# RTMC Reconnaissance Battalion

The Reconnaissance Battalion or RECON (Thai: กองพันลาดตระเวน กองพลนาวิกโยธิน) is an elite recon battalion in the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC), falling under the Royal Thai Marine Division. A special operations forces unit, it is capable of conducting land, maritime, and air operations.

## History

On February 24, 1942, the Navy established "Marine Regiment" is directly at the Sattahip Naval Station. The rate of organization consists of a division which consists of an artillery company, 2 infantry battalions, 1 and 2 marines with 2 battalions, 1 small artillery and a heavy machine gun. In addition, there is another support force. The company used reconnaissance horses. The Engineer Company Squadron was commissioned by the military commander, Kham Hiran (rank at that time) as the commander in 1955.
After the Indochina-France dispute was completed, the Navy improved and organized the Marine Corps. There is an affiliation unit The 2 infantry battalions are the 1st Marine Battalion and the 2nd Marine Battalion. There are 2 battalions of artillery, 1 heavy machine battalion, 1 artillery battalion, which is the 4th Marine Battalion with 1 artillery regiment. (Using mountain artillery) and 2 75 mm artillery battalion 40 calibers (Bofors like the army) are also available 1 combat vehicle squadron (equivalent to the battalion) divided into 4 companies using 20 mm and 37 mm anti-tank guns and 50 mm grenade launchers and 3 more units equivalent to the company Is the mechanic division, communication division and patrol division which is a direct unit to Marines
In 1965 the RTMC formed a reconnaissance company with the mission of conducting amphibious reconnaissance to prepare for amphibious warfare operations, direct action, irregular warfare, special operations behind enemy lines, special reconnaissance in difficult to access and dangerous areas, and support naval boarding. On 27 November 1978, the company was expanded into the Recon Battalion. The battalion currently consists of one headquarters company with an attached platoon of wardogs, one amphibious reconnaissance company, and two V-I50 patrol vehicle companies. The unit is headed by an RTMC lieutenant-colonel and is based at Sattahip.
A handful of Marine Recon members saw combat when sent to Laos as part ofvolunteer Bn. Cdo. 61g which fought on the Plain of Jars in 1972. As a unit, companies from the battalion are assigned to the RTMC regiments as needed.
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. In December 1978, recon teams were sent to the Mekong River during skirmishes with the Pathet Lao, a communist political movement and organisation in Laos.
Royal Thai Marine Recon anti-terrorist team In 1988. One company was attached in 1989 to an RTMC Task Force at Chanthaburi for operations along the Thai-Cambodian border. Recon personnel are airborne-qualified at the RTMC parachute school at Sattahip; eight jumps are made, including one night and two water jumps. Recon personnel must also attend the three-month amphibious reconnaissance course at Sattahip covering land and sea tactics.
On February 13, 2013, the Battle of Bacho occurred when 50 RKK members attacked a 2nd Rifle Company, 32nd Task Force Narathiwat of the royal thai marine base. The royal thai marine base had already prepared due to receiving clues about the plans to attack the stronghold 2–3 days before. The marine commander has put in a defensive strategy with additional of the 11 members of Recon and 17 Thai Navy SEALs. After clashing resulted in 16 deaths from attacker side with non fatality for both Recon and Navy SEALs member.

## Organization

* Reconnaissance Battalion Headquarter
** 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company
** 2nd Amphibious Reconnaissance Company
** Long-range Reconnaissance Patrol Company
** Service Support Company
*** Marine Working Dog Platoon (Explosive and Drug Detection Dog)

## Mission and training

The mission of Reconnaissance Battalion is to provide task organized forces in order to conduct amphibious reconnaissance, battlespace shaping operations, close-quarters combat, commando style raids, insertion and extraction in behind enemy lines, long-range penetration, special reconnaissance, special warfare operations, and support counterterrorism.

### Training

The Recon program trains its students to lead amphibious assaults and operate far from ally support. Therefore, a higher degree of competency and leadership is required.
The Reconnaissance Battalion operators are trained to operate in the sea, on the ground, and in the air, hence the unusual nickname of '3D warrior'. The Recon training program is reputed to be among the most difficult of Thai military special operations forces. There is a common quote that "the SEALS have a Hell Week, but it's Hell EVERY Week in the RECON." (ซีลมีสัปดาห์นรก แต่รีคอนนรกทุกสัปดาห์)
Applicants to the program must be active members of the Navy (or other services or the Police, based on quota and invitation) with an age limit of 35.
The course is 13 weeks long, divided into 5 weeks for base mission, 4 weeks of maritime mission (including paddling resistant rubber 15 nautical miles or 27 kilometers, carrying resistant rubber boats for about 10 kilometers without breaks and swim 5 nautical miles or 9.6 kilometers), and the last 4 weeks in jungle and mountain region.
The instructors will present tasks that must be solved by the students, further increasing the difficulty of the training program by adding mental elements to the already physically demanding training.
There is also a "Prisoner of War" situation which simulates capture by the enemy. The final mission is a 72-hour problem that Recon special combat students must perform without rest for 3 days and 3 nights.
Graduates of the Recon training program are entitled to wear the Recon badge, regardless of his/her branch. As stated, Recon is one of the most difficult special operations training courses available to Thai servicemembers, ranking above other badges such as the Queen's Musketeers, SEAL, or the Rangers. This makes Recon one of the most sought-after among the "wing hunters" (servicemembers purposefully aiming to complete multiple special operations training programs) around the country.

## Equipment

| Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Notes |
| Pistol |||||
| Browning Hi-Power | Belgium | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | Fabrique Nationale Browning High Power. |
| Assault rifle |||||
| IWI X95 | Israel | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
| G36C | Germany | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm | |
| Sniper rifle |||||
| Sako Defence Tikka | Finland | Sniper rifle | 5.56×45mm.338 Lapua | |
| Shotguns |||||
| Remington Model 1100 | United States | Shotgun | 12 gauge | |
| Machine guns |||||
| M249 | United States | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm | |
| M60 | United States | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm | |
| Grenade launcher |||||
| M203 | United States | Grenade launcher | 40 mm | |

## Engagements

* Cold War
** Communist insurgency in Thailand
** Communist insurgency in Malaysia
** Vietnamese border raids in Thailand
* Southern Insurgency
** Battle of Bacho (2013)