The Royal Security Command ( th, หน่วยบัญชาการถวายความปลอดภัยรักษาพระองค์) is the king of Thailand's
military household and is part of Thailand's royal court administration. It exercises command and control over the military units that are engaged full-time in the protection and guarding of the king and his family as well as the various
Royal palaces of Thailand.
The command is responsible for the planning, direction and coordination of the security detachments of the
king, queen,
heir-apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
and other members of the Thai
royal family. It is also responsible for the security of the monarch's representatives and visitors. The security and safety of the king, his family and Royal palaces are the direct responsibility of the Monarch. The units and personnel of the royal security command do not form part of the regular
armed forces chain of command.
History
The Royal Security Command was formerly an agency under the Office of the
Supreme Commander of the
Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
The Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters ( th, กองบัญชาการกองทัพไทย) or the RTARF HQ, is the "mostly ornamental" joint headquarters of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, which is composed of the Royal Thai Army, ...
. It was established as 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 on 18 November 1992. In 2013, the Royal Security Command became a juristic person and was put under the purview of the
Ministry of Defense
{{unsourced, date=February 2021
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...
while retaining Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn as its commander.
On 1 May 2017 the Royal Security Command was made a royal agency directly under the command of the monarchy, independent of the rest of the armed forces and the
Royal Thai Government
The Government of Thailand, or formally the Royal Thai Government ( Abrv: RTG; th, รัฐบาลไทย, , ), is the unitary government of the Kingdom of Thailand. The country emerged as a modern nation state after the foundation of t ...
.
On 30 September 2019, two infantry regiments were removed from 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 ...
's chain of command and placed under the Royal Security Command. All personnel, assets and operating budgets were likewise transferred to the agency.
The move was prompted by the need to provide better security to the royal family, royal residences, and Foreign heads of state and other dignitaries visiting at the monarch's invitation.
Organization
The Royal Security Command is divided into these agencies:
* Office of the Commander (This office is appointed by and directly responsible to the king)
* Office of the Royal Duty Officers
*
Office of the Aide-de-Camp
* The King's Close Bodyguard Command (All infantry units from the Royal Thai Army are under this section of the command)
* Office of the Royal Police Guards (This section exercises control over police units assigned to the command)
Military units
The Royal Security Command is in charge of two Infantry regiments:
*
1st Infantry Regiment, King's Close Bodyguard ( th, มหาดเล็กราชวัลลภ; ), 'The king's close bodyguards')
**1st Infantry Battalion, 1st King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
**2nd Infantry Battalion, 1st King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
**3rd Infantry Battalion, 1st King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
*
11th Infantry Regiment, King's Close Bodyguard, ( th, ทหารล้อมวัง; ), 'The palace bodyguards')
** 1st Infantry Battalion, 11th King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
** 2nd Infantry Battalion, 11th King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
** 3rd Infantry Battalion, 11th King's Own Bodyguard Regiment
Police units
* Special Service Division Commando (SSD Commando)
See also
*
Head of the Royal Thai Armed Forces
*
King's Guard (Thailand)
The King's Guard ( th, ทหารรักษาพระองค์; ) is a ceremonial designation given by the Monarchy of Thailand to the various units within the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Practical and real security of the Royal family has ...
*
Praetorianism
References
{{Thai royal agencies
Royal agencies of Thailand
Protective security units
Thai monarchy
Military units and formations established in 1992
King's Guard units of Thailand