King's Guard (Thailand)

King's Guard
Active	1859–present
Country	Siam (1859–1948)  Thailand (1948–present)
Branch	Royal Thai Army Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Air Force
Type	Guard Corps (Army), Guard Brigade (Navy and Air Force)
Role	Protection and ceremonial duty
Size	69 regimental units
Nickname(s)	Thahan Song Lo (ทหารสองโหล, Two-Dozen soldiers) Mahat Lek Lai Ka (มหาดเล็กไล่กา, Scarecrow Corps)
March	Royal Guards March (มาร์ชราชวัลลภ, March Raja Vanlok)

The King's Guard (Thai: ทหารรักษาพระองค์; RTGS: Thahan Raksa Phra Ong) is a ceremonial designation given to various regiments within the Royal Thai Armed Forces. This contingent is dedicated to the protection of the Royal Family of Thailand.^[1]

History

King's Guard at Grand Palace

The Royal Guards were established by King Chulalongkorn the Great of Thailand in 1859, when he was still crown prince. Initially, the Royal Guards were servants with duties such as scaring crows, which led to commoners referring to them as the "Mahat Lek Lai Ka," roughly translated as "Scarecrow Corps."

When he succeeded his father in 1868, King Chulalongkorn took his Royal Guard and formed a 24-strong Royal Bodyguard, referred to as the "Thahan Song Lo" (Two-Dozen soldiers"). In 1870, the Royal Guard regiment were given the name the "King's Guard" and their duties included escorting the king while he travelled around the country.

About the year 1875 the necessity for surveys in connection with improvements in the city of Bangkok, and for supervision in carrying out these improvements, led to the selection of certain officers of the royal bodyguard for training in this direction. These officers were formed into a special company called "Military Engineers of the Royal Bodyguard," in which Mr. James McCarthy held the rank of captain. A royal decree issued September 3, 1885, separated the surveyors from the royal bodyguard and created the Royal Survey Department,^[2] which is now the Royal Thai Survey Department (Thai: กรมแผนที่ทหาร, a Special Services Group of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.

The Royal Guards still exist down to the present and serve as protectors of the Royal Family of Thailand.^[3][4] Today's King's Guard units serve as the Thai equivalent to the guards units of various countries.

King's Guard units

Gallery

• 
  A Royal Guard at the gate of Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, Grand Palace, Bangkok.
• 
  HRH Princess Sirindhorn with her royal guards, 2012.
• 
  Colours guards of the 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard
• 
  A Military Band of 3rd Infantry Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard
• 
  A company of the 1st Artillery Battalion prepared for a 21-gun salute in the royal cremation ceremony of Bejaratana Rajasuda, 2012.
• 
  Colours guards of the 1st Cavalry Squadron, King's Guard
• 
  Colours guards of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard
• 
  The Royal Thai Army Band in uniforms of various royal guards unit, ranked in the shape of the flag of Thailand
• 
  Colours guards of the Naval Cadet Regiment, King's Guard, Royal Thai Naval Academy
• 
  Colours guards of the 1st Marine Battalion, King's Guard, Royal Thai Navy
• 
  Colours guards of the Air Cadet Regiment, King's Guard, Royal Thai Air Force Academy
• 
  Colours guards of the 1st Security Force Battalion, King's Guard, Royal Thai Air Force
• 
  Change of the guard of the First Infantry Regiment of the Royal Guard, Grand Palace, Bangkok

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thai Royal Guards.

• Thai Royal Guards parade
• Monarchy of Thailand
• Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
• List of army units called Guards

References

Further reading

• Kenneth Conboy, South-East Asian Special Forces (Osprey)