Military ranks of the Thai armed forces

The shoulder insignia and ranks of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

The military ranks of Thailand are the military insignia used by the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The officer ranks are influenced by the ranks of the United Kingdom and United States, while the non-commissioned ranks are influenced by those of the United Kingdom and France.[1]

## Commissioned officer ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Royal Thai Army[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
จอมพล
Chom phon | พลเอก
Phon ek | พลโท
Phon tho | พลตรี
Phon tri | พันเอก
Phan ek | พันโท
Phan tho | พันตรี
Phan tri | ร้อยเอก
Roi ek | ร้อยโท
Roi tho | ร้อยตรี
Roi tri
Anglicised
version[2] | Field marshal  | General  | Lieutenant general  | Major general  |  | Colonel  | Lieutenant colonel  | Major  | Captain  | Lieutenant  | Second lieutenant
Royal Thai Navy[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
จอมพลเรือ
Chom phon ruea | พลเรือเอก
Phon ruea ek | พลเรือโท
Phon ruea tho | พลเรือตรี
Phon ruea tri | นาวาเอก
Nawa ek | นาวาโท
Nawa tho | นาวาตรี
Nawa tri | เรือเอก
Ruea ek | เรือโท
Ruea tho | เรือตรี
Ruea tri
Anglicised
version[2] | Admiral of the fleet  | Admiral  | Vice admiral  | Rear admiral  |  | Captain  | Commander  | Lieutenant commander  | Lieutenant  | Lieutenant junior grade  | Sub lieutenant
Royal Thai Air Force[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
จอมพลอากาศ
Chom phon akat | พลอากาศเอก
Phon akat ek | พลอากาศโท
Phon akat tho | พลอากาศตรี
Phon akat tri | นาวาอากาศเอก
Nawa akat ek | นาวาอากาศโท
Nawa akat tho | นาวาอากาศตรี
Nawa akat tri | เรืออากาศเอก
Ruea akat ek | เรืออากาศโท
Ruea akat tho | เรืออากาศตรี
Ruea akat tri
Anglicised
version[2] | Marshal of the Air Force | Air chief marshal  | Air marshal  | Air vice marshal  |  | Group captain  | Wing commander  | Squadron leader  | Flight lieutenant  | Flying officer  | Pilot officer
Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

### Student officer ranks

[edit]

Rank group | Student officer

|

Royal Thai Navy[2] |  |  |  |  |
ชั้นปีที่ 5
Chận pī thī̀ 5 | ชั้นปีที่ 4
Chận pī thī̀ 4 | ชั้นปีที่ 3
Chận pī thī̀ 3 | ชั้นปีที่ 2
Chận pī thī̀ 2 | ชั้นปีที่ 1
Chận pī thī̀ 1

## Other ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Royal Thai Army[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
จ่าสิบเอก
Cha sip ek | จ่าสิบโท
Cha sip tho | จ่าสิบตรี
Cha sip tri | สิบเอก
Sip ek | สิบโท
Sip tho | สิบตรี
Sip tri | พลทหาร
Phon thahan
Anglicised
version[2] | Sergeant major 1st class  | Sergeant major 2nd class  | Sergeant major 3rd class  |  | Sergeant  | Corporal  |  | Lance corporal  | Private
Royal Thai Navy[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
พันจ่าเอก
Phan cha ek | พันจ่าโท
Phan cha tho | พันจ่าตรี
Phan cha tri | จ่าเอก
Cha ek | จ่าโท
Cha tho | จ่าตรี
Cha tri | พลทหาร
Phon thahan
Anglicised
version  | Chief petty officer first class  | Chief petty officer second class  | Chief petty officer third class  |  | Petty officer first class  | Petty officer second class  | Petty officer third class  |  | Seaman
Royal Thai Air Force[2]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
พันจ่าอากาศเอก
Phan cha akat ek | พันจ่าอากาศโท
Phan cha akat tho | พันจ่าอากาศตรี
Phan cha akat tri | จ่าอากาศเอก
Cha akat ek | จ่าอากาศโท
Cha akat tho | จ่าอากาศตรี
Cha akat tri | พลทหาร
Phon thahan
Anglicised
version  | Flight Sergeant first class  | Flight Sergeant second class  | Flight Sergeant third class  |  | Sergeant  | Corporal  |  | Senior Airman  | Airman
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

There is a special rank (Army: Special Sergeant Major 1st Class (Thai: จ่าสิบเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Cha Sip Ek Phiset); navy: Fleet chief petty officer (Thai: พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Phan cha ek phiset); air force: Special flight sergeant 1st class (Thai: พันจ่าอากาศเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Phan cha akat ek phiset)) which is an honorary rank given to senior enlisted members who are deserving of recognition above and beyond that of the highest enlisted rank. There is no difference in the rank insignia worn, and they do not outrank the normal highest enlisted rank, although in a group situation they will normally be assigned control. They receive a higher salary.[citation needed]

## Royal Thai Police

[edit]

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is sometimes considered as the fourth armed service of Thailand (๔ เหล่าทัพ), but reports directly to the Prime Minister's Department rather than to the Ministry of Defense. The Royal Thai Police share the same rank system as the Royal Thai Army but the particularities of the police are the star representing the commissioned officer and the crown over the star. The Royal Thai Police uses the eight-pointed silver star and the silver crown with a halo on top, while the Royal Thai Army uses the five-pointed gold star and the gold crown with no halo for its officer shoulder boards.

### Officers

[edit]

Rank group  | General/flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Royal Thai Police

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
พลตำรวจเอก
Phon Tam Ruad Ek | พลตำรวจโท
Phon Tam Ruad Tho | พลตำรวจตรี
Phon Tam Ruad Tri | พันตำรวจเอก
Phan Tam Ruad Ek | พันตำรวจโท
Phan Tam Ruad Tho | พันตำรวจตรี
Phan Tam Ruad Tri | ร้อยตำรวจเอก
Roi Tam Ruad Ek | ร้อยตำรวจโท
Roi Tam Ruad Tho | ร้อยตำรวจตรี
Roi Tam Ruad Tri | นักเรียนนายร้อยตำรวจ
Nak Rian Nai Roi Tam Ruad
Abbreviation[3] |  | พล.ต.อ. | พล.ต.ท. | พล.ต.ต. |  | พ.ต.อ. | พ.ต.ท. | พ.ต.ต. | ร.ต.อ. | ร.ต.ท. | ร.ต.ต. | นรต.
Anglicised version  | Police General  | Police Lieutenant General  | Police Major General  |  | Police Colonel  | Police Lieutenant Colonel  | Police Major  | Police Captain  | Police Lieutenant  | Police 2nd Lieutenant  | Police Cadet Officer
UK equivalent Army ranks/Police ranks | General
Commissioner | Lieutenant General
Deputy Commissioner | Major General
Assistant Commissioner |  | Colonel
Chief Superintendent | Lieutenant Colonel
Divisional Superintendent | Major
Superintendent | Captain
Chief Inspector | Lieutenant
Inspector | Second Lieutenant
Subdivisional Inspector | Officer Cadet

### Non-Commissioned Officers

[edit]

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Royal Thai Police

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
ดาบตำรวจ
Dap Tamruat | จ่าสิบตำรวจ
Cha Sip Tamruat | สิบตำรวจเอก
Sip Tamruat Ek | สิบตำรวจโท
Sip Tamruat Tho | สิบตำรวจตรี
Sip Tamruat Tri | พลตำรวจ
Phon Tamruat
English  | Police sergeant major | Police Master sergeant |  | Police sergeant | Police corporal | Police lance corporal | Police constable

## Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)

[edit]

The Volunteer Defense Corps (กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a Thai paramilitary under the authority of the Department Of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior.[4] It was founded in 1954 to provide extra military support to the Royal Thai Armed Forces and to protect local civilians living near Thailand's borders. Its ranks mirror those of both the RTA and the RTP.[5]

Officers
Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Volunteer Defense Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VDC General  | VDC Colonel  | VDC Lieutenant Colonel  | VDC Major  | VDC Captain  | VDC First Lieutenant  | VDC Second Lieutenant  |
VDC Gen  | VDC Col  | VDC Lt Col  | VDC Maj  | VDC Capt  | VDC 1st Lt  | VDC 2nd Lt

Enlisted
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Volunteer Defense Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VDC Sergeant Major  | VDC Sergeant  | VDC Corporal  | VDC Private First Class  | VDC Member
VDC Sgt Maj  | VDC Sgt  | VDC Cpl  | VDC Pfc  | VDC Mbr

## Rank structure

[edit]

Chom (จอม) (Also used as Chom Thap (จอมทัพ)) is Head of Forces, there can only be one Chom Thap at a time, the King is the Chom Thap.[6] (Phon พล.) Ranks below commander-in-chief use Thai alternate numbers.

## See also

[edit]

* Thai noble titles

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Haseman, John B. (1989). "National Security". In LePoer, Barbara Leitch (ed.). Thailand: a country study. Area Handbook (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 265\. LCCN 88600485. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "เครื่องหมายยศทหาร" [Military Rank Insignia]. navedu.navy.mi.th (in Thai). Thai Naval Education Department. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
3. ^ [1] Archived 2018-12-21 at the Wayback Machine, กรมการกงสุล กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ
4. ^ [2] [bare URL PDF]
5. ^ "63 Years of Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand) in 2017 News page 78-79". Archived from the original on 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2018-10-11.
6. ^ "Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters English version". Archived from the original on 2009-04-18. Retrieved 2014-05-11.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military ranks of Thailand.

* Royal Thai Army (Official website - Thai version)
* Royal Thai Air force (Official website - English version)
* Royal Thai Navy (Official website - English version)
* Thai Ministry of Defence (Official website - English version)
* Royal Thai Police (Official website)

* v
* t
* e

Royal Thai Armed Forces

Highest Commander of the Armed Forces

Branches|

* Royal Thai Army
* Royal Thai Navy
* Royal Thai Air Force

Command|

* Ministry of Defence
* Minister of Defence (Kalahom)
* Royal Thai Armed Forces HQ
* Chief of Defence Forces
* Chief of the Army
* Chief of the Navy
* Chief of the Air Force

Units|

* King's Guard
* Royal Thai Marine Corps
* Air and Coastal Defense Command
* Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Command
* Territorial Defense Student

Division|

* 1st Infantry Division, King's Guard
* 2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard
* 3rd Infantry Division
* 4th Infantry Division
* 5th Infantry Division
* 6th Infantry Division
* 7th Infantry Division
* 9th Infantry Division
* 11th Infantry Division
* 15th Infantry Division
* 1st Cavalry Division
* 2nd Cavalry Division, King's Guard
* 3rd Cavalry Division
* 1st Development Division
* 2nd Development Division
* 3rd Development Division
* 4th Development Division

Special forces|

* Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command
* Royal Thai Army Ranger
* Special Operation Battalion 90th Task Force
* Naval Special Warfare Command
* RTMC Reconnaissance Battalion
* RTAF Special Operations Regiment

Paramilitary|

* Thahan Phran
* Border Patrol Police (Royal Thai Police)
* Volunteer Defense Corps (Ministry of Interior)

Reserve Forces|

* Territorial Defense Student

Academies|

* Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School
* National Defence College
* Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy
* Royal Thai Naval Academy
* Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Thai Air Force Academy
* Royal Thai Police Cadet Academy
* Phramongkutklao College of Medicine
* Royal Thai Army Nursing College
* Royal Thai Navy Nursing College
* Royal Thai Air Force Nursing College

Equipment|

* Army
* Navy
* Air Force

Others|

* History of the Military
* Military Flags
* Ranks of the Armed Forces
* Military courts
* Thai Royal Guards parade
* Order of Rama
* Lerdrit

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Artsakh
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Highest ranks
* Star ranking
* Officers of World War I
* Officers of World War II
* Women's Services in World War II
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

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