Outgoing commander of the Second Army Region LtGen Boonsin Padklang has been appointed a member of the Special Royal Guards.
Thirty-seven other senior military and police officers were also appointed by HM the King, according to an announcement published in the Royal Gazette on Friday.
It was reported earlier that Lt-Gen Boonsin will be appointed an advisor on public relations to Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Pana Klaewplodthuk, after his retirement from the military service next Tuesday.
Lt-Gen Boonsin shot to fame and has become a Thai national hero for his leadership of Second Army Region troops during a five-day battle in late July against intruding Cambodian forces, along the Thai-Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces.
He has also been highly praised by Thai nationalist groups for his uncompromising and no nonsense approach to encroachment into Thai territory by Cambodian forces and civilians.
During the bloody battles in July, which involved strikes by the Thai Air Force’s F16 and Gripen fighter jets and exchanges of artillery and rocket fire by both sides, Thai troops managed to take back some lost territory, such as the Ta Kwai ancient ruins, Phu Makua, the Ta Muen Thom ancient temple and the Chong An Ma border pass, from Cambodian forces.
