CAESAR 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	6	Delivered.
United States	M109A5 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	20
People's Republic of China	WS-1B MLRS	9
Air Defence Artillery
United States	M163 VADS rotary 20 mm anti-aircraft gun	24
United States	M167 VADS rotary 20 mm anti-aircraft gun	24
People's Republic of China	Type 74 twin-barrel 37 mm anti-aircraft gun	122
Sweden	Bofors L60/70 40 mm anti-aircraft gun	48
People's Republic of China	Type 59 57 mm anti-aircraft gun	24

Small Arms

Thai and U.S. Army Soldiers practice tactical maneuvers during exercise Cobra Gold 2006 in Lop Buri.

Origin	Small Arm	Type	Remark
Austria	Steyr AUG	Assault rifle	Used in small numbers. Mostly used by special forces.
Germany	Heckler & Koch G36E/G36KE/MG36E	Assault rifle	Used by special forces.
Germany	Heckler & Koch HK33	Assault rifle	Secondary rifle. Used by Army Reserve Force Students.
Israel	IMI Galil	Assault rifle
Israel	IMI Tavor TAR-21	Assault rifle	Future main infantry rifle. 30,000 ordered. Delivery is ongoing.
Singapore	SAR 21	Assault rifle	Used by special forces.
Soviet Union	AK-47	Assault rifle	Used in small numbers mainly by the Thahan Phran, Mostly captured from the Communist Forces in Vietnam war and other from Laos and Cambodia.
United States	M16A1/A2/A4	Assault rifle	Main infantry rifle. Aging M16A1 will be replaced by IMI Tavor TAR-21 and M16A4.
United States	M4A1 Carbine	Assault rifle/Carbine	Used by urban forces.
United States	M733	Assault rifle/Carbine
United States	M1 Garand	Semi-automatic rifle	Use by Thai Royal Guards and by Army Reserve Force Students as a training rifle.
United States	M1 carbine	Semi-automatic carbine	Used by Army Reserve Force Students as a training rifle.
Switzerland	SIG-Sauer SSG 3000	Sniper rifle	Main bolt-action sniper rifle.
United States	SR-25	Sniper rifle	Main semi-automatic sniper rifle in the Royal Thai Army
United States	93 (ฺFN Browning M2HB)	Heavy machine gun
Belgium,  United States	M249	Light machine gun
Belgium	FN MINIMI	Light machine gun
Germany	Heckler & Koch HK13	Light machine gun
Israel	IMI Negev	Light machine gun	1,500 ordered. Delivery is ongoing.
Singapore	Ultimax 100	Light machine gun
Belgium	FN MAG-58	General purpose machine gun
Germany	MG3	General purpose machine gun	Used in V-150 APC.
United States	M60 machine gun	General purpose machine gun	Main infantry general purpose machine gun.
Belgium	FN P90	Submachine gun	Used by special forces
Germany	Heckler & Koch MP5	Submachine gun
Israel	UZI	Submachine gun
Italy	Franchi SPAS-12	Shotgun
United States	Remington 870	Shotgun
Austria	Glock 17	Pistol
Austria	Glock 23	Pistol
Austria	Glock 19	Pistol	Used by Royal Thai Navy
Czech Republic	CZ-75D Compact	Pistol
United States	M1911	Pistol
United States	Bushmaster M16A3, M4A2&3	Assault rifle	Used by the Royal Thai Navy
Soviet Union	RPG-2	Rocket-propelled grenade	Used in small numbers mainly by the Thahan Phran, Mostly captured and stolen from the Communist Force in Vietnam war and other from Laos and Cambodia.
People's Republic of China	Type 69 RPG	Rocket-propelled grenade	Used in small numbers mainly by the Thahan Phran, Mostly captured and stolen from the Communist Force from Laos and Cambodia.
United States	M203	Grenade launcher	Attach on AR-15 rifles.
United States	M79	Grenade launcher
United States	Mk 19	Automatic Grenade launcher
Sweden	Carl Gustav	Recoilless Rifle
United States	M47 Dragon	Anti-Tank Guided Missile
United States	M72 LAW	Light Anti-tank rocket
Russia	9K38 Igla	MANPADS	36 order.
People's Republic of China	HN-5	MANPADS

Aviation

The Royal Thai Army is known to operate the following aircraft types:

Origin	Type	Quantity	Remark
Brazil	Embraer ERJ-135	2	1 aircraft delivered(serial number 0184/HS-AMP) and another aircraft is on order.
Israel	IAI Searcher	4
Spain	CASA C-212-300 Aviocar	2	serial numbers 446 and 447 based with the VIP squadron at Don Mueang Airport.
United Kingdom	British Aerospace Jetstream 41	2	serial numbers 41060 and 41094. based with the VIP unit at Don Mueang Airport.
United States	Beechcraft 1900C-1	2	serial numbers 0169 and 0170. based with the VIP squadron at Don Mueang Airport.
United States	Beechcraft 200 King Air	2	serial numbers 0342 and 1165. based within the Lop Buri Army complex.
United States	Bell 206 Jet Ranger	25	Both the Bell 206A and Bell 206B in use.
United States	Bell AH-1F Huey Cobra	3	serial numbers 9996,9997 and 9998, a fourth example serial number 9999 was lost in a crash in 2001. 7 more of the same model are on order.
United States	Bell UH-1H Iroquois	~100	From US military aid during Vietnam war. Some were bought by RTA through Excess defense articles.
United States	Bell Bell UH-1N Twin Huey	~60
United States	Cessna T-41 Mescalero	~30	around 20-30 of these ex US Army fixed-wing trainers still flying.
United States	Cessna U-17B Skywagon	~20	around 15-20 of these Vietnam era FAC aircraft still flying.
United States	Boeing CH-47D Chinook	6
United States	Maule MX-7	~15	around 15 still flying as liaison and trainer aircraft.
United States	Schweizer S-300C	45	For training and observation.
United States	Sikorsky UH-60L (S-70A-43) Blackhawk	7	serial numbers 6927,6928,6929,7002,7003,7025 and 7026. 3 more on order.
United States	Bell Bell 412EP	2	On order.
Czech Republic	Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros	?	Training & ground support subsonic aircraft / equipped with Israel Avionics

Known aviation bases

• Don Mueang Airport (VTBD)
  • Units here include the VIP squadron, flying1 Embrear ERL-135LR serial number 0184/HS-AMP, 2 Jetstream 41 (serial numbers 41060 and 41094), 2 Casa 212-300 (serial numbers 446 and 447) and 2 Beech 1900C-1 (serial numbers 0169 and 0170) and the 1st Infantry Battalion operating 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4422 and 4448), 3 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1340,1366 and 1367) and 2 Cessna U-17B FAC aircraft (serial numbers 1616 and 1617).

• Bang Khen (3 km south of Don Mueang)
  • The Royal Squadron flies 3 Bell 212 and 2 Bell 412 (serial numbers 36332 and 36333) from here. There is also a special transport unit flying around 10-12 Bell 212 and 1 or 2 Bell 206 based here.

• Camp Surasri
  • The 9th Infantry Battalion operates 2 Bell 206B (the serial number of 1 is 4424), and 2 or 3 Schweizer S-300C. There is also a detachment of UH-1H from an Air Mobility Company here.

• Camp Jakapong (Prachin Buri)
  • The 2nd Infantry Battalion "The Queen's Guard" was operating 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4446 and 4461), 3 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1343, 1344 and 1345) and 2 Maule MX-7 (one serial number known is 099) in 2004, however it is likely the Maule MX-7 may now not be operated by this unit now. A detachment of this unit (with in 1998 1 Bell 206 and 1 Maule MX-7) was operating from Watthana Nakhon (VTBW) near the Cambodian border.

• Phitsanulok Airport (VTPP)
  • Loc 16 degrees 46'58.58N,100 degrees 16'44.84E elevation 154 feet/47 meters.
  • Runway 14/32 length 9843 feetx148/3000x45 meters
  • Operating from here is the 4th Infantry Battalion with Bell 206B,Schweizer S-300C,Cessna U-17B and Maule MX-7.

• Camp Suranaree (Khorat)
  • The main flying unit here is the 3rd Infantry Battalion flying 2 Bell 206B (serial numbers 4396 and 4447), 2 Schweizer S-300C (serial numbers 1337 and 1339) and 2 Cessna U-17B (serial numbers 1454 and 1618).
  • This field also hosts a detachment of up to 3 Bell 212 helicopters from one of the Air Mobility Companies.

Lop Buri, the main base complex of the Royal Thai Army Aviation, which includes training, technical school, aircraft maintenance and aircraft storage.

• The main airfield here is called Sa Pran Nak (VTBH)
  • Loc 14 degrees 56'58.02N,100 degrees 38'34.88E elevation 95 feet/29 meters.
  • Runways 01/19 3300x98 feet/1006x30 meters and 06/24 3890x98 feet/1186/30 meters
  • Operating units here include
    • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Nung - in English Air Mobility Company 1 - operating Bell UH-1H and Bell 212
    • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Song - in English Air Mobility Company 2 - operating Bell UH-1H and Bell 212
    • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Sam - in English Air mobility Company 3 - operating Bell UH-1H,Bell 206B and Bell 212
    • Gong Bin Pee-ak Moon Tee Gou (pasom) - in English Air Mobility Company 9 (Mixed) - operating Bell AH-1F Huey Cobrs(3), Bell 212 and Sikorsky S-70-43 Black Hawk(7) with 2 more on order.
    • The Chinook fleet is also based here.
    • The army aviation centre is based here, which conducts conversion training for the army. Types operated are Cessna T-41B (ex US army surplus), Maule MX-7, Schweizar S-300C piston trainer helicopters.
    • The 2 former VIP Beechcraft 200 King Air airplanes, serial numbers 0342 and 1165 are also based here. Their present role is unknown. These airplanes were modified in the USA in the late nineties.

A separate airfield within the Lop Buri complex (only around 3 km south of Sa Pran Nak) houses the 5th aircraft maintenance Company. This unit is responsible for maintenance and storage of army aircraft and helicopters.

• The 5th Infantry Division operates the following aviation assets from a small airfield within the army reserve at Nakhon si Thamara(not at the airport),2 Bell 206B-3(serial numbers 4382 and 4427),3 Schweizer TH-300C(serial numbers 1371,1372 and 1373)and 2 Maule MX-7(serial numbers 114 and 115).A detachment of helicopters can be found here from the Air Mobility Companies based at Lop Buri.

• The 6th Infantry battalion is based near Ubon Ratchatani.

Rank and insignia

Soldiers of the Royal Thai Army in the streets of Bangkok on the day after the coup.

Procurement News

News about Royal Thai Army procurement program

Troop Fighting Weapon

Royal Thai Army is reconsidering continue with Tavor purchase due to ongoing problems with delivered units. As a replacement will be considered FN SCAR for special forces and continuing with purchase of M4s.

• New Rifle, Machine Gun, MANPAD - Royal Thai Army buys 15,000 TAR-21s Tavor and 992 Negevs Machine Gun from Israel in the deal worth $100.3 million ^[1]

On 9 september 2008, Cabinet approved a package of defense modernization deals. RTA will buy another batch of 15,037 TAR-21s Tavor and 553 Negevs Machine Gun. Also RTA will procured 36 Iglas MANPAD from Russia.^[2] The third batch of 13,868 TAR-21s Tavoris also on order.^[3]

Military Vehicle

• New Armored Personnel Carrier - Royal Thai Army announces that it is award the contact to Ukrainian firm to supply 96 BTR-3E1s in the budget of 4,000 million Baht^[4] But the deal faces setback about the accusation of corruption during the evaluation process. Military-appointed government during the coup decided to let the elected government decide if RTA will continue buying BTR-3E1s or restart the evaluation process.^[5] On 23 July 2008, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej approved the deal and the project is moving on. RTA will receive the first vehicle in 2009 or 2010.^[6]

Army Aviation

• More Black Hawk Adding - On August 6, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible foreign military sale to the Government of Thailand of three Black Hawk helicopters and associated equipment and logistic support for an estimated cost of $150 million.^[7]

• VIP and MEDEVAC aircraft - Royal Thai Army and Royal Thai Navy signed contact with Embraer to purchase 2 ERJ-135. 1 aircraft to each force. It will uses for VIP transportation. RTN version also have a MEDEVAC capability.^[8]

On 12 Jan 2009, Royal Thai Army siged contact to buy another aircraft with MEDEVAC capability.^[9]

See also

• Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
• Battle of Phou Pha Thi, (Northeastern Laos, March 1968) covert Thai "volunteers"
• Delta Force
• SEAL Team Six
• Special Activities Division
• Royal Thai Army Radio and Television

References

1. ^ Defensenews.com Thai Cabinet Approves Defense Equipment Buys
2. ^ DefenseNews.com Thailand Plans $191.3M Arms Purchase
3. ^ Thairath กห.ชงครม. ซื้อปืนยิว พันล้านให้ทบ. (Thai)
4. ^ Ukrainian Observer Online Ukraine Snags Large Armored Personnel Carrier Deal in Thailand
5. ^ The Nation Army required to clear doubt of auditor-general over APCs purchase first: Boonrawd
6. ^ Matichon.co.th หมัก' อุบอิบเซ็นซื้อรถหุ้มเกราะยูเครน 3.8 พันล. 96 คัน พร้อมตั้งจนท.'สตง.'ร่วมสอบ (Thai)
7. ^ DSCAUH-60L Black Hawk Helicopter
8. ^ Embraer Press Release Embraer sign contracts with the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Navy
9. ^ Flight International Thailand buys third ERJ-135

External links

• Official website

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