Thai among cadets beginning training at PMA

FORT DEL PILAR, Bguio City  – Eighteen year old Thai lad Pongpeera Disapirom joined this year’s more than 300 cadets that were  welcomed to the Philippine Military Academy Tuesday noon.

Three-hundred forty six  young men and women composing class of 2018 were received at the “Beast Barracks”, a rites of passage for incoming plebes, said Maj. Lynette Flores, PMA spokesperson.

The Thai cadet is the first foreign student in the PMA since 2001.  The last was Mongkol Khum-arwut, also a Thai.

Two-hundred fifty-three males and 93 females made it through the rigorous mental and physical entrance tests this time, a rather large number compared to other years, Flores said.

Disapirom like the other incoming plebes were received in the historic and traditional “rites of passage” of jumping jacks, squat rushes, chin-up exercises and push-ups by the upper classmen and were assigned to their squads and platoons.

“It is their traditional entry from civilian life to military training,” Flores explained.

Philippine Military Academy Class of 1978 is reputed to be the only Class with the most number of foreign nationals. 

When the Class of 1978 reported to the Academy there were four foreign cadets - one each from Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States of America.

They were American Anthony Mark Carmicael, who resigned in April 16, 1974, just two weeks after reporting to the Academy for the start of summer training;  Thai Supakit Wanpess, who was later discharged for academic deficiency;  Taiwanese Hsueh Chao Yung was recalled by his government during his third class year due to abrogation of diplomatic relations between the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of China; and Singaporean Ho Sun Yee, who graduated at the top of the 139-member Class on February 18, 1978 taking the most-coveted Presidential Saber.