Ministry of Defence (Thailand)

Kingdom of Thailand
Ministry of Defence
กระทรวงกลาโหม

Emblem of the Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defense building, opposite Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Ministry overview
Formed 8 April 1887
Jurisdiction Government of Thailand
Headquarters Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
Annual budget
Ministers responsible
Ministry executive
  • General Chaichan Changmonkol, Permanent Secretary
Website MOD.go.th

The Ministry of Defence (Thai: กระทรวงกลาโหม; rtgs: Krasuang Kalahom; Abrv: MOD), is a cabinet-level government department of the Kingdom of Thailand. The ministry controls and manages the Royal Thai Armed Forces to maintain national security, territorial integrity, and national defence. The armed forces of Thailand composed of three branches: the Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy, and Royal Thai Air Force.

Although the king of Thailand is the supreme head of the Thai armed forces (Thai: จอมทัพไทย) his position is only nominal. The ministry and the forces are administered by an appointed politician, the Minister of Defence, a member of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post of Minister of Defence has been held by General Prawit Wongsuwon, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, since August 2014.

History

Samuha Kalahom redirects here

Initially the Ministry was called "Samuha Kalahom" (Thai: สมุหกลาโหม) or Kalahom Department, and was charged with the protection the southern border. It was founded in the late Ayutthaya period and was retained in the Rattanakosin period. The ministry in its current form was formed in 1887, by the order of King Chulalongkorn, to create a permanent military command. This was a result of the increasing threat posed by Western powers. The ministry was first housed in an old horse and elephant stable opposite the Grand Palace. A new European-style building was built to house it. At first the ministry only commanded the army (founded in 1847), it then incorporated the navy (founded in 1887), and finally the air force (founded in 1913). In 1914, King Vajiravudh determined that the act providing for invoking martial law, first promulgated by his father in 1907, was not consistent with modern laws of war nor convenient for the preservation of the external or internal security of the state, so it was changed to the modern form that, with minor amendments, continues to be in force.[3]

List of Ministers

Structure

Office
Ministry of Defense
Minister
รัฐมนตรีว่าการ		 General Prawit Wongsuwon
Deputy Minister
รัฐมนตรีช่วยว่าการ 		General Udomdej Sitabutr
Permanent Secretary
ปลัดกระทรวง		 General Chaichan Changmonkol
Office
Royal Thai Armed Forces HQ
Chief of the Defense Forces
ผู้บัญชาการทหารสูงสุด		 General Surapong Suwan-ath
Office
Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Navy
Royal Thai Air Force
Commander-in-Chief
ผู้บัญชาการ 		General Chalermchai Sitthisart Admiral Na Arreenich Air Chief Marshal Johm Rungswang

Departmental organisation

Associated organizations

Other agencies

References

  1. ↑ "Phrarātchabanyan ngoppramān rāičhāi pračham pīngoppramān phutthasakkarāt sǭng phan hā rǭi hāsip kāo" พระราชบัญญัติงบประมาณรายจ่ายประจำปีงบประมาณ พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๙ [Annual Expenditure Budget Act 2016] (PDF). Government Gazette of Thailand (in Thai). Bangkok: Cabinet Secretariat of Thailand. 132 (91 A): 82. 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
  2. ↑ "Phrarātchabanyan ngoppramān rāičhāi pračham pīngoppramān phutthasakkarāt sǭng phan hā rǭi hoksip" พระราชบัญญัติงบประมาณรายจ่ายประจำปีงบประมาณ พ.ศ. ๒๕๖๐ [Annual Expenditure Budget Act 2017] (PDF). Government Gazette of Thailand (in Thai). Bangkok: Cabinet Secretariat of Thailand. 133 (84 A): 88. 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  3. ↑ Pakorn Nilprapunt (2006). "Martial Law, B.E. 2457 (1914) — unofficial translation" (PDF). thailawforum.com. Office of the Council of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014. Reference to Thai legislation in any jurisdiction shall be to the Thai version only. This translation has been made so as to establish correct understanding about this Act to the foreigners.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.