Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters

The Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters ( or the RTARF HQ, is the joint headquarters of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, which is made up of the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Navy

Royal Thai Navy

The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...

and the Royal Thai Air Force

Royal Thai Air Force

The Royal Thai Air Force or 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 had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...

. Formerly the Supreme Command Headquarters ' href="/topics/Songkitti_Jaggabatara">Songkitti Jaggabatara

Songkitti Jaggabatara

General Songkitti Jaggabatara is the Chief of Defence Forces, Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters since October 1, 2008 and will retire from active service on October 1, 2011.-Military Life:...

of the Royal Thai Army. The Chief is supported by several departments and directorates, including three Deputy Chiefs representing the three branches. The Headquarters is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense of Thailand and the Defense Minister.

Function

The Headquarters is the supreme command of the armed forces and therefore at the apex of the military in Thailand. The Headquarters is charged with the command and execution of military operations in wartime. In peacetime, it is charged with maintaining military readiness in case of an attack. The Headquarters is also in charge of the security of the Royal Family and the King. In addition to the command of the armed forces during times of war, the Headquarters also commands Thai forces overseas in peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance operations.

The Headquarters represents the three branches of the Thai Military:

The Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Navy
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
- The Royal Thai Marine Corps
The Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force or 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 had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...

Temporary command

The Supreme Command Headquarters of the Royal Thai Armed Forces was originally a temporary position that had only been called into existence twice: Once, during the Franco–Thai War in 1940 and again during the Greater East Asia War (Second World War: Pacific Theatre). During both of these conflicts, the Headquarters was commanded by Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram

Plaek Pibulsonggram

Field Marshal Plaek Pibunsongkhram , often known as Phibun Songkhram or simply Phibun in English, was Prime Minister and virtual military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.- Early years :...

, the Prime Minister of Thailand

Prime Minister of Thailand

The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....

and creator of the Supreme Command system. Temporary personnel were called from their existing units and released after conflict subsided in 1945.

Permanent Command

On September 27, 1957, King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Bhumibol Adulyadej

Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...

, the Head and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces ' onMouseout='HidePop("76256")' href="/topics/Sarit_Dhanarajata">Sarit Dhanarajata

Sarit Dhanarajata

Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat , was a Thai career soldier who staged a coup in 1957, thereafter serving as Thailand's Prime Minister until his death in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Lao-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself a northeasterner...

to the position of "Supreme Commander". The Defense Staff Department was also created to serve as the commander's administrative office. Field Marshal Sarit became Prime Minister in 1959 and subsequently relinquished command of the Supreme Command Headquarters on his deathbed in 1963. He was succeeded by Thanom Kittikachorn

Thanom Kittikachorn

Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was a military dictator of Thailand. A staunch anti-Communist, Thanom oversaw a decade of military rule in Thailand from 1963 to 1973, until public protests which exploded into violence forced him to step down...

.

During the 1960s, the Government saw the establishment of the permanent Supreme Command Headquarters as a necessity for the preparation of military forces and national defense. On Mach 16, 1960, the passage of the "Organization of Ministry of Defense Act of 1960" upgraded the Defense Staff Department to Supreme Command Headquarters.

This action originally created four groups of agencies within the Supreme Command Headquarters: Staff, Special Services, Combat Support, and Education. The Supreme Command Headquarters is currently organized into five groups: the Command Group, the Joint Staff Group, the Operations Group, the Special Services Group, and the Education Group.

The Supreme Command Headquarters also has operational control of the Border Patrol Police.

Reform

On February 2, 2008, the "Supreme Command Headquarters" became the "Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters" under the "Organization of Ministry of Defense Act, 2008". The position of Supreme Commander became the Chief of Defense Forces.

Command Group

Office of the Chief of Defense Forces
Headquarters Company
Office of the Chief of Defense Forces' Secretary
Offices of Inspector General
Audit Office
Royalty Security Command
Medical Office
Department of Border Affairs
Counter Terrorist Operations Center

Joint Staff Group

Directorate of Joint Personnel
Directorate of Joint Intelligence
Directorate of Joint Operations
Directorate of Joint Logistics
Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs
Directorate of Joint Communications
Office of the Comptroller General

Special Services Group

Adjutant General’s Department
Finance Department
Royal Thai Survey Department
Support Service Department
Military Information Technology Department

Education Group

National Defense Studies Institute
Armed Forces Education Department
- Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School

Chiefs of Defense Forces

The "Chief of Defense Forces" ( and the Deputy Chiefs of Defense Forces ( are responsible for the command and execution of military operations of the armed forces 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...

Office	Name	Branch
Chief of the Defense Forces	General Songkitti Jaggabatara Songkitti Jaggabatara General Songkitti Jaggabatara is the Chief of Defence Forces, Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters since October 1, 2008 and will retire from active service on October 1, 2011.-Military Life:...	Royal Thai Army
Deputy Chief of the Defense Forces	General Montree Sungkasap	Royal Thai Army
Deputy Chief of the Defense Forces	Air Chief Marshal Bureerat Ratanavanich	Royal Thai Air Force Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force or 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 had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
Deputy Chief of the Defense Forces	Admiral Apichart Pengsritong	Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
Chairman of the Advisory Board	General Kamon Saenissara	Royal Thai Army

Joint Forces

The "Chief of Joint Staff" ( and the Deputy Chiefs of Joint Staff ( are roughly equivalent to the military Chief of Staff

Chief of Staff

The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...

of other nations, responsible for coordinating joint exercises and operations of the three branches of the armed forces.

Office	Name	Branch
Chief of Joint Staff	General Ratchakrit Kanchanawat	Royal Thai Army
Deputy Chief of Joint Staff	Air Chief Marshal Apisit Chulamokha	Royal Thai Air Force Royal Thai Air Force The Royal Thai Air Force or 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 had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
Deputy Chief of Joint Staff	Admiral Somsak Thanompol	Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy is the navy of Thailand and part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, it was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organizational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the...
Deputy Chief of Joint Staff	General Worapong Sanganetrat	Royal Thai Army