The
Royal Thai Navy is the navy of
Thailand and part of the
Royal Thai Armed Forces. It was established in the late 19th century. Admiral Prince
Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) is "The Father of Royal Thai Navy". Similar to the organisational structure of the United States, the Royal Thai Navy includes the Naval Fleet, and the
Royal Thai Marine Corps. The Royal Thai Navy operates out of
Sattahip Naval Base in
Sattahip Bay. Thailand is the only
Southeast Asian country that operates an
aircraft carrier, though it is used as a pure helicopter carrier with the retirement of the
Harrier fighter wing. Thailand was the 2nd Asian nation to acquire submarines, following
Japan; however, no submarines are operated by Thailand currently.