Royal Thai Marine Corps

Historically, there was no distinction in 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:

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.

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

After Imperial Japan's surrender in September 1945, Thai Marines helped disarm the Japanese Army at Baan Pong District in Ratchaburi Province. In 1950, when violence in Malaysia 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.^[2] However, this was during the Korean War, and both the United States Military and the Royal Thai Navy urged Thailand to reconsider.

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 Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.

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.

Thai Marines 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.

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

• United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission
  • 1st Combat Engineer Company in Iraq
• United Nations Operation in Burundi
  • 1st Combat Engineer Company in Burundi
• United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur
• United Nations Mission in Sudan
  • 1st Force Reconnaissance Company in Sudan
  • 1st Armored Company in Sudan

• The Royal Thai Marine Corps uses the Subskimmer^[4]

• Mercury Man is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight. Thai marines is control Afghan terrorist group in movies.

Personnel of the RTMC use the uniform, ranks and insignia used by the personnel of the Royal Thai Navy, but with exceptions, such as:

• Personnel of the RTMC wear combat helmets as part of their ceremonial uniforms instead of sailor caps or peaked caps (except officers who wear peaked caps)
• Usually, Marines wear naval style insignia on the chest marks in their combat uniforms
• Marines wear in semi-formal situations the Navy's khaki dress uniform

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		Cadet Officer
Officer ranks
	จอมพลเรือ	พลเรือเอก	พลเรือโท	พลเรือตรี	พลเรือจัตวา1	นาวาเอก	นาวาโท	นาวาตรี	เรือเอก	เรือโท	เรือตรี	นักเรียนนายเรือ
	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore or Rear Admiral (lower half)1	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Sub Lieutenant	Midshipman
	1Rank on paper, not actually used in the Royal Thai Navy.

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-1
Enlisted ranks								No insignia
	พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ	พันจ่าเอก	พันจ่าโท	พันจ่าตรี	จ่าเอก	จ่าโท	จ่าตรี	พลทหาร
	Master Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer	Petty Officer 1st class	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Petty Officer 3rd Class	Seaman	Seaman apprentice

• Royal Thai Navy
• Air and Coastal Defence Command
• RTMC Reconnaissance Battalion
• Royal Thai Naval Air Division

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Thai Marine Corps.

• Official website
• English information on the Royal Thai Marine Corps