Thahan Phran
Encyclopedia
The Thahan Phran 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.
(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.
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.
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 KPNLF 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.
Lacking the above requirements, the candidates must have a special ability such as relevant regional experience.
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.
, 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
.
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 Agency. 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.
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
force which patrols the borders of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
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 ThailandCommunist Party of Thailand
The Communist Party of Thailand - CPT was a Marxist-Leninist, Communist political party in Thailand, active from 1942 until the 1990s. Initially known as Communist Party of Siam the party was founded officially on the 1st of December 1942, although communist activism in the country began as early...
(CPT) guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
and drive them from their mountain strongholds in northeast Thailand. Conceived by General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh is a Thai politician and retired general. He was Thailand's 22nd Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997. He is of Sino-Thai and ethnic Lao descent....
, then Director of the Army Operations Centre at RTA headquarters in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, 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-insurgencyCounter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
operations on the Burmese, Cambodian and Malaysian borders.
Thahan Phran units conducted numerous operations against Khun Sa
Khun Sa
Khun Sa , also known as Chang Chi-fu was a Burmese warlord. He was born in Loi Maw of Mongyai. He was also dubbed the "Opium King" due to his opium trading in the so-called Golden Triangle. He was also the leader of the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army.- Biography :Khun Sa was born to a...
in the Golden Triangle
Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia)
The Golden Triangle is one of Asia's two main illicit opium-producing areas. It is an area of around that overlaps the mountains of four countries of Southeast Asia: Burma, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent and Pakistan, it has been one of the most...
and also participated in security actions during the standoff at Prasat Preah Vihear
Prasat Preah Vihear
Preah Vihear Temple is a Hindu temple built during the reign of Khmer Empire, that is situated atop a cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, in the Preah Vihear province, Cambodia...
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
2010 Thai political protests
A prolonged series of political protests occurred in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010 from March to May against the Democrat Party-led government. The protests were organized by the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship...
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 RougeKhmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
combatants. Thai Prime Minister Kriangsak Chomanan
Kriangsak Chomanan
General Kriangsak Chomanan served as prime minister of Thailand from 1977 to 1980.A professional soldier, General Kriangsak fought against the communists in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War...
, 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 KPNLF 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 a country with a dizzying array of different military units, the rangers were among the lowest paid, worst trained, and least disciplined of all Thai soldiers. They were at the bottom of the military status hierarchy: a poorly educated group who could not have made it into the more prestigious units. Indeed, they were regarded in some circles as little better than local thugs in uniform, who had been issued guns at a time when Communism was considered an immediate threat to Thailand's stability. With little supervision and a long history of often personal experience with the border conflict (many were local recruits from those villages that bore the brunt of the violence that spilled across the border), the rangers were not hesitant to take out their frustrations and aggression on the Khmer. Their "protective" presence often created more conflict than it prevented."
In 1998 the Salween Special Task Force was created to protect the Salween National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son ) is a town in north west Thailand, capital of the Mae Hong Son Province. It is located in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the river Pai...
Province.
In 2007 a new Thahan Phran regiment was formed for special duties in Chiang Saen
Chiang Saen
* Amphoe Chiang Saen, a district in modern Chiang Rai Province* Chiang Saen, a capital in the ancient Lanna kingdom, and the namesake of the modern district...
, Chiang Khong
Chiang Khong
Wiang Chiang Khong is a small town at the Mekong river in the northeast of Chiang Rai Province in Thailand, the central town of Chiang Khong district. It is the northernmost border crossing of the country into Laos .As of 2005 the town has a population of 4,342 and covers an area of 1.80 km²....
and Wiang Kaen districts along the Mekong River in Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai
-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...
Province. The regiment is responsible for curbing human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
and other illegal movements across the Mekong into Thailand from northwestern Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. 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:- Age 18-29
- Thai citizen
- Passing grade on physical fitness exam
- Graduate of grade 5
- Residency near the deployment site
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 ranksOther Ranks
Other Ranks in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force are those personnel who are not commissioned officers. In the Royal Navy, these personnel are called ratings...
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
Surayud Chulanont
General Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008...
, 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 ChaiAmphoe Pak Thong Chai
Pak Thong Chai is a district in the southern part of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand.-History:The area was an important city since the Khmer era, controlled by Mueang Phimai. In the reign of King U Thong of Ayutthaya it was named Mueang Pak...
, some 30 km south-southwest of Korat
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima or is a city in the north-east of Thailand and gateway to Isan. It is the capital of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima district...
, was closed on September 30 of 2000 and command transferred to the army's four regional headquarters. The Thahan Phran now has thirteen regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al headquarters (each with 46 headquarters personnel), 107 90-man companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, and twelve women's squad
Squad
In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section...
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
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ) is a town in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327...
.
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 LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, 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
United Wa State Army
The United Wa State Army is an ethnic minority army of an estimated 30,000 Wa soldiers of Myanmar's Special Region No. 2 led by Bao Youxiang . There is no recognised Wa State in Myanmar, which is divided into divisions, states, and special regions...
and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army is a breakaway group of Buddhist former soldiers and officers of the Karen National Liberation Army , one of the larger insurgent armies in Burma...
. In February 2001, a 19-man Thahan Phran base designated Unit 9631, situated at Ban Pang Noon near Mae Sai
Mae Sai
Mae Sai is the northernmost district of Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. The town of Mae Sai is a major border crossing between Thailand and Burma...
on the Thai-Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
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
Khun Sa
Khun Sa , also known as Chang Chi-fu was a Burmese warlord. He was born in Loi Maw of Mongyai. He was also dubbed the "Opium King" due to his opium trading in the so-called Golden Triangle. He was also the leader of the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army.- Biography :Khun Sa was born to a...
at the instigation of the US Drug Enforcement Agency. The attempt failed, however in January 1982 a Thahan Phran squad from Pak Thong Chai
Pak Thong Chai
Pak Thong Chai , Pak Thong Chai district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, effective July 16 2008. The TAO was originally named Mueang Pak and was renamed together with the upgrade, as the central part of the subdistrict already forms a subdistrict municipality named Mueang Pak. The TAO was created in...
, 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
Ban Hin Taek
Ban Hin Taek or Baan Hin Taek now renamed Ban Therd Thai – “Village to Honor Thailand”, is a village found in the Chiang Rai area in the northern part of Thailand. This village, composed mainly of Akha people, has had a very vivid history involving the notorious drug leader known as Khun Sa...
in northwest Thailand across the border into Myanmar.
Small arms
| Name | Type | Caliber | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type 86 M1911 The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S.... |
Semi-automatic pistol | .45 ACP .45 ACP The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S... |
M1911A1 pistols produced under license. | |
| Type 56-1 | Assault rifle Assault rifle An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies... |
Used in small numbers, US captured from communist forces in Vietnam. | ||
| Type 11 | Assault rifle Assault rifle An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies... |
5.56mm 5.56x45mm NATO 5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge... |
Thai license produced version of the Heckler & Koch HK33. Used by Army Reserve Force Students Army Reserve Force Students Army Reserve Force Students are a military youth organization in Thailand under control of the Royal Thai Army.-History:Prior to World War II the Yuwachon Thahan were established in 1934 by Field Marshal Luang Pibulsonggram... . |
|
| M16A1/A2/A4 M16 rifle The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO... |
Assault rifle | 5.56mm | Standard infantry rifle. Aging M16A1 will be replaced by IMI Tavor TAR-21 IMI Tavor TAR-21 The TAR-21 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition with a selective fire system, selecting between semi-automatic mode, burst mode, and full automatic fire mode. It is named after Mount Tavor, while "TAR-21" stands for "Tavor Assault Rifle - 21st Century". It is... and M16A4. |
|
| M4A1 Carbine M4 Carbine The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,... |
Assault rifle | 5.56mm | Used by special forces. Some were equipped with SOPMOD kit. | |
| M60 machine gun M60 machine gun The M60 is a family of American general-purpose machine guns firing 7.62×51mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of M13 links... |
General purpose machine gun | 7.62mm | Former main GPMG being replaced by FN MAG 58 | |
| M203 M203 grenade launcher The M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was... |
Underbarrel Grenade launcher Grenade launcher A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand.... |
|||
| M79 M79 grenade launcher The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War... |
Single-shot Grenade launcher | |||
| RPG-2 RPG-2 The RPG-2 was the first rocket-propelled grenade launcher designed in the Soviet Union.-Development:The RPG-2 , was a man-portable, shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenade anti-armor weapon... |
Rocket-propelled grenade | Used in small numbers, US captured from communist forces in Vietnam. | ||
| Type 69 RPG Type 69 RPG The Type 69 85mm rocket propelled grenade , made by Norinco, is a Chinese copy of the famous RPG-7 developed by the Soviet Union. First introduced in the early 1970s, the Type 69 RPG is a common individual anti-tank weapon in service with the PLA... |
Rocket-propelled grenade | Used in small numbers, US captured from communist forces in Vietnam. | ||
External links
- Thahan Prahan (Royal Thai Rangers)
- Thahan Phran insignia
- "The boys in black, Thailand's dangerous, dark influence." Are a disbanded group of specialist military rangers the shadowy figures operating in the current conflict? Here is a look at the history of the country's hunter-fighters, a group of trained killers.