History
During World War II, Navy troops fighting for both the Axis and Allies used special warfare forces. They were small elite groups of soldiers trained to destroy ships, buildings, and other strategic locations as well as conduct sabotage and other clandestine missions. After the war finished, the special warfare mission continued and through improved training and equipment, increased the ability of the military to fight using new tactics to achieve missions previously unthinkable.
In 1952, the Thai Ministry of Defence started thinking about organizing Underwater Demolition Teams. Representatives of the Thai Ministry of Defense met with officers from the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group to discuss the possibility of training. Based on the meetings, a resolution was passed directing the Royal Thai Navy to set up training for the unit but unfortunately at the time there were not enough instructors from the United States to make the project happen and so it was temporarily put on hold.
In 1953, Sea Supply, a CIA front company, was tasked with supporting the initial training of the Royal Thai Navy's Underwater Demolition Team and also the Royal Thai Police Aerial Reinforcement Unit. The first group to take part in the UDT/SEAL training included seven Thai Naval Officers and eight members of the Royal Thai Police. This training started on March 4, 1953 on 'Z island (ZULU)'. After 61 days, only 15 of the recruits successfully passed the training.
In 1956 the Royal Thai Navy formed a small combat diver unit, based on the U.S. Navy's Underwater Demolition Teams. In 1965 the unit was reorganized. It was expanded and divided into two separate platoons, with a U.S. Navy Mobile Training Team providing assistance. The first group was organized into a Sea, Air and Land, or Seal team. The second group formed a UDT. The Seal team was assigned intelligence-gathering, special and unconventional warfare, assassination and Special reconnaissance missions.
In 2008, the Royal Thai Navy's special warfare units (Seal team) have been raised to "Royal Thai Naval Special Warfare Command" in order to increase the unit size and its capability for dealing with any future threats.
Read more about this topic: Royal Thai Navy SEALs
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