Royal Thai Navy SEALs
Encyclopedia
The Underwater Demolition
Assault Unit of the Royal Thai Navy
is a 144-man special operations force within the Military of Thailand. The unit is colloquially known as หน่วยซีล, the Thai language word for Seals as in the pinniped
animals. Although this title was influenced by the US unit, it is not an acronym like the American unit's.
The unit was set up in 1956 with the assistance of the U.S. Government and has trained with United States Navy
SEALs
it predates. A small element within the Royal Thai Navy
's "seal" unit has been trained to conduct Maritime Counter-Terrorism missions. This unit has close ties with the U.S. Navy's own SEAL teams.
, Navy troops fighting for both the Axis and Allies
used special warfare forces. They were small elite groups of soldiers trained to destroy ships, buildings, and other strategic locations as well as conduct sabotage and other clandestine missions. After the war finished, the special warfare mission continued and through improved training and equipment, increased the ability of the military to fight using new tactics to achieve missions previously unthinkable.
In 1952, the Thai Ministry of Defence started thinking about organizing Underwater Demolition Teams. Representatives of the Thai Ministry of Defense met with officers from the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group to discuss the possibility of training. Based on the meetings, a resolution was passed directing the Royal Thai Navy
to set up training for the unit but unfortunately at the time there were not enough instructors from the United States to make the project happen and so it was temporarily put on hold.
In 1953, Sea Supply, a CIA front company, was tasked with supporting the initial training of the Royal Thai Navy's Underwater Demolition Team and also the Royal Thai Police
Aerial Reinforcement Unit. The first group to take part in the UDT/SEAL training included seven Thai Naval Officers and eight members of the Royal Thai Police. This training started on March 4, 1953 on 'Z island (ZULU)'. After 61 days, only 15 of the recruits successfully passed the training.
In 1956 the Royal Thai Navy
formed a small combat diver unit, based on the U.S. Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams. In 1965 the unit was reorganized. It was expanded and divided into two separate platoons, with a U.S. Navy Mobile Training Team providing assistance. The first group was organized into a Sea, Air and Land, or SEAL team. The second group formed a UDT. The SEAL team was assigned intelligence-gathering, special and unconventional warfare, assassination and Special reconnaissance
missions.
In 2008, the Royal Thai Navy
's special warfare units (SEAL team) have been raised to "Royal Thai Naval Special Warfare Command" in order to increase the unit size and its capability for dealing with any future threats.
Underwater demolition
Underwater demolition refers to the deliberate destruction or neutralization of man-made or natural underwater obstacles, both for military and civilian purposes.-John G. Foster:...
Assault Unit of 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...
is a 144-man special operations force within the Military of Thailand. The unit is colloquially known as หน่วยซีล, the Thai language word for Seals as in the pinniped
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
animals. Although this title was influenced by the US unit, it is not an acronym like the American unit's.
The unit was set up in 1956 with the assistance of the U.S. Government and has trained with United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
SEALs
United States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
it predates. A small element within 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...
's "seal" unit has been trained to conduct Maritime Counter-Terrorism missions. This unit has close ties with the U.S. Navy's own SEAL teams.
History
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Navy troops fighting for both the Axis and Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
used special warfare forces. They were small elite groups of soldiers trained to destroy ships, buildings, and other strategic locations as well as conduct sabotage and other clandestine missions. After the war finished, the special warfare mission continued and through improved training and equipment, increased the ability of the military to fight using new tactics to achieve missions previously unthinkable.
In 1952, the Thai Ministry of Defence started thinking about organizing Underwater Demolition Teams. Representatives of the Thai Ministry of Defense met with officers from the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group to discuss the possibility of training. Based on the meetings, a resolution was passed directing 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...
to set up training for the unit but unfortunately at the time there were not enough instructors from the United States to make the project happen and so it was temporarily put on hold.
In 1953, Sea Supply, a CIA front company, was tasked with supporting the initial training of the Royal Thai Navy's Underwater Demolition Team and also the Royal Thai Police
Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police of Thailand.-About:Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised by the Thailand National Police Department , a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior...
Aerial Reinforcement Unit. The first group to take part in the UDT/SEAL training included seven Thai Naval Officers and eight members of the Royal Thai Police. This training started on March 4, 1953 on 'Z island (ZULU)'. After 61 days, only 15 of the recruits successfully passed the training.
In 1956 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...
formed a small combat diver unit, based on the U.S. Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams. In 1965 the unit was reorganized. It was expanded and divided into two separate platoons, with a U.S. Navy Mobile Training Team providing assistance. The first group was organized into a Sea, Air and Land, or SEAL team. The second group formed a UDT. The SEAL team was assigned intelligence-gathering, special and unconventional warfare, assassination and Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organisations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detection by the enemy. As a role, SR is distinct from commando operations,...
missions.
In 2008, 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...
's special warfare units (SEAL team) have been raised to "Royal Thai Naval Special Warfare Command" in order to increase the unit size and its capability for dealing with any future threats.
Selection & Training
Recruits go through training lasting 7 months, it is very similar to the U.S. this includes a 'hell week' where individual and team stamina and fitness are vigorously tested, less 30% of initial recruits are able to pass the final training.Operational Deployments
Most of the operations the Thai SEALs are sent on are highly sensitive and are rarely divulged to the public. However, it is thought that the Thai SEALs have been involved in a number of skirmishes along the Cambodian border, and in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Thailand. The Thai UDT/SEALs have participated in salvage and rescue operations, and have supported RTMC training exercises. They were also thought to have been used to gather intelligence during period of heightened tensions along Thailand's border. In December 1978, for example, recon teams were sent to the Mekong River during skirmishes with the Pathet Lao. The Pathet Lao was a communist, nationalist political movement and organization in Laos. The Royal Thai SEALs have recently been sent to the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia to undertake in anti-piracy operations,They have been noted to work closely with the CIA Paramilitary Unit Leader in Asean code name(PL).Weapon
| Origin | Small Arm | Model |
|---|---|---|
| Heckler & Koch G36 Heckler & Koch G36 The Heckler & Koch G36 is a 5.56×45mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch in Germany as a replacement for the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle. It was accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the G3... |
G36KV | |
| Heckler & Koch UMP Heckler & Koch UMP The UMP is a submachine gun developed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. The UMP has been adopted by various agencies such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection... |
UMP 9 | |
| Heckler & Koch MP5 Heckler & Koch MP5 The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar.... |
MP5 SD,MP5 K | |
| Heckler & Koch HK21 | HK23E | |
| Heckler & Koch PSG1 Heckler & Koch PSG1 The PSG1 is a semi-automatic rifle designed by the German company Heckler & Koch of Oberndorf am Neckar.-Development:... |
PSG-1,MSG 90 | |
| Stoner Stoner -People:* Stoner , bass guitarist* Alyson Stoner , American actress and dancer* Andrew Stoner , Australian politician, member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, and the Leader of the New South Wales National Party... |
SR25 | |
| Barrett Barrett - Court cases :* Barrett v. Rosenthal, a 2006 California Supreme Court case concerning online defamation* Barrett v. United States, a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that South Carolina had never effectively been subdivided into separate judicial districts-Fictional... |
M82,M95 | |
| Bushmaster M4 | M4A3 SOPMOD | |
 Switzerland |
SIG Sauer | SIG-516 |