# Royal Thai Marine Corps

The Royal Thai Marine Corps or RTMC (Thai: ราชนาวิกโยธินแห่งราชอาณาจักรไทย) are the marines of the Royal Thai Navy. The Royal Thai Marine Corps was founded in 1932, when the first battalion was formed with the assistance of the United States Marine Corps. It was expanded to a regiment in 1940 and was in action against communist guerrillas throughout the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1960s the United States Marine Corps assisted in its expansion into a brigade. The Royal Thai Marine Corps saw action on the Malaysian border in the 1970s, and has now been increased to four brigades.

## History

Historically, there was no distinction in Siam between soldiers and marines, with the army performing both functions. The first "Thahan Ma-Rine", meaning "Marine Soldiers", were formed in 1833, during the reign of King Rama III. "Ma-Rine" was simply a transliteration of the English word. The development of the modern Thai Marine Corps can be divided into three periods:

### 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)

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.
On June 29, 1951, the Thai government disbanded the Marine Corps Bureau, and Marine units were placed under the command the Army. This was in response to the Manhattan Rebellion in which part of the Navy (including Marines) rebelled against the ruling Army junta. 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)

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 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 "Operation 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 Force Reconnaissance Battalion. 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 died serving their country, and they continue to do so today, especially in the southern border provinces currently affected by the South Thailand insurgency. A monument to their valor stands at the Royal Thai Navy base at Sattahip.

## United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

* United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission
** 1 Combat Engineer Company in Iraq
* United Nations Operation in Burundi
** 1 Combat Engineer Company in Burundi
* United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur
* United Nations Mission in Sudan
** 1 Force Reconnaissance Company in Sudan
** 1 Armored Company in Sudan

## Organization
### Royal Thai Marine Corps Headquarters

* Royal Thai Marine Corps Education Command
** Marine Corps School
** Recruit Training Division
** Support Division
* RTMC: Marine Division
** RTMC: 1st Marine Regiment
*** RTMC: 1st Infantry Battalion King's Guard
*** RTMC: 2nd Infantry Battalion
*** RTMC: 3rd Infantry Battalion
** RTMC: 2nd Marine Regiment
*** RTMC: 4th Infantry Battalion
*** RTMC: 5th Infantry Battalion
*** RTMC: 6th Infantry Battalion
** RTMC: 3rd Marine Regiment
*** RTMC: 7th Infantry Battalion
*** RTMC: 8th Infantry Battalion
*** RTMC: 9th Infantry Battalion King's Guard
** RTMC: Marine Artillery Regiment
*** RTMC: 1st Artillery Battalion
*** RTMC: 2nd Artillery Battalion
*** RTMC: Air Defense Artillery Battalion
*** RTMC: 4th Artillery Battalion
** RTMC: Marine Service Support Regiment
*** RTMC: Medical Battalion
*** RTMC: Dental Battalion
*** RTMC: Maintenance Battalion
*** RTMC: Transport Battalion
*** RTMC: Marine Assault Amphibious Vehicle Support Company
*** RTMC: Marine Band Platoon
** RTMC Reconnaissance Battalion also known as (Force Recon Marine/Marine Special Force)
** RTMC: Marine Assault Amphibian Vehicle Battalion: equipped with AAV-7A1 and BTR-3E1
** RTMC: Marine Tank Battalion: equipped with Type 69-ll MBT
*** RTMC: Anti-Tank Company
** RTMC: Marine Combat Engineer Battalion:
** RTMC: Marine Signals Battalion
** RTMC: Marine Military Police Company
* RTMC: Marine Security Regiment
* RTMC: Marine Psychological Company
* RTMC: Marine Task Forces
** RTMC: Marine 61st Special Operations Center
** RTMC: Marines Task Unit 411
** RTMC: Paramilitary Marine Regiment

## Miscellaneous

* The Royal Thai Marine Corps uses the Subskimmer

## Equipment
### Small arms

| Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Notes |
| Pistol |||||
| M1911 | United States Thailand | Semi-automatic pistol | .45 ACP | |
| Star Bonifacio Echeverria | Spain Thailand | Semi-automatic pistol | .45 ACP | Royal Thai Army Ordnance Department Star Bonifacio Echeverria model M mod. |
| Colt Commander | United States | Semi-automatic pistol | .45 ACP.38 ACP | Colt Combat Commander. |
| Smith & Wesson Centennial | United States | Revolver | .38 ACP | |
| Star Bonifacio Echeverria | Spain | Semi-automatic pistol | .38 ACP | model M mod. |
| Carl Walther PPK | Germany | Semi-automatic pistol | .38 ACP9×19mm Parabellum | |
| Browning Hi-Power | Belgium | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | Fabrique Nationale Browning High Power. |
| Assault rifle |||||
| M16A1/A2/A3 | United States Thailand | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| M4A1/A3 | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| Bushmaster M4 | United States | Carbine | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| Colt AR-15 | United States | Carbine | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| IWI Tavor | Israel | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | IWI TAVOR TAR-21 |
| IWI X95 | Israel | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| Heckler & Koch G36 | Germany | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by recon. |
| Heckler & Koch HK416 | Germany | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by recon. |
| FN SCAR | Belgium | Automatic rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by recon. |
| CQ M-311 | China | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| Shotguns |||||
| Remington Model 870 | United States | Pump action Shotgun | 12 gauge | |
| Remington Model 1100 | United States | Semi-automatic shotgun | 12 gauge | |
| Sniper rifle |||||
| Sako Defence Tikka | Finland | Sniper rifle | 5.56×45mm.338 Lapua | |
| Machine guns |||||
| Madsen M-50 | Denmark | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | |
| Micro Uzi | Israel | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | Micro Uzi |
| M249 | United States | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm | |
| M60 | United States | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm | |
| M2 Browning | United States | Heavy machine gun | 12.7×99mm | |

### Rocket, grenade and MANPAD

| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
| Rocket, grenade and MANPAD ||||
| M203 | United States | Grenade launcher | |
| Armbrust | Germany | Anti-tank weapon | |
| M47 Dragon | United States | Anti-tank guided missile | |
| BGM-71 TOW | United States | Anti-tank guided missile | Use in Humvee. |
| M40A2 | United States | Recoilless rifle | |
| QW-18 | China | MANPAD | |

### Combat vehicles

| Name | Origin | Type | Quantity | Notes |
| Combat vehicles |||||
| VN-16 | China | Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle | 3 | 3 ordered in June 2020 at approximate cost of US$13 million for the Royal Thai Marine Corps and delivered in May 2021. |
| AAV-7A1 | United States | Armoured personnel carrier | 36 | Variants include: AAVP-7A1, AAVC-7A1, AAVR-7A1. Upgraded locally by Chaiseri to match with the BAE Systems's AAV7A1 RAM/RS standard. |
| BTR-3E1 | Ukraine | Armoured personnel carrier | 12 | |
| AWAV 8x8 | Thailand | Armoured personnel carrier | 7 | |
| HMV-150 Commando | United States | Armoured personnel carrier | 24 | HMV-150 has an 8.9 liters Cummins ISL engine with a new automatic transmission Allison 4500 with six gears, which were upgraded done by Panus Assembly. |
| First Win | Thailand | Armoured personnel carrier | 6 | |
| DTI Black Widow Spider | Thailand | Armoured personnel carrier | 1 (+4) | |
| Phantom 380-X | Thailand | Armoured personnel carrier | 1 | |
| R600 | Thailand | Armoured personnel carrier | 2 | |
| Sea Tiger AAPC | Thailand | Infantry Fighting Vehicle | 2+ | |

### Logistic vehicles

| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
| Logistic vehicles ||||
| Humvee | United States | Military light utility vehicle | RTMC use M998, M1097A2, M997, M1025, M1045A2, M966. |
| M151 | United States | Military light utility vehicle | RTMC use M151A2, M151A2 mounting TOW, M718A1, M825. |
| Ford Ranger | United States Thailand | Pickup truck | |
| M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck | United States | Military truck | RTMC use M35A2, M50A2, M49A2, M109A2. |
| Isuzu Forward | Japan Thailand | Truck | RTMC use SBR,TXD 4x2,TSD 4x4,TWD 6x6,HTW,FTR 4x4. |
| M813 | United States | Military truck | RTMC use M54A2,M543A2. |

### Field artillery

| Name | Origin | Type | Quantity | Notes |
| Howitzer |||||
| M758 ATMG (variant of the ATMOS 2000) | Israel Thailand | 155mm Self-propelled howitzer | 6 + 6 on order | [18] [19] |
| GC-45 howitzer | Austria | 155mm towed howitzer | 18 | |
| M101A1 mod | United States | 105 mm towed howitzer | 6 | Improve the Nexter LG1 caliber. |
| M101A1 | United States | 105 mm towed howitzer | 30 | |
| GIAT LG1 | France | 105 mm towed howitzer | 15 | |
| Mortar |||||
| M120 mortar | Israel | 120 mm Mortar | Unknown | |
| M29A1 mortar | United States | 81 mm Mortar | Unknown | |
| M19 mortar | United States | 60 mm Mortar | Unknown | |
| M224 mortar | United States | 60 mm Mortar | Unknown | |

## Historical equipment
### Armoured fighting vehicles

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

### Field artillery

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

## Combat Engagements

* World War II
** Franco-Thai War
** Pacific War
* Cold War
** Communist insurgency in Thailand
** Communist insurgency in Malaysia
** Third Indochina War
** Cambodian–Vietnamese War
** Vietnamese border raids in Thailand
** Thai–Laotian Border War
* 1999 East Timorese crisis
** International Force East Timor
* Global War on Terrorism
* Southern Insurgency
** Battle of Bacho (2013)
* United Nations peacekeeping
** United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission
** United Nations Operation in Burundi
** United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur
** United Nations Mission in Sudan

## In popular culture

* Mercury Man is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight. Thai marines is control Afghan terrorist group in movies.

## Rank structure

Personnel of the RTMC use the uniform, ranks and insignia used by the personnel of the Royal Thai Navy, but with exceptions, such as:
* Personnel of the RTMC wear combat helmets as part of their ceremonial uniforms instead of sailor caps or peaked caps (except officers who wear peaked caps)
* Usually, Marines wear naval style insignia on the chest marks in their combat uniforms
* Marines wear in semi-formal situations the Navy's khaki dress uniform
| Equivalent NATO Code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF-1 | Cadet Officer |
| Officer ranks | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Officer ranks | จอมพลเรือ | พลเรือเอก | พลเรือโท | พลเรือตรี | พลเรือจัตวา$^1$ | นาวาเอก | นาวาโท | นาวาตรี | เรือเอก | เรือโท | เรือตรี | นักเรียนนายเรือ |
| Officer ranks | Admiral of the Fleet | Admiral | Vice Admiral | Rear Admiral | Commodore or Rear Admiral (lower half)$^1$ | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant Junior Grade | Sub Lieutenant | Midshipman |
| $^1$Rank on paper, not actually used in the Royal Thai Navy. ||||||||||||
| Equivalent NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-1 |
| Enlisted ranks | | | | | | | | No insignia |
| Enlisted ranks | พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ | พันจ่าเอก | พันจ่าโท | พันจ่าตรี | จ่าเอก | จ่าโท | จ่าตรี | พลทหาร |
| Enlisted ranks | 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 |