# Military circles of Thailand

Subdivisions of the Royal Thai Army' are a military formation and administrative division of the Royal Thai Army. Thailand is divided into four army areas (Thai: กองทัพภาค). An army area may have its satellite corp as a supporting unit. Each area consists of many army districts (Thai: มณฑลทหารบก), each of which covers one or few provinces and supervises many military units. Each army district and army area has a multitude of roles, including supervising all military units, including ones from other branches of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, recruit new members of the armed forces and work with local and central government. Thailand currently has 35 military districts, some of which cover only one province while many covers many provinces.

## List of current military subdivisions in Thailand

Thailand is divided into four military regions (or areas). Each region is subdivided into up to 10 districts. Army Region 1 covers central Thailand, while Region 2, 3 and 4 correspond to northeastern, northern and southern Thailand respectively. All key units are located at dedicated military forts, which are named after key monarchs or heroes.

### Army Area 1 (central)

Army Area 1 was established on 13 January 1911 as an amalgamation of three monthon-level units. At that time it was named Army 1 There were two other armies, Army 2 and Army 3, located at Phitsanulok and Nakhon Ratchasima respectively. Army Area 1 controls Army Corps 1. It also supervises all military units in central Thailand, covering 9 army districts as follows.
| District number | Provinces under supervision | Headquarters location | Named after |
| 11 | Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan | Laksi, Bangkok | |
| 12 | Prachinburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao | Fort Chakraphong, Prachinburi | Chakrabongse Bhuvanath |
| 13 | Lopburi, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong | Fort King Narai Maharat, Lopburi | King Narai |
| 14 | Chonburi, Rayong | Fort Nawaminthrachini, Chonburi | Queen Sirikit |
| 15 | Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan | Fort Ramratchaniwet, Phetchaburi | Named by Chulalongkorn |
| 16 | Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon | Fort Phanurangsi, Ratchaburi | Bhanurangsi Savangwongse |
| 17 | Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri | Fort Surasi, Kanchanaburi | Viceroy Maha Sura Singhanat |
| 18 | Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya | Fort Adisorn, Saraburi | Prince Suksawasdi, Krom Luang Adisorn Udomdej |
| 19 | Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, Trat | Fort Surasinghanat, Sa Kaeo | Viceroy Maha Sura Singhanat |

### Army Area 2 (northeastern)

Army 3, headquartered in Nakhon Ratchasima, was dissolved in 1927 due to economic depression. The unit was re-established by the royal decree of 1948 and named Army Area 2. It supervises 10 army districts, all of which are in northeastern Thailand. It also commands Army Corps 2. Its headquarters are at Fort Suranari, Nakhon Ratchasima.
| District number | Provinces under supervision | Headquarters location | Named after |
| 21 | Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum | Fort Suranari, Nakhon Ratchasima | Thao Suranari |
| 22 | Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen | Fort Sapphasitthiprasong, Ubon Ratchathani | Prince Chumphon Somphot, Krom Luang Sappasitthiprasong |
| 23 | Khon Kaen, Kalasin | Fort Sripatcharin, Khon Kaen | Queen Saovabha Phongsri |
| 24 | Udon Thani, Nong Khai | Fort Prachaksinlapakhom, Udon Thani | Prince Thongkongkonyai, Krom Luang Prachaksinlapakhom |
| 25 | Surin, Sisaket | Fort Weerawatyothin, Surin | Major-General Luang Weerawatyothin (Weerawat Raktachittakan) |
| 26 | Buriram, Maha Sarakham | Fort Somdej Chao Phraya Kasatsuek, Buriram | Former name of Rama I |
| 27 | Roi Et, Yasothon | Fort Prasertsongkhram, Roi Et | Major-General Phraya Prasertsongkhram (Thiap Khomkris) |
| 28 | Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu | Fort Srisongrak, Loei | Phra That Si Song Rak |
| 29 | Sakon Nakhon, Bueng Kan | Fort Kris Sivara, Sakon Nakhon | General Kris Sivara |
| 210 | Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan | Fort Phra Yod Mueang Khwang, Nakhon Phanom | Major Phra Yodmueangkhwang (Kham Yotphet) |

### Army Area 3 (northern)

Army 2, located in Phitsanulok, was reorganised in 1948 to form the Army Area 3. Its headquarters are at Fort King Naresuan the Great, Phitsanulok. It supervises Army Corp 3 and 10 army districts, all of which are from northern Thailand.
| District number | Provinces under supervision | Headquarters location | Named after |
| 31 | Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Uthai Thani | Fort Chiraprawat, Nakhon Sawan | Field Marshall Prince Chirapravati Voradej, Krom Luang Nakhon Chaisri Suradet |
| 32 | Lampang | Fort Surasak Montri, Lampang | Chaophraya Surasakmontri (Choem Saneg-chuto) |
| 33 | Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun | Fort Kawila, Chiang Mai | Lord Kawila of Lampang |
| 34 | Phayao | Fort Khun Chueang Thammikkarat, Phayao | Phraya Chueang, a legendary king of northern Thailand |
| 35 | Uttaradit, Phrae | Fort Phichai Dabhak, Uttaradit | Phraya Phichai Dap Hak |
| 36 | Phetchabun, Phichit | Fort Phokhun Pha Mueang, Phetchabun | King Pha Mueang |
| 37 | Chiang Rai | Fort King Mengrai Maharat, Chiang Rai | King Mangrai |
| 38 | Nan | Fort Suriyaphong, Nan | Lord Suriyaphong Pharittadet, Former ruler of Nan |
| 39 | Phitsanulok, Sukhothai | Fort King Naresuan Maharat, Phitsanulok | King Naresuan |
| 310 | Tak | Fort Wachiraprakan, Tak | Former name of King Taksin |

### Army Area 4 (southern)

On 7 February 1925, Army Area 4 was established to supervise all military units in southern Thailand. Unlike other army areas, Army Area 4 does not have a satellite corp. Its headquarters are at Fort Vajiravudh, Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
| District number | Provinces under supervision | Headquarters location | Named after |
| 41 | Nakhon Si Thammarat (except Thung Song District), Phuket | Fort Vajiravudh, Nakhon Si Thammarat | King Vajiravudh |
| 42 | Songkhla, Phatthalung, Satun | Fort Senanarong, Songkhla | Luang Senanarong (Sak Senanarong) |
| 43 | Nakhon Si Thammarat (only Thung Song District), Krabi, Trang | Fort Thep Satri Srisunthorn, Nakhon Si Thammarat | Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon |
| 44 | Chumphon, Ranong | Fort Khet Udomsak, Chumphon | Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak |
| 45 | Surat Thani, Phang Nga | Fort Vibhavadi Rangsit, Surat Thani | Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit |
| 46 | Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala | Fort Ingkhayutthaborihan, Pattani | Colonel Kun Ingkhayutthaborihan (Thongsuk Ingkhakul) |

## Map of subdivisions of the Royal Thai Army

This map shows subdivisions of the Royal Thai Army, in accordance with the 2015 ministerial regulation signed by Prayut Chan-o-cha. The country is split into four army areas, numbered 1 to 4. Each army area contains 6 to 10 army districts. Each district is numbered. The first digit refers to the army area in which the district is located. The second and third digits are a sequential number 1 to 10 (without 0). As a consequence, there are no district 10, 20, 30 and 40. All army districts are provincial-level military units de facto. Sometimes army districts are referred to as military circles due to ambiguity of the original Pali term.

## Roles

In accordance with the by-law enacted in 2009, all army areas plan, manage, supervise and act as a chief in national security, peacekeeping and other roles according to the government policy. All army areas also
* Secure all members of the Royal Family;
* Actuate Royal-initiated projects (in collaboration with other bodies), and
* Engage in Military operations other than war.
As subordinate units to the army areas, military districts have following roles
* Govern local military forces, according to instructions and regulations by the Ministry of Defence;
* Maintain peace in its area; supervise military courts, cases, witness protection and military prisons;
* Recruit new members of the forces; oversee conscription and military summoning;
* Support military units in its area;
* Protect the internal security and national security according to the strategic plan;
* Support the government in supporting Thai citizens;
* Work closely with the Internal Security Operations Command local centres.

## History

In 1911, Vajiravudh proposed that Siam (now Thailand) must have a modernised army system. He divided Siam into three regions, Army 1 (central and southern), Army 2 (northern) and Army 3 (northeastern). Each monthon (a collection of cities and settlements, similar to China today) has one division. All divisions in a region formed a regional army. In 1927, due to economic crisis, northeastern army and some military units were dissolved. The remaining armies were Armies 1 and 2, located at Bangkok and Ayutthaya respectively.
In 1948, during the Bhumibol Adulyadej's reign, Thailand was divided into 5 military districts in accordance with different regions: central, eastern, northeastern, northern and southern. Seventeen years later, the Royal Thai Army realised that the organisation was too bulky--there were too many provinces under supervision of an army district. The military government, led by Thanom Kittikachorn, proposed that the country be divided into three armies. Each armies were divided into districts
In 1990, the Royal Thai Army was reorganised into four army regions. Each region was divided into many army districts, each of which covered few provinces. Each military district was divided into military provinces (Thai: จังหวัดทหารบก). Some military provinces cover many civil provinces (Thai: จังหวัด) (such as Chiang Mai army province, covered Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun), while others cover one (such as Nan army province, covered Nan only). As a superior unit to provinces, army district were located at large military bases in key provinces. In 2015, Prayut Chan-o-cha proposed that each military district should cover fewer provinces in order to make the chain of command more efficient and reduce the complexities of the military formation. This is particularly clear in northern and northeastern Thailand.