A royal decree has been issued to strip the military ranks and recall the royal decorations of two commissioned officers in the Royal Thai Army after they received final prison sentences.
On 14 July 2026, the Royal Gazette website publisheda Prime Minister's Office announcement regarding the royal permission to strip military ranks and recall royal decorations.It stated that His Majesty graciously granted royal permission to strip two commissioned officers of the Royal Thai Army of their military ranks under Section 12 of the Military Rank Act B.E. 2479 (1936) and its amendment by the Military Rank Act (No. 6) B.E. 2501 (1958), in accordance with the Ministry of Defence regulations on those unfit to hold military ranks and titles B.E. 2507 (1964), Articles 2 and 4. His Majesty also graciously granted permission to recall all royal decorations previously bestowed on these officers under Articles 6 and 7 (2) and (4) of the Prime Minister's Office regulations on requests for royal permission to recall royal decorations B.E. 2548 (2005), as follows.
. . .
1. Captain Phuri Pheuksophon was stripped of his military rank effective 24 November 2023, following a final court conviction and prison sentence for offenses against official duties, violations of the military penal code, and crimes against life, finalized on 24 November 2023. His royal decorations including the Fourth Class Order of the White Elephant, the Order of the Crown of Thailand, and the Border Service Medal were recalled.
2. Second Lieutenant Suradet Khonthong was stripped of his military rank effective 7 May 2025 after a final court ruling sentenced him to prison for violations of the Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, Fireworks and Imitation Firearms Act B.E. 2490 (1947) and its amendments, as well as minor offenses against life, finalized on 7 May 2025. His Border Service Medal was also recalled.
Both commissioned officers have been removed from the official list of royal decoration recipients as per the related Prime Minister's Office announcements.
The announcement was dated 8 July 2026.
By command of His Majesty,
Anutin Charnvirakul
Prime Minister