Field marshal (Thailand)

Field Marshal
จอมพล
Rank flag of a Thai Field Marshal
Rank insignia of a Thai Field Marshal
Country Thailand
Service branch Royal Thai Army
Rank groupGeneral officer
RankFive-star rank
Formation1888
Next higher rankHead of the Armed Forces
Next lower rankGeneral
Equivalent ranks

The Thai rank of Field Marshal (Thai: จอมพล, romanized: Chom-phon, lit. 'Chief [of the] forces') is the most senior rank of the Royal Thai Army.

The rank was formally created in 1888 together with all other ranks of the military by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who wanted to modernize his armed forces along Western lines. There have been 13 appointments to this rank. The rank has not been awarded since 1992 and its abolition has been proposed by the Thai government in 2018.[1] Plaek Phibunsongkhram was the first commoner to hold this rank.[2]

The Royal Thai Navy equivalent is known as Chom Phon Ruea ('Admiral of the Fleet') and Chom Phon Akat ('Marshal of the Royal Thai Air Force') for the Royal Thai Air Force.

List of field marshals

No. Portrait Name Life Date of appointment Notes Refs
1
Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse 1859–1928 1910 Brother of King Chualongkorn. Held the post of Commander of the Department of Military Operation. Later he would be made Admiral of the Fleet in 1913.[3] Previously held the rank of general in the army. [4][5]
2
Prince Chirapravati Voradej,
the Prince of Nakhon Chaisi 		1876–1913 1911 Brother of King Vajiravudh. Held the post of Minister of Defence of Siam. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [6]
3
Prince Chakrabongse Bhuvanath,
the Prince of Phitsanulok 		1883–1920 1917 Brother of King Vajiravudh. Organised the Siamese Expeditionary Forces to be sent to the Europe during the First World War. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [7][8]
4
Chao Phraya Bodindechanuchit
(Mom Rajawong Arun Chatrakul) 		1856–1921 1917 Held the post of Commander of the Department of Military Operation. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [7][9]
5
Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu,
the Prince of Nakhon Sawan 		1881–1944 1917 Brother of King Vajiravudh. Held the post of Siamese Army Chief of Staff. Also received the rank of Admiral of the Fleet in the same year. Previously held the rank of admiral in the navy. [7][10]
6
Chao Phraya Surasakmontri
(Cherm Saeng-chuto) 		1851–1931 1925 Commander of the Siamese forces during the Haw wars (1865–1890). Previously held the rank of lieutenant general in the army. [11][12][13]
-
Ananda Mahidol
(Rama VIII) 		1925-1946 1935 King of Siam/Thailand
7
Plaek Phibunsongkhram 1897–1964 1941 Prime Minister of Thailand (1938–1944 and 1948–1957). Held the post of Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Also received the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Air Force at the same time. Popularly known as Chom Phon Por (Field marshal Por). Previously held the rank of major general in the army. [14][15]
-
Bhumibol Adulyadej
(Rama IX) 		1927-2016 1946 King of Thailand
8
Phin Choonhavan 1891–1973 1953 Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand (1951–1956). Leader of the Coup Group which carried out the coup d'état of 1947. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [16][17]
9
Sarit Thanarat 1908–1963 1956 Prime Minister of Thailand (1958–1963). Held the post of Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Later also receive the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Air Force in 1959.[18] Previously held the ranks of general in the army, admiral in navy and air chief marshal in the air force.[19] [20][21]
10
Thanom Kittikachorn 1911–2004 1964 Prime Minister of Thailand (January to October 1958 and from 1963 to 1973). Held the post of Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters. Also received the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Air Force at the same time. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [22][23]
11
Kriengkai Attanand 1913–1972 1972 Awarded posthumously by Royal Command. Helicopter crashed while in action against Communist insurgents in Ratchaburi Province. Previously held the rank of lieutenant general (as commander of the First Army Area). Commanded the Royal Thai Expeditionary Forces during the Korean War. [24][25]
12
Praphas Charusathien 1912–1997 1973 Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand (1963–1971). Also received the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Air Force at the same time. Held the post of Commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army. Previously held the rank of general in the army. [26][27]
13
Queen Regent Sirikit of Thailand 1932–present 1992 Consort of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Also received the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Air Force at the same time. Possibly the only female in history to attain such ranks. [28]
-
Vajiralongkorn
(Rama X) 		1952—Present 2016 King of Thailand

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Field Marshals of Thailand.

References

  1. ^ "ครม.ยกเลิกครองอัตรายศ 'จอมพล'". Workpoint Today (in Thai). 2018-06-20.
  2. ^ "จอมพล ป. นายทหารที่สามัญชน ที่ได้ยศ "จอมพล" เป็นคนแรก". ศิลปวัฒนธรรม (in Thai). 2022-05-23.
  3. ^ Royal Gazette, Awarding of Naval Commissions, Volume 30, Page 2441, 18 January 2456 B.E.
  4. ^ Royal Gazette, Awarding of Army Commissions, Volume 27, Page 2165, 18 December 2453 B.E.
  5. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าภาณุรังษีสว่างวงษ์". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  6. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล พระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ กรมหลวงนครไชยศรีสุรเดช". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Royal Gazette, Awarding of Military Commissions, Volume 34, Page 2867, 31 December 2460 B.E.
  8. ^ ทหารอาสาสงครามโลกอนุสรณ์ ในบรมราชูปถัมภ์ ๑๑ พฤศจิกายน ๒๔๙๖ (PDF). 1953.
  9. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล เจ้าพระยาบดินทรเดชานุชิต (หม่อมราชวงศ์ อรุณ ฉัตรกุล)". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  10. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ เจ้าฟ้าบริพัตรสุขุมพันธุ์". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  11. ^ Royal Gazette, Awarding of military ranks, Volume 43, Page 432, 2 May 2469 B.E.
  12. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล เจ้าพระยาสุรศักดิ์มนตรี ( เจิม แสง-ชูโต )". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  13. ^ Pramote Channgam. "Famed general, Sriracha founder honoured". www.pattayamail.com. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  14. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement of Royal Decree, Volume 58, Page 981, 28 July 2484 B.E.
  15. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล หลวงพิบูลสงคราม ( จอมพล แปลก พิบูลสงคราม )". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 26 August 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  16. ^ Royal Gazette, Awarding of military ranks, Volume 70, Chapter 23, 7 April 2496 B.E.
  17. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล ผิน ชุณหะวัณ". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  18. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Secretariat of the Cabinet pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 76, Chapter 28, Page 12, 28 February 2502 B.E.
  19. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Secretariat of the Cabinet pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 72, Chapter 20, Page 660, 15 March 2498 B.E.
  20. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Secretariat of the Cabinet pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 73, Chapter 26, Page 1, 27 March 2499 B.E.
  21. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล สฤษดิ์ ธนะรัชต์". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 28 April 2002. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  22. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Office of the Prime Minister pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 81, Chapter 3, Page 1, 11 January 2507 B.E.
  23. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล ถนอม กิตติขจร". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 18 September 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  24. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Office of the Prime Minister pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 89, Chapter 150, Page 36, 6 October 2515 B.E.
  25. ^ พิมพ์เป็นธรรมบรรณาการในงานพระราชทานเพลิงศพ จอมพล เกรียงไกร อัตตะนันทน์ ณ เมรุหน้าพลับพลาอิศริยาภรณ์ วัดเทพศิรินทราวาส วันที่ 11 กันยายน 2516. โรงเรียนอักษรสัมพันธ์. 1973.
  26. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Office of the Prime Minister pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 90, Chapter 64, Page 1, 6 June 2516 B.E.
  27. ^ Royal Thai Army. "จอมพล ประภาส จารุเสถียร". www.rta.mi.th. Archived from the original on 11 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  28. ^ Royal Gazette, Announcement from the Office of the Prime Minister pertaining to the awarding of military ranks, Volume 109, Chapter 111, Page 1, 4 August 2535 B.E.