សំឡេងស្នេហាជាតិជំរុញឱ្យមាន«តាប្រាយ៉ាវីរៈ II
A recent border incident with Cambodia has stirred nationalist sentiment among Thais, leading to criticism of the current First Army Area commander's perceived conciliatory response.
In response, some Thais are invoking the memory of Col Prajak Sawangjit, a military commander hailed as the original “Ta Phraya Hero” for his decisive actions against Cambodian forces in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The call for a "Ta Phraya Hero II" is a demand for a new, bold leader who will emulate Col Prajak's proactive and aggressive defense of Thai territory and national dignity.
The recent incident at Ban Nong Chan village in Sa Kaeo’s Khok Sung district, where Cambodian villagers tore down barbed wire fences, has stirred nationalist sentiment among Thais and prompted calls for the First Army Area to respond more decisively.
The backlash has also fuelled comparisons between the current First Army Area commander, Lt Gen Amarit Boonsuya, who has drawn criticism, and Lt Gen Boonsin Padklang, the
commander of the Second Army Area, who has gained wider support.
At the same time, some Thai social media users have revived the story of Col Prajak Sawangjit, the former commander of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Queen’s Guard, remembered as the “Ta Phraya Hero.”
Prajak once led the Burapa (East) warriors in driving Cambodian troops from Thai territory.
The legacy of Col Prajak Sawangjit
Prajak’s military reputation was forged in two distinct campaigns, each shaped by shifting politics in Cambodia.
The first campaign (1977): Then-Lt Col Prajak commanded the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Combined Regiment, Prachinburi, leading Thai forces against the Khmer Rouge and advancing as far as Poipet. The clashes followed the fall of the US-backed Lon Nol regime in 1975 and the Khmer Rouge and Prince Sihanouk established “Democratic Kampuchea.”
The second campaign (1980): As commander of the 2nd Infantry Regiment Burapa Payak (Tigers of The East), Col Prajak ordered Thai troops to repel Cambodian forces loyal to Heng Samrin, along with Vietnamese troops, from Ban Nong Chan, then under Ta Phraya district, Prachinburi province.
This shift in adversaries reflected Cambodia’s internal upheaval after 1979, when Heng Samrin (backed by Chea Sim and Hun Sen) and the Vietnamese army toppled the Khmer Rouge regime.
From Young Turks to the “Poipet raid”
Political observers recall the name of Col Prajak Sawangjit not only as a battlefield commander but also as a leading figure of the “Young Turks” The military official from the Class 7 of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (CRMA), who staged the failed coup of April 1–4, 1981.
After the student uprising of October 14, 1973, Prajak was reassigned to the eastern border, serving as commander of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Combined Regiment in Prachinburi province.
In early August 1977, then-Lt Col Prajak led Prachinburi troops in fierce clashes with the Khmer Rouge, pursuing them across the border as far as Poipet.
The so-called “Poipet raid” proved consequential, Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Serm Na Nakhon signed orders transferring Lt Col Prajak to a non-combat post as head of general studies at the Infantry Training Centre in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
In late 1977, Prajak gave an interview to a magazine reflecting on his decision to lead the cross-border “Poipet raid.”
“I did it because I believed the nation’s dignity was greater than my personal future. Even if I were to face a firing squad or be expelled from the service, I had to act, for the honour of being Thai. No one has the right to invade us,” he declared.
Another line of his became etched in the public memory:
“When I am responsible, I cannot just wait for orders. If they can strike us, then we can strike them back.”
Today, as nationalist voices criticise the perceived conciliatory stance of Lt Gen Amarit Boonsuya, the First Army Area commander, in handling the Thai–Cambodian border crisis, some are calling for a leader with the same boldness shown by Prajak of CRMA Class 7.
The making of the “Ta Phraya Hero”
The origins of Prajak’s legendary status date back to the turbulent Thai–Cambodian border conflicts of 1977, when Khmer Rouge forces repeatedly crossed into Thailand to attack villages and security posts.
The first incident occurred on the night of January 28, 1977, when Khmer Rouge troops stormed a Border Patrol Police base and three villages, Ban Noi Parai, Ban Kok Kho and Ban Nong Dor, in Ta Phraya district, Prachinburi province (today part of Sa Kaeo). The assault left around 30 Thai villagers dead.
Prajak led Thai troops in a fierce counter-attack, killing scores of Khmer Rouge fighters on Thai soil. Local media hailed him as the “Hero of Ban Noi Parai.”
The second incident came on August 2, 1977, when Khmer Rouge units struck again, attacking a Border Patrol Police base and massacring residents of San Ro Changan and Ban Sa Nge villages, leaving 29 dead and many more injured.
Prajak again led his men in a bold counter-offensive, reportedly ordering artillery fire until the last shells were spent before pushing his troops across the border as far as Poipet, Cambodia.
Following these brutal clashes, the press gave Prajak a new title: the “Ta phraya Hero,” in recognition of his role in defending Ta Phraya district and taking the fight back to the Khmer Rouge.
The true prototype of the “Burapa Payak”
In late 1977, the Young Turks (Class 7 of the CRMA) backed Gen Kriangsak Chamanan in a coup that toppled the government of Prime Minister Thanin Kraivichien, paving the way for Kriangsak to become premier.
Following this shift, Lt Col Prajak returned to Prachinburi and was promoted to Colonel, taking command of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, Queen’s Guard (Burapa Payak).
The elite unit would soon face a new challenge on the Cambodian border.
By early 1979, Cambodia’s political landscape had changed dramatically. The Heng Samrin faction, supported by the Vietnamese army, had overthrown the Khmer Rouge regime. This upheaval triggered a massive flow of Cambodian refugees into Thailand.
The UNHCR, working with the Thai government, set up refugee camps at Ban Nong Chan and Non Mak Mun in Ta Phraya district, Prachinburi province.
On June 22, 1980, Vietnamese and Heng Samrin troops launched an attack on the Nong Chan and Non Mak Mun refugee camps.
Col Prajak, as commander of the Burapa Tigers, ordered his men to counter-attack and push the enemy back across the border. Two days later, “Commander Prajak” directed another sweep against Vietnamese and Heng Samrin forces around Ban Nong Chan, leaving 52 enemy soldiers dead and capturing a large cache of weapons and equipment.
These actions cemented the reputation of Col Prajak and the Burapa Payak. To this day, Thais still recall the names “Lt Col Prajak” or “Commander Prajak” with reverence for their role in defending the eastern frontier.
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