Active 1859–present Part of Royal Thai Armed Forces | Size 69 regimental units | |
 | ||
Country Siam
(1859-1939)
Thailand
(1939-present) Branch Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Navy
Royal Thai Air Force Type Guard Corps (Army), Guard Brigade (Navy and Air Force) Role Protection and ceremonial duty Similar Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Armed Forces, Royal Thai Armed Forces H, Ministry of Defence, Royal Thai Air Force | ||
The King's Guard (Thai: ทหารรักษาพระองค์; rtgs: Thahan Raksa Phra Ong) is a ceremonial designation given to various regiments within the Royal Thai Armed Forces. This contingent is dedicated to the protection of the Royal Family of Thailand.
Contents
History
The Royal Guards were established by King Chulalongkorn the Great of Thailand in 1859, when he was still crown prince. Initially, the Royal Guards were servants with duties such as scaring crows, which led to commoners referring to them as the "Mahat Lek Lai Ka," roughly translated as "Scarecrow Corps."
When he succeeded his father in 1868, King Chulalongkorn took his Royal Guard and formed a 24-strong Royal Bodyguard, referred to as the "Thahan Song Lo" (Two-Dozen soldiers"). In 1870, the Royal Guard regiment were given the name the "King's Guard" and their duties included escorting the king while he travelled around the country.
About the year 1875 the necessity for surveys in connection with improvements in the city of Bangkok, and for supervision in carrying out these improvements, led to the selection of certain officers of the royal bodyguard for training in this direction. These officers were formed into a special company called "Military Engineers of the Royal Bodyguard," in which Mr. James McCarthy held the rank of captain. A royal decree issued September 3, 1885, separated the surveyors from the royal bodyguard and created the Royal Survey Department, which is now the Royal Thai Survey Department (Thai: กรมแผนที่ทหาร, a Special Services Group of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.
The Royal Guards still exist down to the present and serve as protectors of the Royal Family of Thailand. Today's King's Guard units serve as the Thai equivalent to the guards units of various countries.