Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command

Royal Thai Army Special Forces; Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command
	หน่วยบัญชาการสงครามพิเศษ
	Unit insignia
Active	June 4th 1954–present
Country	Thailand
Allegiance	HM The King of Thailand
Branch	Royal Thai Army
Type	Special operations forces
Role	Primary missions Special operations; Direct Action; Unconventional Warfare; Counter-Terrorism; Counter-insurgency; Counter-proliferation; Hostage rescue; Intelligence assessment; Intelligence-gathering; Raiding operations; Reconnaissance missions; Air assault; Airborne forces; Close quarters combat; Jungle warfare; ; Other roles Asymmetric warfare; Foreign internal defense; Personnel recovery; Combat search and rescue; Information operations; Humanitarian missions; Counter narcotic operations; Security forces assistance; ;
Garrison/HQ	Thale Chup Son, Mueang Lopburi, Lopburi, Thailand
Nickname(s)	พลร่มป่าหวาย(Pa Wai Airborne)
Engagements	Cold War Laotian Civil War; Cambodian Civil War; Vietnam War; Communist insurgency in Thailand; Communist insurgency in Malaysia; Third Indochina War; Cambodian–Vietnamese War; Vietnamese border raids in Thailand; Thai–Laotian Border War; ; Persian Gulf War; 1999 East Timorese crisis International Force East Timor; ; War on drugs Internal conflict in Myanmar; 2010–2012 Myanmar border clashes; ; Global War on Terrorism Operation Enduring Freedom; Iraq War; OEF - Afghanistan; OEF - Horn of Africa; ; Operation Pochentong; Southern Insurgency; Cambodian–Thai border dispute; Nakhon Ratchasima shootings;
Website	swcom.rta.mi.th/index.php
Commanders
Notable; commanders	General Surayud Chulanont; General Sonthi Boonyaratglin; General Chalermchai Sitthisart; General Sunthorn Kongsompong

The Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command (Thai: หน่วยบัญชาการสงครามพิเศษ) also known as Pa Wai Airborne (Thai: พลร่มป่าหวาย) is the special operations force of the Royal Thai Army. Its headquarters are King Narai Camp in Lopburi.[1]

Thai Army Special Force member in Children's Day 2012 at the Chiang Mai Air Force base

Two 1st Special Forces group soldiers instructing Thai soldiers in 1998

History

The Royal Thai Army recognizes the importance and necessity of warfare that can confront and reduce the threat from outside the country. It has set up a special forces unit on June 4th 1954 at Ban Pa Wai Patan, Lopburi. Royal Thai Army special forces settled on 4 June 1954 as Parachute Infantry Battalion that Lieutenant Colonel Tianchai Sirisumpan as a battalion commander.

Parachute Battalion during the first mission according to the plans of the Royal Thai Army And Internal Security Operations Command, performance is acceptable to supervisors at all levels and departments concerned parties. The people were convinced of the capabilities of the battalion, paratroopers in combat parachute jump to help people in different ways. And protect the country from the threat of communism.

Meanwhile, the need to use military paratroopers mission is increasing the special forces had been developed by the order. Parachute Infantry Battalion have been considered for the expansion as Division of Special Forces (Airborne), and later was expanded into a divisional level is the Special Warfare Center.

Organization