Royal Thai Armed Forces กองทัพไทย |
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Emblem of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
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Founded | 1852 |
Service branches |
Royal Thai Army Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Air Force |
Headquarters | Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, Bangkok |
Leadership | |
Head of the Armed Forces | King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand |
Minister of Defence | General Prawit Wongsuwan |
Chief of the Defence Force | General Surapong Suwan-ath |
Manpower | |
Military age | 21–49 |
Conscription | 21 years of age |
Reaching military age annually |
(1,043,204 (2013) ) |
Active personnel | 306,000 |
Reserve personnel | 245,000 |
Expenditures | |
Budget | US$6.1 billion (FY2017) |
Percent of GDP | 1.5% (FY2016) |
Industry | |
Domestic suppliers | Thai Aviation Industry, Chaiseri Metal & Rubber, Defense Technology Institute, Avia Satcom, Bangkok Dock, G-Force Composite, Italthai Marine, Marsun Shipbuilding, Military Explosives Factory, Naval Aircraft Experimental, Mahidol Adulyadej Naval Dockyard, Thai Rung Union Car |
Foreign suppliers | Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Czech Republic France Germany Israel Italy Japan Pakistan Philippines Russia South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Ukraine United Kingdom United States |
Annual imports | Singapore |
Related articles | |
History | Military history of Thailand |
Ranks | Military ranks of Thailand |
The Royal Thai Armed Forces (Thai: กองทัพไทย; rtgs: Kong Thap Thai) is the name of the military of the Kingdom of Thailand. It consists of the following branches:
The Head of the Thai Armed Forces (จอมทัพไทย; rtgs: Chom Thap Thai) is King of Thailand, however this position is only nominal. The armed forces are ostensibly managed by the Ministry of Defense of Thailand, which is headed by the minister of defence (a member of the Cabinet of Thailand) and commanded by the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, which in turn is headed by the Chief of Defence Forces of Thailand.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 18 January to commemorate the victory of King Naresuan the Great in battle against the Crown Prince of Burma in 1593.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces main role officially is the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Thailand. The armed forces are also charged with the defence of the monarchy of Thailand against all threats, foreign and domestic. Apart from these roles, the armed forces also have responsibilities ensuring public order and participating in social development programs by aiding the civilian government. The armed forces are also charged with assisting victims of national disasters and drug control.