Royal Thai Marine Corps

Early years

The Marine Soldiers of the 19th and early 20th centuries were few in number and served mainly as a royal honor guard that provided security for the King whenever he traveled around the country.

On March 2, 1913, however, the Ministry of the Navy reorganized the Marine Soldiers. The Marine artillery platoon was attached to the Operation Command Department of Ships and Fortresses, while the Marine infantry platoon in Bangkok was attached to the Vehicle Division of the Department of the Navy Amphibious Assault Group.

The Revolution in 1932 transformed Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Shortly after, the Royal Thai Navy was reorganized, and the vehicle battalion became the Marine Corps Battalion of the Bangkok Navy Station. This is considered the first Marine Corps Battalion in Thailand.

Post 1932 Revolution (1932–1955)

Royal Thai Marines storm ashore in an amphibious assault vehicle

The 2nd Marine Corps Battalion was established at Sattahip in 1937. Two years later, the 2nd Battalion was expanded into the Marine Corps Department. Shortly after that, a border dispute with French Indo-China turned violent, and the Marine Corps Department's "Chanthaburi Division" was engaged in action with the French Foreign Legion several times. During World War II, the Marine Corps sent troops to defend the southern border with Malaya and also guarded Phuket Province from possible attack.

After Imperial Japan's surrender in September 1945, Thai Marines helped disarm the Japanese Army at Baan Pong District in Ratchaburi Province. In 1950, when violence in Malaysia spilled over into Thailand, Marine Corps Troop 6 was sent to help restore the peace in Narathiwat Province.

Surprisingly, on June 29, 1951, the Thai government disbanded the Marine Corps Bureau, and the Marines were distributed into naval units. However, this was during the Korean War, and both the United States Military and the Royal Thai Navy urged Thailand to reconsider.

New Age (1955 – present)

Royal Thai Marine Corps and U.S. Marines discuss how to eliminate hostile forces firing on them from a building during a mock mechanized raid on Feb. 11 2011

Four years later, the Thai Government acknowledged that a Marine Corps could perform a useful role in national defense. On July 30, 1955, the government created the Marine Corps Department. In 1961, tensions flared over the disputed Preah Vihear Temple, situated on the Thai side of a high cliff on the Cambodian border but shown on French maps as being in the Cambodia. The Chanthaburi and Trat borders with Cambodia gave the Marine Corps Department its first assignment, safeguarding the coastline and southeastern border. Since 1970 the Marine Corps' Chanthaburi-Trat Task Force has been officially assigned the defense of this area.

During 1972 and 1973, Thai Marines were involved in the "Sam-Chai" anti-communist operations in Phetchabun Province and the "Pha-Phum" anti-communist operations in Chiang Rai Province. In 1973 and 1974, they took part in anti-communist operations in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

Since 1975, Thai Marines have been assigned to Narathiwat as Marine Corps special forces. In 1977, they captured the communist camp at Krung-Ching in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and remaining there until 1981.

Thai Marines today are responsible for border security in Chanthaburi and Trat provinces. They have fought communist insurgents in engagements at Baan Hard Lek, Baan Koat Sai, Baan Nhong Kok, Baan Kradook Chang, Baan Chumrark, and in the battle of Hard Don Nai in Nakhon Phanom Province.

Many Thai Marines have lost their lives serving their country, and they continue to do so today, especially in the southern border provinces now facing an Islamist insurgency. A monument to their valor stands at the Royal Thai Navy base at Sattahip.

Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		Student Officer
Thai title	จอมพลเรือ	พลเรือเอก	พลเรือโท	พลเรือตรี	พลเรือจัตวา	นาวาเอก	นาวาโท	นาวาตรี	เรือเอก	เรือโท	เรือตรี	นักเรียนนายเรือ
RTGS	Chom Phon Ruea	Phon Ruea Ek	Phon Ruea Tho	Phon Ruea Tri	Phon Ruea Jattawa	Nawa Ek	Nawa Tho	Nawa Tri	Ruea Ek	Ruea Tho	Ruea Tri	Nak Rian Nai Ruea
Anglicised version	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore (no longer used) (Senior Captain)[2]	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Sub Lieutenant	Midshipman
Abbreviation[3]	-	พล.ร.อ. ADM	พล.ร.ท. VADM	พล.ร.ต. RADM	พล.ร.จ. CMD	น.อ. CAPT	น.ท. CDR	น.ต. LCDR	ร.อ. LT	ร.ท. LT JG	ร.ต. SUB LT	นนร. -
UK equivalent	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant	Acting Sub-Lieutenant	Midshipman

Naval Officers will additionally add the post-nominal ร.น. as an abbreviation for ราชนาวี (râat-chá-naa-wee, literally "the Royal Navy").

Royal Thai Marine Corps use navy ranks.

NCO

NATO Code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-1
								No insignia
Thai title	พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ	พันจ่าเอก	พันจ่าโท	พันจ่าตรี	จ่าเอก	จ่าโท	จ่าตรี	พลทหาร
RTGS	Phan Cha Ek Phiset[4]	Phan Cha Ek	Phan Cha Tho	Phan Cha Tri	Cha Ek	Cha Tho	Cha Tri	Phon Thahan
Anglicised version	Master Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer 1st Class	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Petty Officer 3rd Class	Seaman	Seaman apprentice
Abbreviation[5]	พ.จ.อ.(พ.) MCPO	พ.จ.อ. SCPO	พ.จ.ท. CPO	พ.จ.ต. PO1	จ.อ. PO2	จ.ท. PO3	จ.ต. SN	พลฯ SA
UK equivalent	-	Warrant Officer Class One	Warrant Officer Class Two	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer	Leading Rate	Able Rate	Ordinary Rate

Small arms

Name	Type	Caliber	Origin	Notes
M16A1/A2/A3	Assault rifle	5.56x45mm	United States	Standard marine rifle.
M4A1/A3	Assault rifle	5.56x45mm	United States	Standard marine rifle.
G36C	Assault rifle	5.56x45mm	Germany	Used by recon.
G36KV	Assault rifle	5.56x45mm	Germany	Used by Seals.
CQ M-311	Assault rifle	5.56x45mm	China
Sako Defence Tikka	Sniper rifle	5.56x45mm/.338 Lapua	Finland
M249	Light machine gun	5.56x45mm	United States
M60	General-purpose machine gun	7.62x51mm	United States
M2 Browning	Heavy machine gun	12.7x99mm	United States

Rocket, grenade, and missile systems

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
M203	Grenade launcher	?	United States
Armbrust	Anti-tank weapon	?	Germany
M47 Dragon	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	?	United States
BGM-71 TOW	Anti-Tank Guided Missile	?	United States	Use in Humvee.
M40A2	Recoilless rifle	?	United States
QW-18	MANPAD	?	China

Utility vehicles and prime movers

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
Humvee	Utility vehicle	?	United States	RTMC use M998,M1097A2,M997,M1025,M1045A2,M966.
M151	Utility vehicle	?	United States	RTMC use M151A2, M151A2 mounting TOW,M718A1,M825.
M813	Prime Mover	?	United States	RTMC use M54A2,M543A2.
M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck	Prime Mover	?	United States	RTMC use M35A2,M50A2,M49A2,M109A2.
Isuzu	Prime Mover	?	Japan/ Thailand	RTMC use SBR,TXD 4x2,TSD 4x4,TWD 6x6,HTW,FTR 4x4.

Armoured fighting vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
AAV-7A1	Armoured personnel carrier	36	United States	Variants include: AAVP-7A1, AAVC-7A1, AAVR-7A1.
BTR-3E1	Armoured personnel carrier	12	Ukraine/ Thailand
V-150 Commando	Armoured car	24	United States
Type 69-ll	Main battle tank	5	China

Field artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
M101A1 mod	105 mm towed howitzer	6	United States	Improve the Nexter LG1 caliber.
M101A1	105 mm towed howitzer	30	United States
GC-45 howitzer	155 mm towed howitzer	12	Austria
GHN-45 A1 APU howitzer	155 mm towed howitzer	6	Austria
M19 mortar	60 mm mortar	?	United States
M224 mortar	60 mm mortar	?	United States
M29A1 mortar	81 mm mortar	?	United States
M120 mortar	120 mm mortar	?	Israel

Armoured fighting vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
LVT	Amphibious vehicle	16	United States
M3 Half-track	Half-track armored personnel carrier	12+	United States

Field artillery

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes
M1A1	75mm Pack Howitzer	16+	United States