The Royal Thai Navy honored Thailand’s national defense volunteers on their founding day with a slate of activities to preserve the marine environment.
Vice Adm. Sucheep Wangmaitree presided over the March 3 ceremony at the Naval Rating School in Sattahip.
Capt. Suthinan Samanrak, secretary of the National Thai Defense Volunteers of Naval Region 1 said the day’s activities are held to commemorate the bravery of predecessors and to show the power of unity of the defense volunteers.
The day began with a parade of 400 members from 11 provinces.
Vice Adm. Sucheep Wangmaitree presides over a special ceremony at the Naval Rating School in Sattahip to honor Thailand’s national defense volunteers.
The volunteer force was founded in 1827 when a group of central Thailand citizens recovered gold and treasures belonging to the governor of Korat from forces led by the rival governor of Wienjan. The volunteers held off the forces until the army could arrive and HM King Rama III honored the Korat governor’s wife for leading the charge.
Since that day, March 4 has been known as Thailand National Defense Volunteer Day.
