“Ministry of Defense” Celebrates 139th Anniversary With Grand Ceremony to Welcome “New Minister of Defense”

Today (April 24, 2026) 7:00 AM, the Ministry of Defense held a grand ceremony to commemorate its 139th anniversary, along with a welcoming ceremony and congratulations for Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen on his appointment as Minister of Defense. The ceremony was attended by the Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, a representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy, and high-ranking commanders from the armed forces and affiliated agencies. This reflects the unity and readiness to drive forward the country's security mission.

Before entering the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Adul and his entourage paid respects at the City Pillar Shrine for auspiciousness. They then proceeded to the Ministry of Defense building, where General Tharaphong Malakham, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, along with the Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, commanders of the various branches of the armed forces, and senior military officers, participated in a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the Ministry of Defense. The ceremony honored the benevolent contributions of the monarchy to the Thai armed forces and sought blessings for the organization and its personnel.

In addition to paying respects at the City Pillar Shrine, a sacred site of Thailand, Lieutenant General Adul also paid respects at seven sacred sites within the Ministry of Defense building, including the statue of King Naresuan the Great, the portrait of King Pinklao, the statue of King Chulalongkorn, and statues of important historical figures of the Thai armed forces, for auspiciousness and spiritual guidance in performing his duty to the nation.

Later, at 8:00 AM, Lieutenant General Adul and his entourage inspected the combined honor guard of the three branches of the armed forces at the multipurpose area to show respect and honor to the high-ranking commander. At 8:15 AM, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense led the commanders of the armed forces to present a bouquet of flowers to congratulate Lieutenant General Adul Boonthamcharoen, the Minister of Defense, on his official appointment.

This event, in addition to marking the 139th anniversary of the Ministry of Defense, the main agency responsible for safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, and security of the nation, also reflects the continuation of important missions under the leadership of the new Minister of Defense, who prioritizes national interests, coupled with integrated cooperation from all sectors to create sustainable security for the country. Moving forward with border development, the armed forces, and personnel towards sustainable security: “Act immediately, unite, and you will win.”

Photo : Khanisorn Lorthongdaeng