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Phayap Army
กองทัพพายัพ
The occupied areas under the Phayap Army
ActiveMay 1942 – August 1945
Country Thailand
AllegianceRoyal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters
Branch Royal Thai Army
Royal Thai Air Force
TypeAir force
Armoured
Infantry
Cavalry
SizeField army
Garrison/HQKengtung
Motto(s)ชาติ ศาสนา พระมหากษัตริย์
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Lieutenant General Charun Rattanakun Seriroengrit
Major General Phin Choonhavan

Phayap Army (Thai: กองทัพพายัพ RTGS: Thap Phayap or Payap, northwest)[1] was the Thai force that invaded the Siamese Shan States (present day Shan State, Myanmar) of Burma on 10 May 1942 during the Burma Campaign of World War II.

History

Thai Phayap army soldiers wearing Adrian helmet, carrying artillery in Burma, 1943.
Thai Phayap army fighting in Burma Campaign, 1943.

On 8 December 1941, Japanese troops entered Thailand by land and sea. There had been clashes between Thai soldiers and Japanese soldiers in many southern provinces. Finally, the Thai and Japanese governments had negotiated and agreed to a joint war alliance with the Japanese on 25 January 1942. When Thailand joined the Axis powers, the Thai government had to declare war on the Allies and was forced to use military force to support the combat operations of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) by moving the troops of the Royal Thai Army (RTA) to capture Kengtung to be the defense of Burma, which was a territory controlled by the British Raj. In addition, the signing of the principle of cooperation between Thailand and Japan (14 December 1941), that the Royal Thai Army was responsible for raising forces to seize the Thai-Burma border, and to maintain the western coast in southern Thailand.

On 21 December 1941, the Thai government and the Japanese government signed a formal alliance agreement that was the Japan-Thai Alliance Pact causing the Royal Thai army to prepare hastily combat force from the two armed forces comprising the Royal Thai Army and the Royal Thai Air Forces (RTAF) across the country. At that time, the Royal Thai army had just finished Franco-Thai War only 7 months, the equipment of many units is in the process of being repaired. The Royal Thai army must hurry to organize an army by the force is divided into 3 main parts were reserve force, Phayap Army, and territorial defense force and with communications. The organization of the Phayap Army uses the 4th Army Circle in Nakhon Sawan as the Headquarters. Which the 4th Army Circle consisted of 1st Signal Battalion (Nakhon Sawan), 10th Artillery Battalion (Nakhon Sawan), 28th Infantry Battalion (Nakhon Sawan), 29th Infantry Battalion (Phitsanulok), 30th Infantry Battalion (Lampang), and 31st Infantry Battalion (Chiang Mai). Division of the Command of the Western Army Has appointed Lieutenant General Luang Sereeruengrit to be general, with the Payap Army Headquarters located at the British Consulate in Lampang Province (in the beginning, located in Nakhon Sawan). As for the command of the Phayap Army, Lieutenant General Charun Rattanakun Seriroengrit (aka Luang Seriroengrit) was appointed as a commander, then set up a headquarter at the British Consulate in Lampang Province (in the beginning, located in Nakhon Sawan). In addition to Lt. Gen. Luang Seriroengrit as commander, there were also other high-ranking military officers included;

Subsequently, the Imperial Japanese Army requested the Thai government to send troops into operation in Shan State (Kengtung) was the invasion of troops into the northernmost area of the former Siamese Shan States, because the Imperial Japanese Army wanted Royal Thai Army to be a right-wing defense against the enemy in the rear for the Imperial Japanese Army in Burma. In early 1942, Chinese forces led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek invaded the former Siamese Shan States, when the Imperial Japanese Army had to invade Burma's territory to the Indian border The Imperial Japanese Army's rear line would become a weak point for British and Chinese troops to attack the Imperial Japanese Army's rear line.

The deployment of the Phayap Army troops to Kengtung faced the same problems as in the Franco-Thai War. Although most of the veterans were experienced at jungle and mountain warfare, but they faced the same problem as in the Franco-Thai War, namely the unpreparedness of combat support and new soldiers with no real combat experience. which in the Greater East Asia War had more problems because the troops had to move long distances into foreign lands with mountainous terrain, tropical dry forest terrain, and inclement weather. As a result, some soldiers in the army fell ill from lack of clothing and medicines.

On 5 June 1942, Major General Phin Choonhavan Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division moved to capture the city of Kengtung, but after a while more than 30 percent of the division's soldiers became ill with malaria and dysentery. Until having to send a telegram for help to the Phayap Army Headquarters to deliver medicines and medical supplies to the soldiers in Kengtung, but with difficult and delayed transportation causing the soldiers to fall ill, up to 50 percent of the whole division. During the 3rd Infantry Division's military occupation of Kengtung, soldiers will have to face disease, also had to face the problem of a shortage of supplies and clothing which in the first phase of the movement of troops of the 3rd Infantry Division from Nakhon Ratchasima Province to Lampang Province each soldier was given only one outfit, because during the Franco-Thai War, the costumes were exhausted.

After capturing all the Shan State areas, The Thai government has established a new Siamese Shan States with Maj. Gen. Phin Choonhavan as governor and promoted from Major General to Lieutenant General. The Royal Thai Armed Forces Supreme Command Headquarters (RTARFSCH) had ordered to establish also set up a field police department to perform administrative duties, law enforcement, maintain order in occupied areas, and suppress the insurgency in the occupied areas. Which these field police sometimes they act in violation of human rights.

Then the Phayap Army began to withdraw from the former Siamese Shan States remaining strength as necessary to support administrative officials, namely the Office of the former Siamese Shan States Military Governor (OSSSMG). Along with the establishment of three courts at Kengtung, Muang Hang, and Muang Sat having the same jurisdiction as provincial courts in Thailand, but the judgments of these three courts are absolute no appeals or petitions. For keeping the peace and law enforcement is the duty of the field police.

When Empire of Japan surrendered on 14 August 1945, the Thai government rushed to declare peace, and returning these territories to the United Kingdom, but in good faith the term "Siamese Shan States" appeared in history only for a short time. The rest of the Phayap Army had to withdraw their forces from the area back to Thailand, and disbanded later.

Order of battle of Phayap Army 1942

Further information: Order of battle

Phayap Army (Northern Army) - Lieutenant General Charun Rattanakun Seriroengrit

Reorganization

During the fighting, Phayap Army has added the following units by regrouping

Bad weather forced the early dissolution of the cavalry division and moving the 35th Cavalry Regiment to Roi Et and the 1st Cavalry Battalion (Royal Guard using Australian stallions) back to BKK.

Nevertheless, the RTA created the following units to replace the cavalry units in the Phayap Army:

2nd Army

After peace in Kentung had been restored in 1943, the Royal Thai Army had withdrawn some units of the Phayap Army and created the 2nd Army as a reserve force.

In 1943, RTA created The 2nd Army (Lopburi) which consisted of

37th Division

In 1944, the Royal Thai Army created the following units to help train the Seri Thai (Free Thai Movement).

Demobilization

After the peace declaration on 16 August 1945, the following units of Phayap Army along with war time units were dissolved and demobilized:

30 October 1945: The following units were dissolved and demobilized

13 November 1945: The following units were dissolved and demobilized

Postwar Reorganization

The postwar reorganization of Royal Thai Army in 1946:

Air Force

90th Combined Wing - unknown number

See also

References

  1. ^ Glenn Slayden, ed. (29 September 2013). "พายัพ" (Dictionary). Royal Institute Dictionary - 1982. Thai-language.com. Retrieved 29 September 2013. Royal Institute - 1982 พายัพ /พา-ยับ/ [Sanskrit: วายวฺย ว่า ของวายุ] [นาม] ชื่อทิศตะวันตกเฉียงเหนือ.

Sources

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