Leadership Competency of High-Level Commanders of Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters

Abstract

This research aims to study the current and future military leadership competencies in the Royal Thai
Armedforces Headquarters to identify appropriate approaches for personnel development and military
strategy in the context of present and future security challenges. The research methodology involves semistructured in-depth interviews with 15 key informants, who are former and current high-ranking military leaders,
and focus group discussions with 5 experts from both military and civilian sectors, with repeated group discussions
to verify the data. The findings show that the desired leadership competencies differ by rank level: generals
should emphasize being role models and providing correct guidance; lieutenant generals focus on resource
management; major generals concentrate on fostering an environment conducive to change and guiding
long-term goals. Currently, most existing competencies emphasize resource management, which does not align
with the desired competencies for certain positions. The gaps identified are that generals lack communication
and the artful use of knowledge; lieutenant generals lack communication skills leading to subordinates’
difficulty in understanding complex matters; and major generals lack tactical expertise. Therefore, leadership
competencies should be developed specifically for each rank: enhancing knowledge capacity and skills for
generals, training in strategic communication for lieutenant generals, and developing practical knowledge
application skills for major generals.