The 2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard ( th, กองพลทหารราบที่ 2 รักษาพระองค์ ในสมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ พระบรมราชินีนาถ พระบรมราชชนนีพันปีหลวง) (พล.๒ รอ.) also known as Mechanized Infantry Division ( th, กองพลทหารราบยานเกราะ) is a

mechanized infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...

division of the

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...

. It is currently part of the First Army Area. The division was founded by King

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...

(Rama V) in 1910. In 1988 the division was designated a

King's Guard The King's Guard and King's Life Guard (called the Queen's Guard and the Queen's Life Guard when the reigning monarch is female) are the contingents of infantry and cavalry soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in the ...

unit by cabinet order, however, as a mark of distinction the division and all its subsidiary units were put under the patronage of Queen

Sirikit Queen Sirikit ( th, สิริกิติ์; ; ); born '' Mom Rajawongse'' Sirikit Kitiyakara ( th, สิริกิติ์ กิติยากร; ; 12 August 1932) is the queen mother of Thailand. She was Queen of Thailand as the wi ...

and has since been known as the Queen's Guard. The division is composed of three

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

s and three attached units, the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard, the 12th Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard, and the 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard. The division and its subsidiary units are all based east of

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

, headquartered in

Prachinburi Prachinburi ( th, ปราจีนบุรี, , ) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in central Thailand, capital of Prachinburi Province. It covers the entire tambon Na Mueang of the Mueang Prachinburi District (city district). As of 2000, the ...

, with other units in

Chonburi Chonburi ( th, ชลบุรี, , IAST: , ) is the capital of Chonburi Province and Mueang Chonburi District in Thailand. It is about 100 km southeast of Bangkok, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Its name means 'city of water'. Cho ...

and Sa Kaeo.

History

The 2nd Infantry Division was formed in 1910 at the command of King

, as a part of the newly reorganised Siamese army. After the Siamese revolution of 1932 the new administration temporarily dissolved all formations above

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...

level, including the 2nd Infantry Division. During the

Franco-Thai War The Franco-Thai War (October 1940 – January 28, 1941, th, กรณีพิพาทอินโดจีน, Krṇī phiphāth xindocīn; french: Guerre franco-thaïlandaise) was fought between History of Thailand (1932–1973), Thailand an ...

of 1940-1941, the division's former components were incorporated into the Burapha Army (Eastern army), as the 2nd Division on the orders of Field Marshal

Plaek Phibunsongkhram Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram ( th, แปลก พิบูลสงคราม ; alternatively transcribed as ''Pibulsongkram'' or ''Pibulsonggram''; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. ( th, จอมพล � ...

. The division remained part of the army during the Burma Campaign and supported the

Phayap Army Phayap Army ( th, กองทัพพายัพ RTGS: Thap Phayap or Payap, ''northwest'') was the Thai force that invaded the Siamese Shan States (present day Shan State, Myanmar) of Burma on 10 May 1942 during the Burma Campaign of World ...

's invasion of the

Shan States The Shan States (1885–1948) were a collection of minor Shan kingdoms called '' muang'' whose rulers bore the title ''saopha'' in British Burma. They were analogous to the princely states of British India. The term "Shan States" was fi ...

. After the end of the war the division was once again dissolved in 1946, this time due to budget cuts. Its headquarters was absorbed into the 2nd Infantry Regiment. In 1974 the 2nd Division was reconstituted as part of the First Army Area. During the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

the division defended the Thai border against Vietnamese incursions and the suppression of domestic communist agitations. The division saw action in at least four border raids by Vietnamese or Kampuchea troops, in 1975, 1978-1979, 1983, and 1984-1985. On 19 August 1988, the 2nd Infantry Division was designated a

unit by cabinet order (นร.020/14747). However, as a mark of special distinction the 2nd Infantry Division and all its subsidiary units were put under the royal patronage of Queen

and has since been known as Queen's Guard.

Mission

*Protect and preserve the sovereignty of the nation. *Protection of The Royal Family. *Spearheaded the combat in battlefield.

Composition

2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard Headquarters.

* 2nd Infantry Division, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Infantry Regiment, Queen Sirikit's Guard - (aka "Burapha Payak" th, บูรพาพยัคฆ์: ) *** 1st Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 2nd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 3rd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 12th Infantry Regiment, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 1st Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 2nd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 3rd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen Sirikit's Guard - (aka "Thahan Suea Rachini" th, ทหารเสือราชินี: ) *** 1st Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 2nd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 3rd Infantry Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 2nd Field Artillery Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 12th Field Artillery Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 21st Field Artillery Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** 102nd Field Artillery Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Service Support Regiment, Queen Sirikit's Guard *** Logistic Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Cavalry Squadron, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 30th Cavalry Squadron, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Signal Corp Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Medical Battalion, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 2nd Anti-tank Company, Queen Sirikit's Guard ** 12th Military Police Battalion ** 2nd Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols Company ** 12th Military Circle ** 14th Military Circle ** 18th Military Circle ** 19th Military Circle

References

{{reflist

External links