Sub-Division 3, Border Patrol Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit ( th, กองกำกับการ 3 กองบังคับการสนับสนุนทางอากาศ) also known as Special Operation Unit Naresuan 261 ( th, หน่วยปฏิบัติการพิเศษ นเรศวร 261), Naresuan 261 ( th, นเรศวร 261) is a tier 1 special operations unit of The

Border Patrol Police The Border Patrol Police ( th, ตำรวจตระเวนชายแดน); (BPP) is a Thai paramilitary police under the jurisdiction of the Royal Thai Police, responsible for border security and counterinsurgency. History The Thai Bo ...

Royal Thai Police The Royal Thai Police (RTP) ( th, สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ; ) is the national police force of Thailand. The RTP employs between 210,700 and 230,000 officers, roughly 17 percent of all civil servants (excludi ...

(RTP).

History

Special Operations Unit "Naresuan 261" was set up in 1983, Buddhist year 2526, by a Thai cabinet resolution. The resolution, dated 1 February 2526 (1983), was a major policy decision designed to provide a force for counter-terrorism efforts. It was named in honor of

King Naresuan the Great King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...

. The

were given orders to set up training for a special division to accomplish these goals. The unit was founded in 1984, Buddhist year 2527, and placed under the control and responsibility of the Thai

Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit (PARU). In late 1986, a royal decree, proclamation number 14, reorganized the Royal Thai Police and Naraesuan 261 was assigned as company 4 under the Border Patrol Police's Aerial Reinforcement Unit. In 2005, a royal decree, proclamation raised company 4 to the level of Sub-Division 3, Border Patrol Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit. Naresuan 261 has responsibility for counter-terrorism and resulting criminal cases. The company also plays an important role as executive protection for the king, the queen, and other members of the

royal family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...

when they travel. They also train female operatives as executive escorts for Princess Siridhorn when she visits Border Patrol Police schools around Thailand. The company acts as escorts for foreign dignitaries and heads of state visiting Thailand.

Organization Management

Naresuan 261 consists of a 3 special operation companies, Rescue Company,

explosive ordnance disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the militar ...

(EOD) company and one security company

Training

Initial training was performed by members of the Royal Thai Police Department. Teams are divided up into units of five persons following the model set by Germany's

GSG-9 , formerly (), is the police tactical unit of the German Federal Police ''( Bundespolizei)''. The state police ('' Landespolizei'') maintain their own tactical units known as the '' Spezialeinsatzkommando'' (SEK). The identities of GSG 9 memb ...

. Teams are trained in military tactics, sniping, waterborne operations, martial arts, and operation of a variety of vehicles. After initial training, groups pass on their experiences to other members of the company. The company will also assign members to train in foreign countries and bring the knowledge back to Thailand to further help train the company. Standard training is broken up into five parts: 1. International

counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

training consisting of 24 weeks of training for new police privates. 2. International counter-terrorism training consisting of six weeks of training for police on active duty as well as one week of

anti-terrorism Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...

planning. 3.

Explosive ordnance disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the militar ...

(EOD) training consisting of 12 weeks of training. 4.

Sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...

/counter-sniper training consisting of four weeks of training for those assigned to sniper positions. 5. Electronics proficiency training consisting of 12 weeks of training for those assigned to the duty of electronics proficiency officer. The company takes part in cross-training with special operations divisions of the Royal Thai military as well as training with their counterparts in various units in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Operations

The company has been involved in a number of high-profile criminal cases, including: 1. Burmese student takeover of the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok on 1–2 October 1999 (2542). 2. Takeover of the Ratchaburi Hospital in Ratchaburi Province on 24–25 January 2000 (2543). 3. Release of hostages from the Karen-Burmese rebellion at Samut Sakhon Province Prison on 22–23 November 2000 (2543). These three major successful operations were all under the control of Naresuan 261. In all these situations, the mission was accomplished and the hostages were rescued.

References

External links