Thahan Phran The Thahan Phran ( ทหารพราน ; literally " Hunter Soldiers " ; Rangers ) is a paramilitary light infantry force which patrols the borders of Thailand and is part of the Royal Thai Army ( RTA ) . The " Thahan Phran " operate in conjunction with the Border Patrol Police ( BPP ) , but are trained and equipped to engage in combat while the BPP is primarily a law enforcement agency . History . The " Thahan Phran " was established in 1978 to fight Communist Party of Thailand ( CPT ) guerrillas and drive them from their mountain strongholds in northeast Thailand . Conceived by General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh , then Director of the Army Operations Centre at RTA headquarters in Bangkok , the unit was to be composed of recruits from regions affected by the communist insurgency , who would be given intensive training courses of 45 days , issued with modern weapons , and then sent back to their villages to mount guerrilla operations against the communists . Controversy . Some of the " Thahan Phran ' s " initial recruits were convicted criminals whose sentences were remitted ; others joined to obtain parcels of land granted as a reward for successful campaigns . To some extent the " Thahan Phran " were intended to supplant the Volunteer Defense Corps , a civilian militia responsible for protecting the local population from guerrillas . By late 1981 , " Thahan Phran " had replaced up to 80 per cent of regular army units in counter - insurgency operations on the Burmese , Cambodian and Malaysian borders . " Thahan Phran " units conducted numerous operations against Khun Sa in the Golden Triangle and also participated in security actions during the standoff at Prasat Preah Vihear in 2008 and 2009 . The " Thahan Phran " have had a troubled history , with units often accused of atrocities , abuse of authority , and involvement in the drug trade . It has also been reported that these units included a large majority of local thugs who often made use of their status to continue to commit crimes against their fellow citizens . Numerous reforms have been made since the 1980s , particularly in screening recruits , and on the whole it is a more professional force than twenty years ago , but serious problems with discipline and human rights abuses remain . The " Thahan Phran " are also suspected to have been involved in terrorist activities during the 2010 Redshirt riots in Bangkok . Special units of the " Thahan Phran " . In 1979 the influx of Cambodian refugees into Thailand became a significant political problem and a security issue , especially since thousands of them were Khmer Rouge combatants . Thai Prime Minister Kriangsak Chomanan , a professional soldier who had previously been Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Army , placed the border districts under martial law and authorized the Joint Operation of the Supreme Command to control and provide security for the refugees . The Supreme Command responded by creating Task Force 80 in February 1980 , a special " Thahan Phran " unit charged with defensive duties , refugee management , and the supply of food and weapons to the anti - Vietnamese resistance factions that Thailand supported , particularly the Khmer Rouge , as well as the Khmer People ' s National Liberation Front and the " Armee Nationale Sihanoukiste " or ANS . During its brief existence Task Force 80 was accused of frequent human rights violations until it was dissolved in August 1988 . One observer summarized the Task Force 80 experiment thus : In 1998 the Salween Special Task Force was created to protect the Salween National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Mae Hong Son Province . In 2007 a new " Thahan Phran " regiment was formed for special duties in Chiang Saen , Chiang Khong and Wiang Kaen districts along the Mekong River in Chiang Rai Province . The regiment is responsible for curbing human trafficking and other illegal movements across the Mekong into Thailand from northwestern Laos . " Thahan Phran " cooperate closely with the Laotian authorities , informing them when they force illegal migrants to return to the Lao side . Requirements . Before joining " Thahan Phran " , all candidates must be able to pass the following requirements : Lacking the above requirements , the candidates must have a special ability such as relevant regional experience . Strength . The force is led by regular officers and NCOs , with the other ranks comprising both full - time and part - time personnel . Roughly one - third of these regional - level troops are given more advanced training to become an army - level force . The force completed a major reorganization and downsizing between October 2000 through late 2001 . The re - organization saw eight of 21 regiments disbanded by General Surayud Chulanont , then commander - in - chief of the army . This was due to changes in the threats on Thailand ' s eastern and western borders as well as RTA budget cuts . The total strength is now believed to be about 10 , 600 , a substantial decline from the nearly 20 , 000 ( including reserves ) reached in the early 1990s . Organization . The headquarters at Pak Thong Chai , some 30 km south - southwest of Korat , was closed on September 30 of 2000 and command transferred to the army ' s four regional headquarters . The " Thahan Phran " now has thirteen regiment al headquarters ( each with 46 headquarters personnel ) , 107 90 - man companies , and twelve women ' s squad s ( each 11 - strong ) . Five regiments , with 37 companies , are now responsible for guarding the border with Myanmar - the 31st , 32nd , 35th and 36th Regiments in the northwest , and the 14th Regiment in Kanchanaburi . Activities . On the western frontier , where there is sporadic fighting , the " Thahan Phran " work closely with the RTA and the Border Patrol Police . On the eastern border , facing Laos and Cambodia , they now have primary responsibility for border surveillance and protection . Many Rangers have been killed or wounded in recent years during cross - border attacks by Burmese troops or their allies , the United Wa State Army and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army . In February 2001 , a 19 - man " Thahan Phran " base designated Unit 9631 , situated at Ban Pang Noon near Mae Sai on the Thai - Myanmar border , was captured by 500 Burmese troops . The RTA has tripled the strength of the " Thahan Phran " in the southern peninsula since violence surged there in 2004 . In October 1981 a 39 - man unit of " Thahan Phran " and Burmese guerrillas attempted to assassinate the drug warlord Khun Sa at the instigation of the US Drug Enforcement Administration . The attempt failed , however in January 1982 a " Thahan Phran " squad from Pak Thong Chai , together with units from the BPP and the Royal Thai Army , was used to force Khun Sa to move his headquarters from Ban Hin Taek in northwest Thailand across the border into Myanmar . Units of the " Thahan Phran " have been sent to the deep south to curb the South Thailand insurgency since 2004 . They been responsible for apprehending and killing many key leaders in the area , but have also suffered casualties from ambushes .