Military ranks of the Thai armed forces

Royal Thai Army

The Royal Thai Army (กองทัพบกไทย, RTGS Kong Thap Bok Thai, IPA: [kɔːŋ tháp bòk thaj]) is the land based part of the Thai military.

Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		Student Officer
Thai title	จอมพล	พลเอก	พลโท	พลตรี	พลจัตวา	พันเอก	พันโท	พันตรี	ร้อยเอก	ร้อยโท	ร้อยตรี	นักเรียนนายร้อย
RTGS	Chom Phon	Phon Ek	Phon Tho	Phon Tri	Phon Jattawa	Phan Ek	Phan Tho	Phan Tri	Roi Ek	Roi Tho	Roi Tri	Nak Rian Nai Roi
Abbreviation	-	พล.อ.	พล.ท.	พล.ต.	พล.จ.	พ.อ.	พ.ท.	พ.ต.	ร.อ.	ร.ท.	ร.ต.	-
Anglicised version	Field Marshal of the RTA	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier (but not promotion this rank now) Senior Colonel[1]	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant	Army Cadet Officer
UK equivalent	Field Marshal	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Officer Cadet

Other ranks

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
	-									-
Thai title	จ่าสิบเอก พิเศษ	จ่าสิบเอก	จ่าสิบโท	จ่าสิบตรี		สิบเอก	สิบโท	สิบตรี	สิบตรีกองประจำการ	พลทหาร
RTGS	Cha Sip Ek Phiset[2]	Cha Sip Ek	Cha Sip Tho	Cha Sip Tri		Sip Ek	Sip Tho	Sip Tri	Sip Tri Kong Pra Cham Kan	Phon Thahan
Abbreviation	จ.ส.อ.(พ.)	จ.ส.อ.	จ.ส.ท.	จ.ส.ต.		ส.อ.	ส.ท.	ส.ต.	ส.ต.ฯ	พลฯ
Anglicised version	Special Master Sergeant 1st Class	Master Sergeant 1st Class	Master Sergeant 2nd Class	Master Sergeant 3rd Class		Sergeant	Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private 1st Class	Private
UK equivalent	nil	Warrant Officer Class One	Warrant Officer Class Two	Staff Sergeant		Sergeant	Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private

Private 1st Class is a rank assigned to conscripts after they have finished specialist training. They wear the same insignia as a Lance Corporal, who is a member who has completed their conscription obligation, and who has undertaken training at NCO school.

Royal Thai Air Force

The Royal Thai Air Force (กองทัพอากาศไทย, RTGS Kong Thap Akat Thai, IPA: [kɔːŋ tháp Ê”aːkàːt thaj]) is the air based part of the Thai military. The rank system is modeled after that of the Royal Air Force, 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.

Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		Student Officer
Thai title	จอมพล อากาศ	พล อากาศ เอก	พล อากาศ โท	พล อากาศ ตรี	พล อากาศ จัตวา	นาวา อากาศ เอก	นาวา อากาศ โท	นาวา อากาศ ตรี	เรือ อากาศ เอก	เรือ อากาศ โท	เรือ อากาศ ตรี	นัก เรียน นาย เรือ อากาศ
RTGS	Chom Phon Akat	Phon Akat Ek	Phon Akat Tho	Phon Akat Tri	Phon Akat Jattawa	Nawa Akat Ek	Nawa Akat Tho	Nawa Akat Tri	Ruea Akat Ek	Ruea Akat Tho	Ruea Akat Tri	Nak Rian Nai Ruea Akat
Abbreviation	-	พล.อ.อ.	พล.อ.ท.	พล.อ.ต.	พล.อ.จ.	น.อ.	น.ท.	น.ต.	ร.อ.	ร.ท.	ร.ต.	-
Anglicised version	Marshal of the RTAF	Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice Marshal	Air Comodore(but not promotion this rank now) Senior Group Captain[1]	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer	Air Cadet
UK equivalent	Marshal of the RAF	Air Chief Marshal	Air Marshal	Air Vice Marshal	Air Commodore	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Flying Officer	Pilot Officer	Officer Cadet

Other ranks

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
		Image OR-9	Image OR-8	Image OR-7		Image OR-5	Image OR-4	Image OR-3		Image OR-1
Thai title	พันจ่าอากาศเอก พิเศษ	พันจ่าอากาศเอก	พันจ่าอากาศโท	พันจ่าอากาศตรี		จ่าอากาศเอก	จ่าอากาศโท	จ่าอากาศตรี		พลทหาร
RTGS	Phan Cha Akat Ek Phiset[2]	Phan Cha Akat Ek	Phan Cha Akat Tho	Phan Cha Akat Tri		Cha Akat Ek	Cha Akat Tho	Cha Akat Tri		Phon Thahan
Abbreviation	พ.อ.อ.(พ.)	พ.อ.อ.	พ.อ.ท.	พ.อ.ต.		จ.อ.	จ.ท.	จ.ต.		พลฯ
Anglicised version	Special Flight Sergeant 1st Class	Flight Sergeant 1st Class	Flight Sergeant 2nd Class	Flight Sergeant 3rd Class		Sergeant	Corporal	Leading Aircraftman		Airman
UK equivalent	nil	Warrant Officer or Master Aircrew		Flight Sergeant or Chief Technician		Sergeant	Corporal	Leading Aircraftman or Senior Aircraftman/Lance Corporal		Aircraftman

Royal Thai Navy

The Royal Thai Navy (กองทัพเรือไทย, RTGS Kong Thap Ruea Thai, IPA: [kɔːŋ tháp rɨːa thaj]) is the maritime based part of the Thai military. The Royal Thai Marine Corps is part of the RTN, and uses the same rank structure. Depend on types of uniform, the rank can be located on the shoulder (on white and khaki uniforms) or on the sleeves (on dark blue uniforms).

Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		Student Officer
Thai title	จอมพลเรือ	พล เรือเอก	พล เรือโท	พล เรือตรี	พล เรือจัตวา	นาวา เอก	นาวา โท	นาวา ตรี	เรือ เอก	เรือ โท	เรือ ตรี	นัก เรียน นาย เรือ
RTGS	Chom Phon Ruea	Phon Ruea Ek	Phon Ruea Tho	Phon Ruea Tri	Phon Ruea Jattawa	Nawa Ek	Nawa Tho	Nawa Tri	Ruea Ek	Ruea Tho	Ruea Tri	Nak Rian Nai Ruea
Abbreviation	-	พล.ร.อ.	พล.ร.ท.	พล.ร.ต.	พล.ร.จ.	น.อ.	น.ท.	น.ต.	ร.อ.	ร.ท.	ร.ต.	-
Anglicised version	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore (Promotion of rank not available now.) Senior Captain[1]	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Sub-Lieutenant	Midshipman
UK equivalent	Admiral of the Fleet	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral	Commodore	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant	Acting Sub-Lieutenant	Midshipman

Naval Officers will additionally add the post-nominal ร.น. as an abbreviation for ราชนาวี (râat-chá-naa-wee, literally "the Royal Navy").

Other ranks

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
		Image OR-9	Image OR-8	Image OR-7		Image OR-5	Image OR-4	Image OR-3		Image OR-1
Thai title	พันจ่าเอก พิเศษ	พันจ่าเอก	พันจ่าโท	พันจ่าตรี		จ่าเอก	จ่าโท	จ่าตรี		พลทหาร
RTGS	Phan Cha Ek Phiset[2]	Phan Cha Ek	Phan Cha Tho	Phan Cha Tri		Cha Ek	Cha Tho	Cha Tri		Phon Thahan
Abbreviation	พ.จ.อ.(พ.)	พ.จ.อ.	พ.จ.ท.	พ.จ.ต.		จ.อ.	จ.ท.	จ.ต.		พลฯ
Anglicised version	Special Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer 1st Class (master chief)	Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class	Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class		Petty Officer 1st Class	Petty Officer 2nd Class ( senior chief)	Petty Officer 3rd Class (chief)		Seaman
UK equivalent	nil	Warrant Officer Class One	Warrant Officer Class Two	Chief Petty Officer		Petty Officer	Leading Rate	Able Rate		Ordinary Rate

Rank structure

Chom (จอม) is Chief of Forces (Phon พล.) Ranks below command-in-chief use Thai alternate numbers.

See also

• Thai royal and noble titles

Notes

1. The Senior Colonel or Special Colonel is equivalent to a one star General. This is not an actual rank in the Royal Thai Army, but it is important and seen as honourable to recognize that there is a position of status between Colonel and two star General in the RTA. The officers concerned will appreciate being referred to as such. The Senior Colonel will wear the rank-slides of a Colonel, but will wear collar insignia showing a crossed baton and sword with wreath below (similar to Chom Phon rank slide). In the same way, the RTN has "Senior Captain" or "Special Captain in the Royal Thai Navy" and the RTAF has "Senior Group Captain" or "Special Group Captain in The Royal Thai Airforce".
2. The "Special Master Sergeant 1st Class" is an honorific given to those 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 do receive a higher salary. In the same way, the RTN has "Special Chief Petty Officer 1st Class" and the RTAF has "Special Flight Sergeant 1st Class".

External links

• FULL LIST WITH PICTURES OF ALL RANKS INCLUDING ROYAL THAI POLICE
• Royal Thai Army (Official website - Thai version)
• Royal Thai Air force (Official website - English version)
• Royal Thai Navy (Official website - English version)
• Thai Ministry of Defence (Official website - English version)