# Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)

The Volunteer Defense Corps (Thai: กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a paramilitary under the authority of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), Ministry of Interior. 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.

## History

The Volunteer Defense Corps (colloquially called Or Sor in Thailand) was formally established on 10 February 1954 by the Thai Border Patrol Police (BPP) in response to complaints by civilians of banditry and harassment by insurgent and separatist organizations. Originally, the VDC's purpose was to protect civilians from insurgents who had crossed into Thai border provinces from neighboring Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. VDC members were trained by the BPP and sent to protect civilians and farms from extortion and attacks by insurgents.
In 1974, the VDC was expanded by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to urban areas to fight communist insurgents. In the late-1980s, VDC strength was estimated at 33,000, down from a peak of about 52,000 in 1980. Part of the decrease in numbers was due to the formation of the Thahan Phran, a paramilitary unit formed to counter communist insurgents, which absorbed some units of the VDC.
Since 2004, the VDC has had a major role in fighting the South Thailand insurgency.

## Volunteer Defense Corps ranks
### Officers

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | VDC General | VDC General | VDC Colonel | VDC Colonel | VDC Lieutenant Colonel | VDC Lieutenant Colonel | VDC Major | VDC Major | VDC Captain | VDC Captain | VDC First Lieutenant | VDC First Lieutenant | VDC First Lieutenant | VDC Second Lieutenant | VDC Second Lieutenant | VDC Second Lieutenant |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | VDC Gen | VDC Gen | VDC Col | VDC Col | VDC Lt Col | VDC Lt Col | VDC Maj | VDC Maj | VDC Capt | VDC Capt | VDC 1st Lt | VDC 1st Lt | VDC 1st Lt | VDC 2nd Lt | VDC 2nd Lt | VDC 2nd Lt |

### Enlisted

| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant | VDC Sergeant | VDC Sergeant | VDC Sergeant | VDC Sergeant | VDC Sergeant | VDC Corporal | VDC Corporal | VDC Corporal | VDC Corporal | VDC Private First Class | VDC Private First Class | VDC Private First Class | VDC Private First Class | VDC Private First Class | VDC Private First Class | VDC Member | VDC Member |
| Volunteer Defense Corps | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt | VDC Sgt | VDC Sgt | VDC Sgt | VDC Sgt | VDC Sgt | VDC Cpl | VDC Cpl | VDC Cpl | VDC Cpl | VDC Pfc | VDC Pfc | VDC Pfc | VDC Pfc | VDC Pfc | VDC Pfc | VDC Mbr | VDC Mbr |