Royal Thai Marine Corps

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

History

Historically, there was no distinction in the Kingdom of 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

File:Sesquicentennial-celebrations.jpg

Sesquicentennial celebrations of The Revolution in 1932

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)

File:Peoples-party-in-ananta-samakhom-throne-hall.jpg

Sesquicentennial celebrations of The Revolution in 1932

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 Indochina turned violent, and the Marine Corps Department's "Chanthaburi Division" was engaged in action with the French Foreign Legion (FFL) several times. During World War II, the Marine Corps sent troops to defend the southern border with British Malaya and also guarded Phuket Province from possible attack.

After Empire of Japan's surrender in September 1945, Thai marines helped disarm the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) at Baan Pong District in Ratchaburi Province. In 1950, when communist violence in British Malaya 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.^[1] However, this was during the Korean War, and both the United States Armed Forces and the Royal Thai Navy urged Thailand to reconsider.

File:Operation-samchai.jpg

Thai marines group in Communist insurgency in Thailand

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 Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala.

File:Defense.gov News Photo 110211-M-VX252-046 - Royal Thai and U.S. Marines discuss how to eliminate hostile forces firing on them from a building during a mock mechanized raid on Feb. 11 2011.jpg

Royal Thai and US Marines eliminating hostile forces during a mock raid, 11 February 2011

Since 1975, RTMC have been assigned to Narathiwat as Reconnaissance Battalion (RECON). In 1977, they captured the communist camp at Krung-Ching in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and remaining there until 1981.

RTMC 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.

Since 1982, RTMC has been training with international marines, especially the United States Marine Corps, under the codename Cobra Gold (CG), which allows RTMC to gain many experience in new strategies and tactics to adapt to the current military situation. Meanwhile, marines from other nations participating in the training will gain experience in combat tactics and survival in the tropical rain forest.

At present, since 2004, 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, although hey are trained more intensively in anti-irrgular forces and counterinsurgency in urban areas. In real situations, Thai marines will be more flexible in their tactics according to the situation to minimize losses. Despite suffering significant casualties and losses, the Thai marines performed well especially in the difficult to reach drainage basin and jungle zone.

One of the Thai marines' most famous works during the South Thailand insurgency is Battle of Bacho. Despite being outnumbered and surrounded by superior Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) insurgent forces, the Thai marines planned well to win the battle with no casualties. On the RKK side, a total of sixteen soldiers were killed during the attack on the 2nd Rifle Company Base, 32nd Task Force Narathiwat. This Battle of Bacho is considered the largest clash in which the death toll was from a group of insurgents who were fully armed.

A monument to their valor stands at the Royal Thai Navy base (aka Sattahip Naval Base) at Sattahip district, Chonburi province.

United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

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

Organization