Military ranks of the Thai armed forces

The military ranks of Thailand are the military insignia used by the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The officer ranks are influenced by the ranks of the United Kingdom and United States, while the non-commissioned ranks are influenced by those of the United Kingdom and France.^[1]

The shoulder insignia and ranks of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.

Rank structure

Head of the Armed Forces

Chom Tap (จอมทัพ) is Head of Forces. There can only be one Chom Thap at a time, and per the Constitution of Thailand, the title is held by the incumbent King of Thailand.^[2]

"Chom Tap" is a title, not a rank, so while the title's holder (the King) may dress in the uniform of any service branches, the rank insignia worn is no different from other servicemen.

General Classifications and Details

Military Ranks can be classified deeper than officer-enlisted, in which there are four tiers of commissioned officers and two for noncommissioned officers. This tiering is consistent across all three service branches, only with different naming scheme.

In semi-formal manners, Commissioned officers (Nai Tahan Sanyabat, นายทหารสัญญาบัตร) are also called Nai Tahan (นายทหาร). Noncommissioned officers (Nai Tahan Pratuan, นายทหารประทวน) are also called Nai Sib (นายสิบ).

Ranks below Chom Pon use Thai alternate numbers. The ranks' name are a combination of the tier name, minus the word Nai (นาย), which means "Master", if any when present, and the numerals.

All Commissioned Officer ranks are granted by royal decree. Commossioned Officers below the General Officer ranks may be issued Waa Ti Yos (ว่าที่ยศ), by the Minister of Defence. Acting rank holders are entitled to the same rights as the rank holders, including the rank insignia and decorations, only pending grant of rank by royal decree.

Commanding Officers with a rank no less than Lieutenant General, or the Minister of Defence, may issue noncommissioned officer ranks.

Dismissal from ranks can only be done by those with the authority to issue them, that is, a royal decree for commissioned officer ranks, and commanding officers (Lieutenant General or higher) for noncommissioned officer ranks.

Flag Officers

Chom Pon (จอมพล) is the highest rank, and is the only rank in its tier (Chom Pon-tier ranks). It is the five-star officer rank. In present, it is only worn by the King of Thailand. No officers have been appointed to this rank since 1973. The five-star rank have never existed throughout history of Royal Thai Police.

Directly below Chom Pon-tier is the tier of Nai Pon (นายพล), or General officers. There are four ranks within this tier, ranging from four stars to one star. However, only the top three ranks (General, Lieutenant General, Major General) are currently used, and the one-star rank of Brigadier General (and the equivalent ranks in the Navy and Air Force) is not awarded to any officer.

In present, General officers are only promoted as they are assigned to an office. Acting Ranks are not issued.

Commissioned Officers

Officer ranks below the Nai Pon are Nai Pan (นายพัน) and Nai Roi (นายร้อย) ranks, each tiers with three ranks.

Officers with the Colonel rank are classified further into regular paygrade and "Special paygrade". This "Special paygrade" is equivalent to the general officer paygrade, Colonels receving this paygrade are considered senior to regular-paygrade Colonels, and can be identified with a special insignia that is also found on General officers. This practice of Special paygrade Colonel is also consistent into the Navy, Air Force and Police Force, however, only the Army and Police branch have special insignia for Special paygrade recipients.

Noncommissioned Officers

Below the officer ranks are the enlisted ranks. There are two tiers among the enlisted ranks, Ja Nai Sib (จ่านายสิบ) and Nai Sib (นายสิบ), a term also colloquial to NCOs in general. There are also three ranks within each tier.

For Sergeant Major First Class, there are two paygrades, the regular paygrade and the special paygrade. The special paygrade SM1 are considered senior to regular paygrade counterpart, and again, this practice is consistent into the Navy and Air Force.

Enlisted Private, after completing the term of mandatory conscription, may be enlisted as a noncommissioned officer, known as สิบตรีกองประจำการ.

Private

The Private rank name in Thai is consistent across all three service branches, which is Phon Tahan (พลทหาร). It is also the only rank for Private.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Royal Thai Army[3] v t e
	จอมพล Chom phon		พลเอก Phon ek		พลโท Phon tho		พลตรี Phon tri				พันเอก Phan ek		พันโท Phan tho		พันตรี Phan tri		ร้อยเอก Roi ek		ร้อยโท Roi tho			ร้อยตรี Roi tri
Anglicised version[3]	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general				Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant
Royal Thai Navy[3] v t e
	จอมพลเรือ Chom phon ruea		พลเรือเอก Phon ruea ek		พลเรือโท Phon ruea tho		พลเรือตรี Phon ruea tri				นาวาเอก Nawa ek		นาวาโท Nawa tho		นาวาตรี Nawa tri		เรือเอก Ruea ek		เรือโท Ruea tho			เรือตรี Ruea tri
Anglicised version[3]	Admiral of the fleet		Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral				Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Lieutenant junior grade			Sub lieutenant
Royal Thai Air Force[3] v t e
	จอมพลอากาศ Chom phon akat		พลอากาศเอก Phon akat ek		พลอากาศโท Phon akat tho		พลอากาศตรี Phon akat tri				นาวาอากาศเอก Nawa akat ek		นาวาอากาศโท Nawa akat tho		นาวาอากาศตรี Nawa akat tri		เรืออากาศเอก Ruea akat ek		เรืออากาศโท Ruea akat tho			เรืออากาศตรี Ruea akat tri
Anglicised version[3]	Marshal of the Air Force		Air chief marshal		Air marshal		Air vice marshal				Group captain		Wing commander		Squadron leader		Flight lieutenant		Flying officer			Pilot officer
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Student officer ranks

Rank group	Student officer
Royal Thai Navy[3]
	ชั้นปีที่ 5 Chận pī thī̀ 5	ชั้นปีที่ 4 Chận pī thī̀ 4	ชั้นปีที่ 3 Chận pī thī̀ 3	ชั้นปีที่ 2 Chận pī thī̀ 2	ชั้นปีที่ 1 Chận pī thī̀ 1

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Royal Thai Army[3] v t e																																			No insignia
	จ่าสิบเอก Cha sip ek						จ่าสิบโท Cha sip tho		จ่าสิบตรี Cha sip tri								สิบเอก Sip ek						สิบโท Sip tho				สิบตรี Sip tri								พลทหาร Phon thahan
Anglicised version[3]	Sergeant major 1st class						Sergeant major 2nd class		Sergeant major 3rd class								Sergeant						Corporal				Lance corporal								Private
Royal Thai Navy[3] v t e																																			No insignia
	พันจ่าเอก Phan cha ek						พันจ่าโท Phan cha tho		พันจ่าตรี Phan cha tri								จ่าเอก Cha ek						จ่าโท Cha tho				จ่าตรี Cha tri								พลทหาร Phon thahan
Anglicised version	Chief petty officer first class						Chief petty officer second class		Chief petty officer third class								Petty officer first class						Petty officer second class				Petty officer third class								Seaman
Royal Thai Air Force[3] v t e																																			No insignia
	พันจ่าอากาศเอก Phan cha akat ek						พันจ่าอากาศโท Phan cha akat tho		พันจ่าอากาศตรี Phan cha akat tri								จ่าอากาศเอก Cha akat ek						จ่าอากาศโท Cha akat tho				จ่าอากาศตรี Cha akat tri								พลทหาร Phon thahan
Anglicised version	Flight Sergeant first class						Flight Sergeant second class		Flight Sergeant third class								Sergeant						Corporal				Senior Airman								Airman
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

There is a special rank (Army: Special Sergeant Major 1st Class (Thai: จ่าสิบเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Cha Sip Ek Phiset); navy: Fleet chief petty officer (Thai: พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Phan cha ek phiset); air force: Special flight sergeant 1st class (Thai: พันจ่าอากาศเอกพิเศษ, romanized: Phan cha akat ek phiset)) which is an honorary rank given to senior enlisted members who are deserving of recognition above and beyond that of the highest enlisted rank. There is no difference in the rank insignia worn, and they do not outrank the normal highest enlisted rank, although in a group situation they will normally be assigned control. They receive a higher salary.^{[citation needed]}

Royal Thai Police

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is sometimes considered as the fourth armed service of Thailand (๔ เหล่าทัพ), but reports directly to the Prime Minister rather than to the Ministry of Defense.

The Royal Thai Police share the same rank system as the Royal Thai Army but the particularities of the police are the star representing the commissioned officer and the crown over the star. The Royal Thai Police uses the eight-pointed silver star and the silver crown with a halo on top, while the Royal Thai Army uses the five-pointed gold star and the gold crown with no halo for its officer shoulder boards.

Officers

Rank group	General/flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Royal Thai Police v t e
			พลตำรวจเอก Phon Tam Ruad Ek		พลตำรวจโท Phon Tam Ruad Tho		พลตำรวจตรี Phon Tam Ruad Tri				พันตำรวจเอก Phan Tam Ruad Ek		พันตำรวจโท Phan Tam Ruad Tho		พันตำรวจตรี Phan Tam Ruad Tri		ร้อยตำรวจเอก Roi Tam Ruad Ek		ร้อยตำรวจโท Roi Tam Ruad Tho			ร้อยตำรวจตรี Roi Tam Ruad Tri			นักเรียนนายร้อยตำรวจ Nak Rian Nai Roi Tam Ruad
Abbreviation[4]			พล.ต.อ.		พล.ต.ท.		พล.ต.ต.				พ.ต.อ.		พ.ต.ท.		พ.ต.ต.		ร.ต.อ.		ร.ต.ท.			ร.ต.ต.			นักเรียนนายร้อยตำรวจ
Anglicised version			Police General		Police Lieutenant General		Police Major General				Police Colonel		Police Lieutenant Colonel		Police Major		Police Captain		Police Lieutenant			Police 2nd Lieutenant			Police Cadet Officer
UK equivalent Army ranks/Police ranks			General Commissioner		Lieutenant General Deputy Commissioner		Major General Assistant Commissioner				Colonel Chief Superintendent		Lieutenant Colonel Divisional Superintendent		Major Superintendent		Captain Chief Inspector		Lieutenant Inspector			Second Lieutenant Subdivisional Inspector			Officer Cadet

Non-Commissioned Officers

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Royal Thai Police v t e																													No insignia
	ดาบตำรวจ Dap Tamruat						จ่าสิบตำรวจ Cha Sip Tamruat										สิบตำรวจเอก Sip Tamruat Ek						สิบตำรวจโท Sip Tamruat Tho				สิบตำรวจตรี Sip Tamruat Tri		พลตำรวจ Phon Tamruat
English	Police sergeant major						Police Master sergeant										Police sergeant						Police corporal				Police lance corporal		Police constable

Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)

The Volunteer Defense Corps (กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a Thai paramilitary under the authority of the Department Of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior.^[5] It was founded in 1954 to provide extra military support to the Royal Thai Armed Forces and to protect local civilians living near Thailand's borders. Its ranks mirror those of both the RTA and the RTP.^[6]

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Volunteer Defense Corps v t e
			นายกองใหญ่ Nāyk xng h̄ıỵ̀								นายกองเอก Nāyk xng xek		นายกองโท Nāyk xng tho		นายกองตรี Nāyk xng trī		นายหมวดเอก Nāy h̄mwd xek		นายหมวดโท Nāy h̄mwd tho			นายหมวดตรี Nāy h̄mwd trī
			VDC General								VDC Colonel		VDC Lieutenant Colonel		VDC Major		VDC Captain		VDC First Lieutenant			VDC Second Lieutenant

Enlisted

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Volunteer Defense Corps v t e
	นายหมู่ใหญ่ Nāy h̄mū̀ h̄ıỵ̀																นายหมู่เอก Nāy h̄mū̀ xek						นายหมู่โท Nāy h̄mū̀ tho				นายหมู่ตรี Nāy h̄mū̀ trī		สมาชิกเอก S̄māchik xek		สมาชิกโท S̄māchik tho		สมาชิกตรี S̄māchik trī		สมาชิก S̄māchik
	VDC Sergeant major																VDC Sergeant						VDC Corporal				VDC Lance corporal		VDC Member 1st class		VDC Member 2nd class		VDC Member 3rd class		VDC Member

See also

• Thai noble titles