Royal Guards (Thailand)

The Royal Guards (ทหารรักษาพระองค์; ) is the Guards Division of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, guarding the Royal Family of Thailand.

History
The Royal Guards were established by King Chulalongkorn the Great of Thailand in 1859, when he was still crown prince. Initially, the Royal Guards were servants with duties such as scaring crows, which led to commoners referring to them as the "Mahat Lek Lai Ka," roughly translated as "Scarecrow Corps."

When he succeeded his father in 1868, King Chulalongkorn took his Royal Guard and formed a 24-strong Royal Bodyguard, referred to as the "Thahan Song Lo" (Two-Dozen soldiers"). In 1870, the Royal Guard regiment were given the name the "King's Guard" and their duties included escorting the king while he travelled around the country.

About the year 1875 the necessity for surveys in connection with improvements in the city of Bangkok, and for supervision in carrying out these improvements, led to the selection of certain officers of the royal bodyguard for training in this direction. These officers were formed into a special company called "Military Engineers of the Royal Bodyguard," in which Mr. James McCarthy held the rank of captain. A royal decree issued September 3, 1885, separated the surveyors from the royal bodyguard and created the Royal Survey Department, which is now the Royal Thai Survey Department (กรมแผนที่ทหาร, a Special Services Group of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters.

The Royal Guards still exist down to the present and serve as protectors of the Royal Family of Thailand.

Notable units

 * 1st Infantry Regiment, King's Own Bodyguard (a.k.a. "Ratchawanlop")
 * 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard
 * 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard (a.k.a. "Thahan Suea Rachini")
 * 31st Infantry Regiment, King's Guard
 * 1st Artillery Bataillion, King's Guard
 * 1st Cavalry Squadron, King's Guard
 * 1st Engineer Bataillion, King's Guard
 * 1st Marine Bataillion, King's Guard
 * 1st Security Force Bataillion, King's Guard
 * 2nd Infantry Bataillion, 11th Infantry Regiment, King's Guard
 * Naval Cadet Regiment, King's Guard
 * Cadet Regiment, King's Guard
 * Air Cadet Regiment, King's Guard