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]
| Anglicised version | Field Marshal | General | Lieutenant General | Major General | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Army Cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation[2] | - | พล.อ. Gen | พล.ท. Lt.Gen. | พล.ต. Maj.Gen. | พ.อ. Col. | พ.ท. Lt.Col. | พ.ต. Maj. | ร.อ. Capt. | ร.ท. Lt. | ร.ต. 2Lt. | นนร. - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Anglicised version | Sergeant Major 1st Class | Sergeant Major 2nd Class | Sergeant Major 3rd Class | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance Corporal | Private | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation | จ.ส.อ. SM1 | จ.ส.ท. SM2 | จ.ส.ต. SM3 | ส.อ. Sgt. | ส.ท. Cpl. | ส.ต. Pfc. | พลฯ Pvt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The rank of "Special Sergeant Major 1st Class" (Thai: จ่าสิบเอกพิเศษ|Cha Sip Ek Phiset) 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 master sergeant 1st class, although in a group situation they will normally be assigned control. They receive a higher salary. In the same way, the RTN has the rating of "fleet chief petty officer (special rank)" and the RTAF has the rank of "special flight sergeant 1st class".
The Royal Thai Navy is the sea-based part of the Thai military. The Royal Thai Marine Corps is part of the RTN, and uses the same rank structure. Depending on the uniform, the rank insignia can be located on the shoulder (on white and khaki uniforms) or on the sleeves (on dark blue uniforms).
| Anglicised version | Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant junior grade | Sub Lieutenant | Naval Cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation | - | พล.ร.อ. Adm. | พล.ร.ท. VAdm. | พล.ร.ต. RAdm. | น.อ. Capt. | น.ท. Cdr. | น.ต. LCdr. | ร.อ. Lt. | ร.ท. Lt.JG. | ร.ต. SubLt. | นนร. - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Naval officers will additionally add the post-nominal ร.น. as an abbreviation for ราชนาวี (râat-chá-naa-wee, literally "the Royal Navy").
| Anglicised version | Chief Petty Officer First Class | Chief Petty Officer Second Class | Chief Petty Officer Third Class | < | --None--> | Petty Officer First Class | Petty Officer Second Class | Petty Officer Third Class | < | --None--> | Seaman | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbreviation | พ.จ.อ. CPO1 | พ.จ.ท. CPO2 | พ.จ.ต. CPO3 | จ.อ. PO1 | จ.ท. PO2 | จ.ต. PO3 | พลฯ - | |||||||||||||||||||||
The rank of "Fleet chief petty officer" (Thai: พันจ่าเอกพิเศษ|Phan cha ek phiset) 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 master sergeant 1st class, although in a group situation they will normally be assigned control. They receive a higher salary.
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) (กองทัพอากาศไทย, RTGS Kong Thap Akat Thai, in Thai pronounced as /kɔːŋ tháp ʔaːkàːt thaj/) is the air based part of the Thai military. The rank system is modelled after that of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), but unlike the RAF, officers' cuff rank insignia are topped by a star above the lace stripes and all air marshals' rank insignia are also determined by one to five stars on the shoulder board.
| Anglicised version | 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 | Air Cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abbreviation | – | พล.อ.อ. ACM | พล.อ.ท. AM | พล.อ.ต. AVM | น.อ. Gp.Capt. | น.ท. Wg.Cdr. | น.ต. Sqn.Ldr. | ร.อ. Flt.Lt. | ร.ท. Flg.Off. | ร.ต. Plt.Off. | นนอ. A/cdt. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglicised version | Flight Sergeant First Class | Flight Sergeant Second Class | Flight Sergeant Third Class | < | --None--> | Sergeant | Corporal | < | --None--> | Senior Airman | Airman | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbreviation | พ.อ.อ. FS1 | พ.อ.ท. FS2 | พ.อ.ต. FS3 | จ.อ. Sgt. | จ.ท. Cpl. | จ.ต. SrA. | พลฯ Amn. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The rank of "Special flight sergeant 1st class" (Thai: พันจ่าอากาศเอกพิเศษ|Phan cha akat ek phiset) 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 master sergeant 1st class, although in a group situation they will normally be assigned control. They receive a higher salary.
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) is sometimes considered as the fourth armed service of Thailand (๔ เหล่าทัพ), but reports directly to the Prime Minister's Department 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.
| Abbreviation[3] | < | --None--> | Thai: พล.ต.อ. | Thai: พล.ต.ท. | Thai: พล.ต.ต. | Thai: พ.ต.อ. | Thai: พ.ต.ท. | Thai: พ.ต.ต. | Thai: ร.ต.อ. | Thai: ร.ต.ท. | Thai: ร.ต.ต. | Thai: นรต. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English | Police sergeant major | Police Master sergeant | < | --None--> | Police sergeant | Police corporal | Police lance corporal | Police constable | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Volunteer Defense Corps (Thai: กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a Thai paramilitary under the authority of the Department Of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior.[4] 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.[5]
| Volunteer Defense Corps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VDC General | VDC Colonel | VDC Lieutenant Colonel | VDC Major | VDC Captain | VDC First Lieutenant | VDC Second Lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VDC Gen | VDC Col | VDC Lt Col | VDC Maj | VDC Capt | VDC 1st Lt | VDC 2nd Lt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volunteer Defense Corps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VDC Sergeant Major | VDC Sergeant | VDC Corporal | VDC Private First Class | VDC Member | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VDC Sgt Maj | VDC Sgt | VDC Cpl | VDC Pfc | VDC Mbr | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thai: '''Chom''' (Thai: จอม) (Also used as Chom Thap (จอมทัพ)) is Head of Forces, there can only be one Chom Thap at a time, the King is the Chom Thap.[6] (Thai: '''Phon''' Thai: พล.) Ranks below commander-in-chief use Thai alternate numbers.