Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (02)

Thailand’s Military Youth Movement (02)

The Yuvachon was an organization similar to youth movements in Japan and Germany. The fact that active army officers were in charge of the training, and not, as in Germany, young leaders from the ranks of the movement, was reminiscent of the Japanese system.

On the other hand, the Yuvachon, as a unified, national organization, existed independently of the schools, much like in Germany. The supreme aim of the Yuvachon was to strengthen the young people’s national consciousness, spirit of sacrifice, and eagerness to serve.

Colonel Prayoon Phmonmontri,

the son of a Thai father by a German mother,

who had visited Nazi youth organizations.

Almost purely military methods were used to reach this goal. First place was given to discipline, drill and athletics. These boys occupied with marching, drilling, and sharp-shorting seemed more like young cadets from a military schools.

In connection with this militant youth movement, one Western scholar has observed that in 1941 the symbol of the New Thailand was the school house and the Yuvachon, the greater youth organization of Thailand and that the young people were quite different from the older generation, much more nationally-minded and anxious to serve their country.