Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Volunteer Defense Corps
VDC LOGO.png
Volunteer Defense Corps logo
Founded10 February 1954 (1954-02-10)
CountryThailand
TypeParamilitary
Part ofDepartment of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior[1]
Garrison/HQBangkok, Thailand
Commanders
Minister of InteriorGen. VDC Gen. Anupong Paochinda

The Volunteer Defense Corps (Thai: กองอาสารักษาดินแดน; abbreviated VDC) is a Thai paramilitary under the authority of the Department Of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior.[1] It was founded in 1954 to provide extra military support to the Royal Thai Armed Forces and to protect local civilians living near Thailand's borders.[2][3]

History[]

The Volunteer Defense Corps (colloquially called Or Sor in Thailand) was formally established on 10 February 1954[4][5] by the Thai Border Patrol Police (BPP) in response to complaints by civilians of banditry and harassment by insurgent and separatist organizations. Originally, the VDC's purpose was to protect civilians from insurgents who had crossed into Thai border provinces from neighboring Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. VDC members were trained by the BPP and sent to protect civilians and farms from extortion and attacks by insurgents.[6]

In 1974, the VDC was expanded by the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to urban areas to fight communist insurgents. In the late-1980s, VDC strength was estimated at roughly 33,000, down from a peak of about 52,000 in 1980. Part of the decrease in numbers was due to the formation of the Thahan Phran, a paramilitary unit formed to counter communist insurgents, which absorbed some units of the VDC.

Since 2004, the VDC has had a major role in fighting the South Thailand insurgency.[2][7]

Volunteer Defense Corps ranks[]

Volunteer Defense Corps flag
Thai Volunteer Defense Corps uniform
Officers
Rank group General/flag officers Field/senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Volunteer Defense Corps Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Blank.svg Thailand VDC OF-2.svg Thailand VDC OF-1b.svg Thailand VDC OF-1a.svg
VDC General VDC Colonel VDC Lieutenant Colonel VDC Major VDC Captain VDC First Lieutenant VDC Second Lieutenant
VDC Gen VDC Col VDC Lt Col VDC Maj VDC Capt VDC 1st Lt VDC 2nd Lt
Enlisted
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Volunteer Defense Corps OR-9-8 Volunteer Defense Corps Sergeant Major.png OR-5 Volunteer Defense Corps Sergeant.png OR-4 Volunteer Defense Corps Corporal.png OR-3 Volunteer Defense Corps Lance Corporal.png No insignia
VDC Sergeant Major VDC Sergeant VDC Corporal VDC Lance Corporal VDC Member
VDC Sgt Maj VDC Sgt VDC Cpl VDC Lcpl VDC Mbr

References[]

  1. ^ a b http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2559/A/006/26.PDF
  2. ^ a b "Southern Thailand: The Problem with Paramilitaries". Asia Report. International Crisis Group (140): 14–15. 23 October 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  3. ^ "unk" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Volunteer Defense Corps Act, 1954" (PDF).
  5. ^ "unk". Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Making sense of defense volunteers". The Phuket News. Retrieved 19 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Sixty-three Years of Volunteer Defense Corps". Department of Provincial Administration (in Thai). pp. 78–79. Retrieved 6 February 2020.


Stub icon

This article related to a paramilitary organization or suspected paramilitary organization is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Stub icon

This Thailand-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

  • v
  • t
Retrieved from ""