Vice Admiral Cherngchai Chomcherngpat, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command, presided over a ceremony at the Navy base yesterday to mark the occasion, which included blessing ceremonies dedicated to honouring Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Prince of Chumphon, who was known as revered as “The Father of Royal Thai Navy”.
Present at the ceremony were Vice Governor Pichet Panapong and other relevant officers.
The Third Area Command, often referred to simply as 3AC, is responsible for all Navy operations along the Andaman coast, from the border with Myanmar in Ranong to the border with Malaysia in Satun.
The 3AC was initially established at Tub Lamu in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, on March 11,1992, but was later relocated to Phuket, where the base at Cape Panwa officially opened on Jan 1, 1997.
In addition to conducting naval military patrols and exercises, the Navy personnel at the 3AC also perform a range of activities to support government projects and community needs, including air-sea rescues, disaster support, enforcing fishing laws and environmental conservation, and even delivering water supply to homes in need.