Back in the day I was taught that an air force soldier was a "ทหารอากาศ". A couple of weeks ago I was in a van with a Thai senior NCO in air force uniform. When he got out and paid the driver, the driver asked for 25 baht. "เรืออากาศ" quothe he, "สิบห้าบาท" . I surmised at the time that he was indulging in the maddening Thai proclivity to shorten everything wherever possible and that he meant "ทหารเรืออากาศ". Checking various dictionaries, I can find no evidence that calling oneself an airplane is the proper way to identify oneself as an airman.

On the same trip (up the 'back' side of Don Meuang) I saw but didn't have time to really get a sign for a unit that included the word "วิกโวธิน" I assume these are the air infantry troops that one sees deployed during crises, etc.

Anyone have any information on these two subjects?

Edited July 27, 201015 yr by mikenyork

เรืออากาศตรี

[N] Pilot Officer

(NECTEC Lexitron 2 TH-EN)

เรืออากาศโท

[N] Flying Officer Ex. เรืออากาศโทโองการ คนนี้ล่ะที่เป็นพ่อสื่อ เขาเป็นเพื่อนรักของพ่อผม

(NECTEC Lexitron 2 TH-EN)

เรืออากาศเอก

[N] Flying Lieutenant

(NECTEC Lexitron 2 TH-EN)

Seems to be the general root for various classes of airforce pilot, as distinct from your common-a-garden Nok Air นักบิน



Edited July 27, 201015 yr by SoftWater

Thank you softwater. I actually checked lexitron, but only the En-Th portion. Should have looked further. But it's still strange that a senior NCO would refer to himself this way. It must be, in common usage, extended to air crew as well as just the pilots. Any clues about วิกโยธิน ?

I think วิกโยธิน is นาวิกโยธิน.

นาวิกโยธิน = Marine corps

Nope. Not นาวิกโยธิน --marine. This was an air force unit. On Don Meuang. Further searching the web finds one wedding invitation with a reference to a "อาวิกโยธิน"--an air cadet of some kind as far as I can tell. But no other luck. I know the air force has a small ground/air infantry unit, but whether that is this or not, don't know.

It may be อากาศโยธิน.

อากาศโยธิน = GROUND SECURITY FORCE CORPS

Edited July 27, 201015 yr by joy16

Thank you Joy 16!! Would you be so kind as to tell us where you found this translation?

I found it from google that link to this websitewww.geozigzag.com/pdf/vocab_soldier.pdf.