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 (). An army area may have its satellite corp as a supporting unit. Each area consists of many army districts (), 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.พระราชบัญญัติจัดระเบียบราชการกระทรวงกลาโหม พ.ศ.๒๕๕๑ (Act on Subdivisions of the Ministry of Defence of Thailand). 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 1Military Region 1, [History of Military Region 1]. (in Thai) 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 Narai14 Chonburi, Rayong Fort Nawaminthrachini, Chonburi Queen Sirikit15 Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan Fort Ramratchaniwet, Phetchaburi Named by Chulalongkorn16 Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon Fort Phanurangsi, Ratchaburi Bhanurangsi Savangwongse17 Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri Fort Surasi, Kanchanaburi Viceroy Maha Sura Singhanat18 Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Fort Adisorn, Saraburi Prince Suksawasdi, Krom Luang Adisorn Udomdej19 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.พระราชกฤษฎีกาจัดวางระเบียบราชการกองทัพบก ในกระทรวงกลาโหม พ.ศ. 2491 (Royal Decree on the Organisation of the Royal Thai Army, 1948). Legislative Institutional Repository of Thailand. 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.Our History, Army Area 2 Headquarters (in Thai) District number Provinces under supervision Headquarters location Named after21Nakhon Ratchasima, ChaiyaphumFort Suranari, Nakhon Ratchasima Thao Suranari22Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat CharoenFort Sapphasitthiprasong, Ubon Ratchathani Prince Chumphon Somphot, Krom Luang Sappasitthiprasong23Khon Kaen, KalasinFort Sripatcharin, Khon Kaen Queen Saovabha Phongsri24Udon Thani, Nong KhaiFort Prachaksinlapakhom, Udon Thani Prince Thongkongkonyai, Krom Luang Prachaksinlapakhom25Surin, SisaketFort Weerawatyothin, Surin Major-General Luang Weerawatyothin (Weerawat Raktachittakan)26Buriram, Maha SarakhamFort Somdej Chao Phraya Kasatsuek, Buriram Former name of Rama I27Roi Et, YasothonFort Prasertsongkhram, Roi Et Major-General Phraya Prasertsongkhram (Thiap Khomkris)28 Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu Fort Srisongrak, Loei Phra That Si Song Rak29Sakon Nakhon, Bueng KanFort Kris Sivara, Sakon Nakhon General Kris Sivara210Nakhon Phanom, MukdahanFort 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.History of Army Area 3, Army Area 3 (in Thai) It supervises Army Corp 3 and 10 army districts, all of which are from northern Thailand. District number Provinces under supervision Headquarters location Named after31 Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Uthai Thani Fort Chiraprawat, Nakhon Sawan Field Marshall Prince Chirapravati Voradej, Krom Luang Nakhon Chaisri Suradet32 Lampang Fort Surasak Montri, Lampang Chaophraya Surasakmontri (Choem Saneg-chuto)33 Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun Fort Kawila, Chiang Mai Lord Kawila of Lampang34 Phayao Fort Khun Chueang Thammikkarat, Phayao Phraya Chueang, a legendary king of northern Thailand35Uttaradit, PhraeFort Phichai Dabhak, Uttaradit Phraya Phichai Dap Hak36Phetchabun, PhichitFort Phokhun Pha Mueang, Phetchabun King Pha Mueang37Chiang RaiFort King Mengrai Maharat, Chiang Rai King Mangrai38 Nan Fort Suriyaphong, Nan Lord Suriyaphong Pharittadet, Former ruler of Nan39Phitsanulok, SukhothaiFort King Naresuan Maharat, Phitsanulok King Naresuan310 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.Official Website, Army Area 4 (in Thai). District number Provinces under supervision Headquarters location Named after41Nakhon Si Thammarat (except Thung Song District), PhuketFort Vajiravudh, Nakhon Si ThammaratKing Vajiravudh42Songkhla, Phatthalung, SatunFort Senanarong, Songkhla Luang Senanarong (Sak Senanarong)History of Fort Senanarong (in Thai)43Nakhon Si Thammarat (only Thung Song District), Krabi, TrangFort Thep Satri Srisunthorn, Nakhon Si Thammarat Thao Thep Krasattri and Thao Si Sunthon44 Chumphon, Ranong Fort Khet Udomsak, Chumphon Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak45Surat Thani, Phang Nga Fort Vibhavadi Rangsit, Surat Thani Princess Vibhavadi Rangsit 46 Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala Fort Ingkhayutthaborihan, Pattani Colonel Kun Ingkhayutthaborihan (Thongsuk Ingkhakul)History of Fort Ingkhayutthaborihan (in Thai)
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.Some "มณฑลทหารบก"'s refer to themselves as military district. For instance, Military District 38 in Nan Province. Some units just refer to themselves as "military monthons" or "monthon thahan bok" or "mtb", for example, Military District 42 in Songkhla Province. It is also noted that So Sethaputra's English-Thai dictionary confirms the correctness of the term district.
Roles In accordance with the by-law enacted in 2009,ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, พระราชกฤษฎีกาแบ่งส่วนราชการและกำหนดหน้าที่ของส่วนราชการ กองทัพบก กองทัพไทย กระทรวงกลาโหม พ.ศ.๒๕๕๒, เล่ม ๑๒๖, ตอนที่ ๑๙ ก, ๓๐ มีนาคม ๒๕๕๒ (By-law on the division of the Royal Thai Army, Armies of Thailand, Ministry of Defence, 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 rolesราชกิจจานุเบกษา, กฎกระทรวงกําหนดหน้าที่และเขตพื้นที่ของมณฑลทหารบก พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๘, เล่ม ๑๓๖ ตอนที่ ๘๐ ก ๘ กันยายน ๒๕๕๘ (Ministerial Regulations on the roles and coverage of military districts, 2015)ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, กฎกระทรวงกําหนดหน้าที่และเขตพื้นที่ของมณฑลทหารบก (ฉบับที่ ๒) พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๒, เล่ม ๑๓๒ ตอนที่ ๘๖ ก ๒๗ มิถุนายน ๒๕๖๒ (Ministerial Regulations on the roles and coverage of military districts (2nd edition), 2019) 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.ราชกิจจานุเบกษา,พระราชกฤษฎีกาจัดวางระเบียบราชการกองทัพบกในกระทรวงกลาโหม พ.ศ.๒๔๙๑, ตอนที่ ๕๓, เล่ม ๗๕, ๑๕ กันยายน ๒๔๙๑ (By-law on the organisation of the Royal Thai Army, 1948) 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 districtsราชกิจจานุเบกษา, กฎกระทรวง (พ.ศ.๒๕๐๙) ออกตามความในพระราชบัญญัติจัดระเบียบราชการกระทรวงกลาโหม พ.ศ.๒๕๐๓, ตอนที่ ๘, เล่ม ๘๓, ๒๕ มกราคม ๒๕๐๙ (Ministerial Regulations on the Organisation of the Royal Thai Army, 1966)
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 (). Some military provinces cover many civil provinces () (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.ราชกิจจานุเบกษากฎกระทรวงกําหนดส่วนราชการที่ขึ้นตอกองทัพภาคและเขตพื้นที่ของมณฑลทหารบกและจังหวัดทหารบก พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๒, เล่ม ๑๒๖ ตอนที่ ๑๒ ก, ๒๐ กุมภาพนธ์ ๒๕๕๒ (Ministerial Regulations on Military Regions, Circles and Provinces, 2009) 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.
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References
See also Provinces of Thailand Monthon Royal Thai Army Military district Divisions of the United States Army -- Similar military subdivision system used in the United States