Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)

The Volunteer Defense Corps (Thai: กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a paramilitary under the authority of the Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA), Ministry of Interior.^[1] 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.^[2][3]

Volunteer Defense Corps
กองอาสารักษาดินแดน
Emblem of the Volunteer Defense Corps
Founded	10 February 1954 (1954-02-10)
Country	Thailand
Type	Paramilitary
Role	Close-quarters combat Counterinsurgency Crowd control Executive protection Force protection Humanitarian aid HUMINT Internal security Jungle warfare Law enforcement Patrolling Psychological warfare Raiding Reconnaissance Tactical emergency medical services Urban warfare
Part of	Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior[1]
Garrison/HQ	Bangkok, Thailand
Engagements	Communist insurgency in Thailand South Thailand Insurgency
Commanders
Minister of Interior	VDC General Anutin Charnvirakul

History

The Volunteer Defense Corps (colloquially called Or Sor in Thailand) was formally established on 10 February 1954^[4][3] by the Thai Border Patrol Police (BPP) in response to complaints by civilians of banditry and harassment by insurgent and separatist organizations. Originally, the VDC's purpose was to protect civilians from insurgents who had crossed into Thai border provinces from neighboring Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia. VDC members were trained by the BPP and sent to protect civilians and farms from extortion and attacks by insurgents.^[5]

In 1974, the VDC was expanded by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to urban areas to fight communist insurgents. In the late-1980s, VDC strength was estimated at 33,000, down from a peak of about 52,000 in 1980. Part of the decrease in numbers was due to the formation of the Thahan Phran, a paramilitary unit formed to counter communist insurgents, which absorbed some units of the VDC.

Since 2004, the VDC has had a major role in fighting the South Thailand insurgency.^[2][6]

Volunteer Defense Corps ranks

Thai Volunteer Defense Corps uniform

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

Flags

• 
  Royal standard of the VDC
• 
  Flag of the VDC

See also

• Militia (China)