The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; , ) is the naval warfare force of

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known as the father of the Royal Navy. It has a structure that includes the naval fleet,

Royal Thai Marine Corps The Royal Thai Marine Corps or RTMC ( 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 ...

, and Air and Coastal Defence Command. The RTN headquarters is at Sattahip Naval Base. The navy operates three naval area commands (NAC): Northern

Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand (), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. ...

(First NAC); Southern

(Second NAC); and the

Andaman Sea The Andaman Sea (historically also known as the Burma Sea) is a marginal sea of the northeastern Indian Ocean bounded by the coastlines of Myanmar and Thailand along the Gulf of Martaban and the west side of the Malay Peninsula, and separated f ...

(

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

) (Third NAC). RTN also has two air wings and one flying unit on its aircraft carrier.

History

Ancient era

The military history of

encompasses 1,000 years of armed struggle, from wars with her regional rivals,

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

and

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, and periods of conflict with Britain and France during the colonial era. The naval arm of the army consisted mainly of riverine war craft whose mission was to control the

Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya River is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Etymology Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...

and protect ships carrying the army to battle. The warships carried up to 30 musketeers, a large number of rowers and a front 6 or 12-pounder cannons or no guns at all. The Siamese navy was also supported by Chinese immigrants, mostly in Chantaburi. During the era of Taksin the Great, his army successfully sieged the old capital of Ayutthaya with the help of the Chinese shipwrights who are masters of building war junks, which carried more guns than riverine warcrafts.

Vietnamese-Siamese war

The timeline of emergence of a Siamese sea fleet is unknown. Most of its sailors were foreign, such as Cham, Malay, and Chinese. It is assumed that in this era, Ships designs changed from shallow draft Chinese junk (Reu-Sam-Pau/Reụ̄x s̄ảp̣heā) to deeper draft Kam-pan and sloop; with a short period of copied Vietnamese junks. The most prominent naval battle was at Vàm Nao River.

Franco-Siamese crisis

The Paknam Incident was a navy engagement fought during the Franco-Siamese crisis in July 1893. Three French ships violated Siamese territory and warning shots were fired at them by a Siamese fort and a force of gunboats on the Chao Phraya River in Paknam. In the ensuing battle, France prevailed and blockaded Bangkok. Peace was restored on 3 October 1893 after the British put pressure on both the Siamese and French to reach a negotiated settlement.

World War I

The First World War had no direct impact on

Siam Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

due to its distance from the fighting. The war did, however, provide an opportunity for King Rama VI to strengthen his country's position in the international arena. He also used the war as a means to promote the concept of a Siamese nation. Siamese sailors were part of a volunteer expeditionary force, consisting of medical, motor transport, and aviation detachments. By early-1918, 1,284 men were selected from thousands of volunteers. The force was commanded by Major General Phraya Bhijai Janriddhi and was sent to France.

After World War I

Franco-Thai War

The Battle of Ko Chang took place on 17 January 1941 during the

Franco-Thai War The Franco-Thai War (October 1940 – 28 January 1941, ; ) was fought between Thailand and Vichy France over certain areas of French Indochina. Negotiations shortly before World War II had shown that the French government was willing to alter th ...

in which a flotilla of French warships attacked a smaller force of Thai vessels, including a coastal defence ship. The HTMS ''Thonburi'' was heavily damaged and grounded on a sand bar at the mouth of the Chanthaburi River, with about 20 dead. The Thai transport HTMS ''Chang'' arrived at Ko Chang shortly after the French departed and took the ''Thonburi'' in tow, before purposefully running her aground in Laem Ngop. HTMS Thonburi in Yokohama

The French suffered 11 men killed. During the post-action investigations, the Thai Navy claimed, based on statements by Thai sailors and the fisherman around Ko Chang and merchantmen in

Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

, that heavy damage was seen to have been caused to the French ship ''Lamotte-Picquet'' and her squadron. The battle was a tactical victory by the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

over the Thai Navy although the strategic result is disputed. The Japanese intervened diplomatically and mediated a ceasefire. Within a month of the engagement, the French and the Thais had negotiated a peace that ended the war.

World War II

During World War II, Siam allied with Japan after Japan invaded Siam on 8 December 1941. Thailand officially joined the war in January 1942. Thai submarines saw service throughout

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, but saw no combat. Two of them did serve an unconventional role during the war. On 14 April 1945, five months before the Japanese surrender, Bangkok's Samsen and Wat Liab Power Plants were bombed by the Allies, leaving the city without electricity. In response to a request from the

Bangkok Electricity Authority The Siam Electricity Company Limited was the first power company in Thailand. It provided electricity for Bangkok from its Wat Liap Power Plant throughout the first half of the twentieth century, and also was a major operator of Trams in Bangkok, ...

, the ''Matchanu'' and ''Wirun'' anchored at the

Bangkok Dock Company The Bangkok Dock Company (1957) Limited () is a Thai shipbuilding company. It operates as a state enterprise under the oversight of the Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differ ...

and served as power generators for one of Bangkok's tram lines.

Manhattan Rebellion

During the Manhattan Rebellion of 1951, the navy was involved in a failed coup against Prime Minister

Plaek Phibunsongkhram Plaek Phibunsongkhram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964) was a Thai military officer and politician who served as the third prime minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and again from 1948 to 1957. He rose to power as a leading member of the Kh ...

which led to the sinking of flagship HTMS ''Sri Ayudhya''.

Vietnam War

In support of

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

and its allies during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

, two Thai naval vessels supported ground forces with naval bombardments.

Later years

The navy's combat forces include the Royal Fleet and the

. The 130 vessels of the Royal Fleet include frigates equipped with surface-to-air missiles, fast attack craft armed with surface-to-surface missiles, large coastal patrol craft, coastal minelayers, coastal minesweepers, landing craft, and training ships. The mission space of the Thailand navy includes rivers and the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean, which are separated by the

Kra Isthmus The Kra Isthmus (, ; ), also called the Isthmus of Kra in Thailand, is the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula. The western part of the isthmus belongs to Ranong Province and the eastern part to Chumphon Province, both in Southern Thailan ...

. Naval affairs are directed by the country's most senior admiral from his Bangkok headquarters. The naval commander in chief is supported by staff groups that plan and administer such activities as logistics, education and training, and various special services. The headquarters general staff function like the corresponding staffs in the

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA (; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's sovereignty. The army was formed in 187 ...

army and

Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (; ) is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913 as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force has engaged in numerous major and minor conflicts. During the ...

command structures.

Command and control

202403 Entrance of Royal Thai Navy Headquarter

The Royal Thai Navy is commanded by the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, currently, Admiral Jirapol Wongwit, who was appointed in 2024. The Royal Thai Navy headquarters is in Bangkok. *Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Jirapol Wongwit *Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Chonlathit Navanukroh *President, Royal Thai Navy Advisory Group: Admiral Worawut Pruksarungruang *Assistant Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Pichit Srirungruang *Chief of Staff, Royal Thai Navy: Admiral Pairote Fuengchan *Commander-in-Chief, Royal Thai Fleet: Admiral Nattaphon Diewwanich

Naval Area Commands

The Royal Thai Navy operates three naval area commands: * First Naval Area Command: responsible for the northern part of

* Second Naval Area Command: responsible for the southern part of

* Third Naval Area Command: responsible for the

(''

'')

District forces

* Navy Fleet District Forces ** Northern Gulf of Thailand Fleet ** Southern Gulf of Thailand Fleet ** Andaman Sea Fleet * Royal Thai Naval Air District Forces ** U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield ** Chanthaburi Airstrip ** Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base ** Songkhla Royal Thai Navy Airfield ** Phuket Royal Thai Navy Airfield ** Narathiwat Airstrip * Navy Bases District Forces ** Sattahip Naval Base ** Bangkok Naval Base ** Phang Nga Naval Base ** Songkhla Naval Base ** Phuket Naval Base ** Samui Naval Base ** Trat Naval Base

Organization

Royal Thai Naval Dockyard

The Naval Dockyard was on Arun amarin Road, Siriraj Subdistrict, Bangkoknoi District, Bangkok. It has constructed and repaired ships since the reign of King Mongkut. As ships grew larger, King Chulalongkorn ordered the construction of a large wooden dock. He presided over the opening ceremony on 9 January 1890, a date now considered the birth of the Naval Department. Its headquarters is now at Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province. RAN-IFR 2013 D3 146

*Ships built during the reign of King Rama VIII, Ananda Mahidol: ** HTMS ''Sarasin''-class: Fisheries boat; displacement 50 tons; three ships in this class ** Coast Guard Boat 9 class: Coast Guard boat; displacement 11.25 tons; four ships in this class ** HTMS ''Prong'': Tanker; displacement 150 tons *Ships built during the reign of King Rama IX, King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great: ** HTMS ''Khamronsin'' (II)-class:

Corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...

; displacement 450 tons; three ships in this class ** HTMS ''Hua Hin''-class: Patrol gunboat; displacement 530 tons; three ships in this class ** HTMS ''Sattahip'' (I)-class:

Torpedo boat A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval ship designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs were steam-powered craft dedicated to ramming enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes. Later evolutions launched variants of ...

; displacement 110 tons ** Tor.91-class:

Patrol Boat A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval ship, naval vessel generally designed for Coastal defence and fortification, coastal defence, Border control, border security, or law ...

: displacement 115 tons; nine ships in this class ** Thor (II)-class:

Minesweeper A minesweeper is a small warship designed to remove or detonate naval mines. Using various mechanisms intended to counter the threat posed by naval mines, minesweepers keep waterways clear for safe shipping. History The earliest known usage of ...

; displacement 29.56 tons; five ships in this class ** HTMS ''Proet'': Tanker; displacement 412 tons; two ships in this class ** HTMS ''Chuang''-class: Water tanker; displacement 360 tons; two ships in this class ** HTMS ''Samaesarn'' (II)-class:

Tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...

; displacement 328 tons; two ships in this class ** Tor.991-class:

Gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

; displacement 115 tons; four ships in this class ** HTMS ''Krabi''-class:

Offshore patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and th ...

; displacement 1,969 tons; two ships in this class ** HTMS ''Laemsing''-class: Patrol gunboat; displacement 520 tons

Royal Thai Marine Corps

The

(RTMC) was founded in 1932, when the first battalion was formed with the assistance of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

. 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. In December 1978, RECON teams of The Royal Thai Marine Corps were sent to the

Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth-longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third-longest in Asia with an estimated l ...

during skirmishes with the

Pathet Lao The Pathet Lao (), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and political organization, organization in Laos, formed in the mid-20th century. The group ultimately gained control over the entire country of ...

, a communist political movement and organisation in

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

. Thai Marines today are responsible for border security in

Chanthaburi Chanthaburi (, ) is a town ('' thesaban mueang'') in the east of Thailand, on the banks of the Chanthaburi River. It is the capital of the Chanthaburi Province and the Mueang Chanthaburi District. The town covers the two ''tambons'' Talat an ...

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. They serve in 2019 in the southern border provinces currently affected by the

South Thailand insurgency The Southern Thailand Insurgency (; ) is an ongoing conflict centered in southern Thailand. It originated in 1948 as an ethnic and religious separatist insurgency in the historical Malays (ethnic group), Malay Patani (historical region), Patani ...

. A monument to their valor stands at the Royal Thai Navy base at Sattahip.

Marine special force

The RTMC Reconnaissance Battalion, known as "RECON", is a

reconnaissance In military operations, military reconnaissance () or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, the terrain, and civil activities in the area of operations. In military jargon, reconnai ...

battalion. It falls under the command of the Royal Thai Marine Division. The mission of Reconnaissance Battalion is to provide task forces to conduct

amphibious reconnaissance Amphibious reconnaissance consists of ground and naval reconnaissance in the littoral area bordering coastal or ocean areas. History Evolution of the doctrine At the turn of the 20th century, amphibious reconnaissance was first conceived ...

, ground reconnaissance,

battlespace Battlespace or battle-space is a term used to signify a military strategy which integrates multiple armed forces for the military theater (warfare), theatre of operations, including aerial warfare, air, information warfare, information, ground w ...

shaping operations, raids, and specialized insertion and extraction.

Naval Special Warfare Command

4171065 Royal Thai Navy SEAL prepares to parachute from a U

The Naval Special Warfare Command was set up as an underwater demolition assault unit in 1956 with the assistance of the US. A small element of the Navy SEALs has been trained to conduct maritime counter-terrorism missions. The unit has close ties with the

United States Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the United States Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main func ...

and conducts regular joint training exercises. Most of the operations of the Navy SEALs are highly sensitive and are rarely divulged to the public. Navy SEALs have been used to gather intelligence along the Thai border during times of heightened tension. Navy SEALs have participated in

anti-piracy Anti-piracy may refer to: * Anti-piracy measures Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking ...

operations in the

. Thai Navy SEALs participated in the Tham Luang cave rescue. The rescue team successfully extricated members of 12 junior football players and their coach, who were trapped in Tham Luang Nang Non Cave in

Chiang Rai Province Chiang Rai (, ; , ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six Provinces of Thailand, provinces that lies in Northern Thailand#Regional classification of northern Thailand, upper northern Thailand and is Thailand's northernmost province. It is bordered ...

in July 2018. One former Navy SEAL died in the rescue effort.

Air and Coastal Defence Command

The Air and Coastal Defence Command was formed in 1992 under the control of the Royal Fleet Headquarters, with one coastal defence regiment and one air defence regiment. Personnel were initially drawn from the

, but are now being recruited directly. The First Coastal Defence Regiment is based near the Marine Corps facility at Sattahip. The First Air Defence Regiment was near the Naval Air Wing at U-Tapao. Coastal Defence Command was greatly expanded in 1992, following the government's decision in 1988 to charge the RTN with the responsibility of defending the eastern seaboard and Southern Seaboard Development Project. The Second Air Defence Regiment, based at

Songkhla Songkhla (, ), also known as Singgora or Singora (Kelantan-Pattani Malay, Pattani Malay: ซิงกอรอ, Singoro), is a city (''thesaban nakhon'') in Songkhla Province of southern Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. Songkhla lies ...

, was formed the following year. Some analysts believe that this element will eventually grow to a strength of up to 15,000 personnel. * The First Air Defence Regiment: its mission is to provide anti-aircraft defence for the northern

with three anti-aircraft battalions. * The Second Air Defence Regiment: to provide anti-aircraft defence for the southern

and

with three anti-aircraft battalions. * The First Coastal Defence Regiment: has three

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

battalions. * Two Air and Coastal Defence Command and Control Centers * Air and Coastal Defence Supporting Regiment: one transportation battalion, one communications battalion, one maintenance battalion.

Royal Thai Naval Air Division

The RTN recently has two air wings and one Flying Unit of aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet, operating 23 fixed-wing aircraft and 26 helicopters from U-Tapao,

, and

Phuket Phuket (; , , or ''Tongkah'') is one of the Southern Thailand, southern Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, List of islands of Thailand, the country's largest island, and another 3 ...

. The First Royal Thai Navy wing has three squadrons; the Second Royal Thai Navy wing has three squadrons and another wing for HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit.

Riverine Patrol Regiment

Royal Thai Navy Riverine Sailors on patrol boats

The Royal Thai Navy RTN Riverine Patrol Regiment keeps the peace, prevents

illegal immigration Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...

human trafficking Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labor, sexual slavery, or oth ...

drug smuggling The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types ...

or any other threats to national security on the Chao Phraya and

s and elsewhere. Royal Thai Navy Riverine Patrol detachments are stationed in several provinces:

Royal Thai Naval Academy

The

Royal Thai Naval Academy The Royal Thai Naval Academy (Thai: โรงเรียนนายเรือ) (RTNA) was established by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1898. He officially opened the academy on 20 November 1906. Originally located on the royal yacht ''Maha ...

in Samut Prakan was established by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1898, Those who want to enter the academy first have to pass the entrance exam, after which they join a three-year preparatory program at the

Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School The Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School or AFAPS (Thai: โรงเรียนเตรียมทหาร) is a senior high school in Nakhon Nayok Province. It is a flagship institution of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. The c ...

where they study together with army, air force, and police cadets. On successful completion, they enter the academy. After graduation, they attend a further one-year advanced course at Sattahip that leads to a graduate diploma in naval science. On completion of this course, they are ready to work as officers in the Royal Thai Navy or

. Cadets graduate with a bachelor's degree in engineering or science and are commissioned in the Royal Thai Navy with the rank of ensign (sub-lieutenant). Together with graduates of the other armed forces and police academies they receive their swords from the king personally or the king's representative. Selected first-year cadets of the RTNA are awarded

scholarships A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need, research ...

to study at naval academies abroad. On their return to

they start working as officers in the Royal Thai Navy straightaway.

Naval Medical Department

The Naval Medical Department was first set up on 1 April 1890 and is headquartered at Somdech Phra Pinklao Hospital in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

. It provides medical services for sailors of the Royal Thai Navy and operates a number of hospitals in Thailand including Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital in

Chonburi Chonburi (, , IAST: , ) is the capital of Chonburi Province and, as part of the district Mueang Chonburi District, Mueang Chonburi, the List of municipalities in Thailand, seventh-largest city in Thailand. It is about 100 km southeast of Ba ...

, opened on 20 November 1995.

Royal Thai Navy Music Division

A Royal Thai Navy band has existed since the RTN was only a naval department of the

. Its began with the creation of the "Naval Trumpet Band" on 10 June 1878, with the arrival of the new royal yacht ''Vesatri'' and her captain, M. Fusco, who later was one of the training instructors. Captain Fusco had the duty to stage musicals for

King Rama V Chulalongkorn (20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910), posthumously honoured as King Chulalongkorn the Great, was the fifth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama V. Chulalongkorn's reign from 1868 until his death in 1910 was cha ...

when the king traveled by sea, as when King Chulalongkorn visited Europe in 1897. The government assigned the young ensemble under the command of Captain Fusco to the Royal Yacht ''Maha Chakri for the voyage to Europe. This band would later become the basis of the Royal Thai Navy Music Division of the RTN Bangkok Naval Base. Today, the RTNMD stations bands in all naval bases and installations, as well as in educational institutions.

Naval Military Police Regiment

The navy was the first branch of the Thai military to create a

military police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. Not to be confused with civilian police, who are legally part of the civilian populace. In wartime operations, the military police may supp ...

unit. The naval military police was established at the order of Marshal Admiral

Paribatra Sukhumbandhu Marshal-Admiral Paribatra Sukhumbandhu, Prince of Nakhon Sawan (; Thai: สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าบริพัตรสุขุมพันธุ์ กรมพระนค ...

, Prince of Nakhon Sawan, who was a naval commander at that time.ทร. สถาปนากรมกรมสารวัตรทหารเรือ ครบ 111 ปี – ข่าวสด
/ref> The official founding date was on 14 December 1905 by the Department of Mechanical Ships and the Department of Naval Affairs.

Equipment

The Royal Thai Navy fleet consists of ships constructed in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. Thai shipbuilding companies and RTN dockyards such as Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard, Asian Marine Services, Marsun Shipbuilding, Italthai Marine, and Bangkok Dock also have the capability to construct vessels.

Humanitarian relief operations

Thailand worked with more than 60 nations in providing help to the Nepali people following an earthquake. Operation Sahayogi Haat ('helping hands') was a US military relief operation delivering humanitarian assistance to victims of the

April April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days. April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the ...

and May 2015 Nepal earthquakes. The Royal Thai Navy assisted relief efforts. A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the region of

Kathmandu Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

on 25 April 2015. Operation Sahayogi Haat for humanitarian relief operations was put into action by Joint Task Force 505 on 6 May 2015.

Royal Barges

The royal barge is the type of vessel for Thailand's Royal Barge Procession, when is a ceremony of both religious and royal significance which has taken place for almost 700 years when was the earliest historical evidence of royal barges dates from the Sukhothai period (1238–1438). The royal barges are a blend of craftsmanship and traditional

Thai art Thai art refers to a diverse range of art forms created in Thailand from prehistoric times to the present day, including architecture, sculpture, painting, textiles, decorative arts, crafts, ceramics, and more. While Buddhism has played a signifi ...

. The Royal Barge Procession takes place rarely, marking only the most significant

cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and religious events. Royal barge ''Narai Song Suban Ratchakan Thi Kao'' or the royal barge ''Narai Song Suban HM King Rama IX'' is the only barge out of four royal barges which was built under commission by the Royal Thai Navy, along with the Thai Department of Fine Arts. She was built during the reign of HM King Rama IX

Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej (5 December 192713 October 2016), titled Rama IX, was King of Thailand from 1946 until Death and funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej, his death in 2016. His reign of 70 years and 126 days is the longest of any List of Thai mo ...

, who laid the keel in 1994. Thus ''Narai Song Suban HM King Rama IX'' was launched on 6 May 1996 to be commissioned and coincide with the celebration of the 50 anniversary of Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne. File:Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX bow.jpg, Royal Barge ''Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX'' of Thailand. File:Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX.jpg, Royal Barge ''Narai Song Suban HM Rama IX'' of Thailand. Dress rehearsal on 29 October 2007 for 5 November 2007 Royal Barge Procession for Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun.

Budget

The RTN budget for FY2021 is 48,289 million

baht The baht (; , ; currency sign, sign: ฿; ISO 4217, code: THB) is the official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 ''satang'' (, ). Prior to decimalisation, the baht was divided into eight ''fueang'' (, ), each of eight ''at'' (, ). The ...

, up from 47,050M baht in FY2020 and 45,485M baht in FY2019.

Engagements

Rank structure

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of

commissioned officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer (NCO), or a warrant officer. However, absent ...

Other ranks

The rank insignia of

non-commissioned officer A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...

s and

enlisted personnel An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States ...

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * * *Ruth, Richard A. "Prince Abhakara's Experiences with Britain's Royal Navy: Education, Geopolitical Rivalries and the Role of a Cretan Adventure in Apotheosis". Sojourn: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, vol. 34, no. 1, 2019, pp. 1–47. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26594523.

External links

Official site

Official site

{{Association of SouthEast Asian Nations Armed Forces

History

Ancient era

Vietnamese-Siamese war

Franco-Siamese crisis

World War I

After World War I

Franco-Thai War

World War II

Manhattan Rebellion

Vietnam War

Later years

Command and control

Naval Area Commands

Naval Area Commands

District forces

Organization

Royal Thai Naval Dockyard

Royal Thai Marine Corps

Marine special force

Naval Special Warfare Command

Air and Coastal Defence Command

Royal Thai Naval Air Division

Riverine Patrol Regiment

Royal Thai Naval Academy

Naval Medical Department

Royal Thai Navy Music Division

Naval Military Police Regiment

Equipment

Humanitarian relief operations

Royal Barges

Budget

Engagements

Rank structure

Commissioned officer ranks

Other ranks

See also

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links