| The Royal Thai Expeditionary Forces to Korea 21st Combined Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Royal Thai Expeditionary Forces to Korea | |
| Active | August 1950 – March 1955 |
| Disbanded | 1955, after armistice |
| Country | Thailand |
| Allegiance | United Nations |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | InfantryBattalion |
| Size | 11,786 over the course of the war[1] |
| Part of | US 1st Cavalry Division |
| Nickname | "Little Tigers" |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations (3) Presidential Unit Citation for the United States (Army) |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Major General Prince Pisit Dispongsa-Diskul Lt. Colonel Kriengkrai Attanand MajorKriangsak Chamanan |
TheKingdom of Thailand was one of the 21 countries who responded to theUnited Nations request to send troops to aidSouth Korea during theKorean War 1950–1953.
In July 1950, Thailand was the first Asian nation to respond to the US call for allies in Korea. Prime MinisterPlaek Phibunsongkhram told parliament that, "by sending just a small number of troops as a token of our friendship, we will get various things in return." A month after agreeing to commit troops, Thailand received US$10 million in US economic aid and a US$25 million loan from theWorld Bank.[2] Forty thousand tons of rice were sent to Korea immediately as food aid, followed by an infantry battalion from the1st Infantry Battalion of the 21st Regimental Combat Team[3] (later renamed the 21st Infantry Regiment, Queen's Guard), formed on 22 September, and several warships.[4] Later in the conflict, several transport aircraft were sent by the Thai government.
The Battle of Pork Chop Hill (31 October to 11 November 1952) involved numerous battles struggling for control of key territory along the front line while truce talks atPanmunjom proceeded. Pork Chop Hill was held by soldiers of the US 7th Infantry Division, the Thai 21st Infantry Battalion, and other units. They together repulsed attacks by thePeople's Volunteer Army (PVA). The Chinese made an all-out effort to capture the hill. Eventually, the UN forces withdrew from its heights, ceding it to the Chinese.
After the engagement, the United States military awarded MajorKriangsak Chamanan theLegion of Merit of which he was later invited and received scholarship to study at Fort Leavenworth, where he left his name in the school hall of fame. In 1977 he became the 25thPrime Minister of Thailand, serving until 1980. Another 12 receivedSilver Stars and 26 were awardedBronze Star Medals. The Thai unit earned the nickname "Little Tigers" for their valour.[5]
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In last spring of the war (March to June 1953), the Thai infantry spent most of their time training and as 9th US Corps reserve. They then relocated to Kyo-dong on 4 May 1953. A battle followed in the vicinity of the "Boomerang" from 14 to 27 July 1953 northwest ofKimhwa, after aBelgian victory in theBattle of Chatkol.[citation needed]
Small Thai contingents remained in Korea until June 1972[4] and a symbolic presence remains there in 2020.
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On 7 November 1950 two Thai warships,HTMSPrasae andHTMSBangpakong, arrived in South Korea. They served under United Nations command, performing escort duty and shelling enemy targets on land. ThePrasae ran aground on the coast nearYangyang during a snowstorm. Attempts to refloat her failed, and she was scuttled on 7 January 1951, her wreck being shelled to complete her destruction. TheBangpakong left Korea on 16 February 1952. On 29 December 1951 two more Thai warships,HTMSPrasae II and theHTMSTachin, arrived in Korea. They sailed for home a year and a half after the armistice on 21 January 1955.[4]
The transport ship HTMSSichang arrived in Korea on 7 November 1950, remaining there until 15 July 1951.
Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF)Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft took part in theKorean War. Three task force contingents of the Royal Thai Air Force would serve in South Korea:[citation needed]
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During the course of the Korean War, Thailand dispatched a total of 11,786 soldiers to Korea.[5] It is recorded that 129 Thai soldiers were killed in the war, 1,139 were wounded, and five weremissing in action (MIA).[4] In 1974, the Government of the Republic of Korea built a monument, and a Thai pavilion in Pocheon City, to honour the Thai soldiers who took part in the Korean War. On 4 November 2008, the Thai Embassy in Seoul, with the cooperation from the Office of Defense Attache, hosted the opening ceremony of the Thai memorial at theUnited Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK) to commemorate the sacrifices made by Thai soldiers during the Korean War. Thailand still maintains, as of 2020, one liaison officer at the Armistice Committee site and six soldiers as members of the United Nations Command Honor Guard Company in Seoul.
HTMSPrasae II was decommissioned from theRoyal Thai Navy in 2000, and was designated as a museum ship. She is visible at the mouth of thePrasae River,Rayong Province (Thailand) by the Prasae River Communities Committee where she serves as a memorial. There is also a monument to the 21st Infantry Regiment.
25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 | |||||||||||||||
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Military operations Chinese and Soviet forces •South Korean, U.S., Commonwealth and United Nations forces |
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