Testing physical limits
Three days of the training in particular were said to be hellish in which the participants underwent almost non-stop physical training and were allowed only 15-minutes of sleep per day. PHOTOS BY JETJARAS NA RANONG
By Terry Fredrickson
Is the Royal Thai Air Force's Special Operations course, training or torture? Sometimes its hard to tell the difference.
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Air force trainees 'sample hell'
The best of the best are sought as
Thailand readies for any rise in terrorist threats
Wassana Nanuam
Click button to listen to Special operations and rightclick to download
The physical training included such tasks as carrying logs and tyres weighing more than 100kg.
Preparing for the possibility of a growing terrorist threat, the Royal Thai Air Force is looking for more personnel qualified in the gruelling Special Operations Division.
Training for the division is notoriously tough, but the air force insists it will not lessen standards in order to recruit more personnel.
The five-month course is supervised by the air force's Security Forces Command and is said to be as tough as the training for the better-known Seal (Sea Air Land) and Underwater Demolition Team conducted by the Royal Thai Navy.
This year, only 26 people signed up for the air force course, with just 15 remaining after the first month of training.
Three days of the training in particular were said to be hellish.
During the three days in question, the participants underwent almost non-stop physical training which included such tasks as carrying logs and tyres weighing more than 100kg.
Worse still, trainees were allowed to sleep for only 15 minutes per day during that 72-hour stretch.
Every trainee who completed the toughest session of the course had wounds, mostly to the shoulder, chest or head. To treat the injuries, the trainers rubbed fish sauce and salt onto the fresh wounds to sterilise them.
"The reason why the training has to be that tough is that air force officers must be patient and strong, no matter how exhausted, sleepy, hungry, pained or mentally pressured they become," said AVM Peerayut Keosai, director of the Special Operations training.
He said the air force was not prepared to lower its standard of training despite the need for new recruits to the Special Operations Division.
The other four months of the five-month training course are conducted at sea, in forests and on air force training grounds.
This training deals mainly with anti-hijacking operations and also involves parachute jumping, rescues and the use of various types of weapons and bombs.
Recruit Cpl Ekaphob Yaiyatham, 24, who works in the financial office of the Royal Thai Air Force and had not previously been trained in combat, said he was determined to complete the Special Operations course, no matter how hard it has been or how hard it would become.
Pilot Officer Ithichai Nimma, 23, the only commissioned officer on the course this year, said he intended to become a member of the air force's Security Forces Command.
He must complete the Special Operations training course before his dream can become reality.
"The command does not have many officers but all must maintain high standards through hard training," said ACM Itthaporn Subhawong, the Royal Thai Air Force's commander.
You can read previous article at www.bangkokpost.com/learning/all-article.
Vocabulary
torture – causing great physical or mental pain to someone intentionally ทรมานให้เจ็บปวด
in particular – especially or particularly โดยเฉพาะ, โดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่ง
hell – in some religions, the place where some people are believed to go after death to be punished forever for the bad things they have done during their lives นรก
hellish – extremely unpleasant ร้ายกาจ, โหดเหี้ยม, เหมือนนรก
participant – someone who takes part in something ผู้เข้าร่วม
undergo – to experience something which is difficult or unpleasant ประสบ
sample – to experience something for a short time to see what it is like ได้รับประสบการณ์, ประสบกับ
sought (past tense of seek) – tried to find เสาะหา
terrorist – of someone who uses violence in order to achieve political aims ผู้ก่อการร้าย
threat – a danger อันตราย
personnel – the people who are employed in a company, organization or one of the armed forces บุคลากร, เจ้าหน้าที่, พนักงาน
qualified – able to do something, because you have the knowledge, skill, or experience that is needed มีคุณวุฒิเหมาะสม, มีคุณสมบัติ
gruelling – very difficult and tiring, needing great effort for a long time ทำให้เหนื่อย
notorious – famous for something bad ซึ่งมีชื่อเสียงในทางไม่ดี
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
standards – a level of quality that is normal or acceptable for a particular person or in a particular situation มาตรฐาน, บรรทัดฐาน
recruit – to persuade someone to join in something จัดหาคนใหม่
supervise – to be in charge of an activity and to check that everything is being done correctly ดูแล ควบคุม
tough – difficult to do or to deal with ยาก ยากลำบาก
demolition – complete destruction การรื้อถอน, การทำลาย
conduct – to do something in an organised way; to carry out — ลงมือทำ, ดำเนิน, ปฏิบัติ
boost – to increase เพิ่ม
task – something that you have to do หน้าที่; ภารกิจ
trainee – a person who is learning and practising the skills of a particular job – ผู้ได้รับการฝึกหัด, ผู้ฝึกงาน
stretch – a continuous period of time ช่วงเวลา
log – a thick piece of tree trunk or branch, especially one cut for burning on a fire โค่นต้นไม้
session – a period of time that is spent doing a particular activity
wound – an injury in which your skin or flesh is damaged บาดแผล
shoulder – to deal with or accept something difficult แบกรับภาระ หรือสถานการณ์
chest – the upper front part of the body of humans and some animals, between the stomach and the neck, containing the heart and lungs หน้าอก
rub – to move your hand, or something such as a cloth, backwards and forwards over a surface while pressing firmly นวด, ขัด
sterilise – to kill the bacteria in or on something ทำให้ปราศจากเชื้อ
patient – able to wait for a long time without becoming angry or upset อดทน
no matter – always true, whatever the situation is ไม่ว่าในกรณีใด, มิไย
exhausted – extremely tired เหน็ดเหนื่อย
mentally pressured – stressed; affected by pressure, worry, etc. วิตกกังวล, ตึงเครียด
recruit – a person who has been persuaded to join a group สมาชิกใหม
hijack – to illegally take control of a vehicle or ship ปล้น จี้
operation – a planned activity involving a lot of people, especially soldiers or police officers การปฏิบัติการ
rescue – saving a person or animal from a dangerous or unpleasant situation การช่วยชีวิต
parachute – a device that is attached to people or objects to make them fall slowly and safely when they are dropped from an aircraft. It consists of a large piece of thin cloth that opens out in the air to form an umbrella shape ร่มชูชีพ
weapon – an object such as a knife, gun, bomb, etc. that is used for fighting or attacking somebody อาวุธ
combat – fighting during a war การต่อสู้
determined – having made a firm decision to do something and to not let anyone prevent you แน่นอน,ซึ่งตัดสินใจแล้ว
commissioned officer – an officer in the armed forces who has a higher rank, such as a captain or a general นายทหารชั้นสัญญาบัตร (ตั้งแต่ร้อยตรีขึ้นไป), นายทหารประจำการ
intend – to plan to do; to want to happen ตั้งใจให้เกิดขึ้น, วางแผนไว้
reality – actually happening ความเป็นจริง
maintain – to keep รักษา
commander – the head of an army or army unit ผู้บังคับบัญชา
