Thai Navy Clarifies Viral Photo Man Is Reserve Officer
The Royal Thai Navy has clarified that a man photographed with celebrity Bum Panadda and identified online as a naval officer is actually a reserve officer, not a career service member. The individual earned his rank after completing the fifth year of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and was called up for periodic reserve training. The Navy urged the public and media to verify military status before sharing information to avoid misunderstandings.
On November 11, 2026, at the Royal Thai Navy Headquarters, Navy spokesperson Captain Chanin Sriyaphai disclosed that following online social media reports showing an individual identified as a naval officer — which may have led the public to misunderstand that the person is a career naval officer — the Navy wishes to clarify that the individual holds the status of a reserve officer. He was commissioned as a reserve officer after successfully completing the fifth year of the Reserve Officer Training Corps curriculum and was called up for reserve training according to the schedule and duration set by the authorities, receiving promotions under the Ministry of Defence's reserve force regulations. The individual does not hold the status of a career naval officer in any capacity. The Navy therefore requests cooperation from the media and the public in presenting and receiving news information by accurately considering the individual's status to prevent misunderstandings and impact on the organization's image.
