Army Reserve Force Students - Battle of Tha Nang Sang Bridge

Battle of Tha Nang Sang Bridge

In the first day of Japanese invasion of South East Asia (8 December), the Japanese army sent their troops to many parts of Changwat Chumphon. At Ma Hat Bay (อ่าวมะหาด), the Japanese landed their troops on beaches from Ban Pak Nam Chumphon (บ้านปากน้ำชุมพร) to Ban Kho Son (บ้านคอสน). The 38th infantry battalion of the Royal Thai Army was about 17 km away from the location, which was too far away to intercept the invading Japanese troops in time. As a result, a near hundred of the junior soldiers and the police forces had to intercept the Japanese army at the western side of Tha Nang Sang bridge until the 38th infantry battalion would arrive. The junior soldiers and the police forces sent their 1st Light Machine Gun company across the bridge at 8.00AM and went through Wat Tha Yang Tai to block the Japanese reinforcements. The Commander of 38th infantry battalion wished to sent his 4th Heavy Machine Gun company across the bridge to protect the government offices located beside the Tha Taphoa river but the Japanese troops heavily opened fire against the Gun from the other side of the river. Suddenly, the junior soldiers, under command of Captain Thawin Niyomsen (ร้อยเอกถวิล นิยมเสน), commander of Chumphon Junior Soldiers Training Centre, ran cross the bridge to seize strategic points, the eastern side of the bridge. Under heavy Japanese gun fire, Captain Thawin was killed when he tried to find a new situation for his Light Machine Gun squad. The junior soldiers, headed by Sergeant Samran Khuanphan (สิบเอกสำราญ ควรพันธ์) from the Junior Soldiers Training Center, were able to maintain their position waiting for supporting forces. However, Thailand surrender to the Japan that noon.