List of government ministries of Thailand

The Cabinet Ministries of Thailand (Thai: กระทรวง: Krasuang) are the government agencies compromising the executive branch of the Government of Thailand. Each ministry is headed by a Minister of State (Thai: รัฐมนตรีว่าการกระทรวง, rtgs: Ratthamontri Wa Kan Krasuang) and, depending on the Prime Minister, several Deputy Ministers (Thai: รัฐมนตรีช่วยว่าการกระทรวง) . The combined heads of these agencies form the Cabinet of Thailand. Under the most recent constitution, there are 35 ministries. The combined employees of these departments make up the Civil Service of Thailand.

Ministries

The present structure of the Royal Thai Government has been the same since the Administrative Reorganisation Act, BE 2545 (2002). The Cabinet comprises 20 Ministries, as follows:

Ministries

Name			Since	Head	Seal
English	Thai	Romanised (RTGS)			Image	Name
Office of the Prime Minister	สำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี	Samnak Nayok Ratthamontri	1932	Minister		Seal of Rajasiha and Gajasiha, the Protectors of the Constitution
Ministry of Defence	กระทรวงกลาโหม	Krasuang Kalahom	1887	Minister		Seal of the Thai Armed Forces
Ministry of Finance	กระทรวงการคลัง	Krasuang Kan Khlang	1873	Minister		Seal of the Bird of Paradise
Ministry of Foreign Affairs	กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ	Krasuang Kan Tang Prathet	1875	Minister		Seal of the Crystal Lotus
Ministry of Tourism and Sports	กระทรวงการท่องเที่ยวและกีฬา	Krasuang Kan Thong Thiao Lae Kila	2002	Minister		Seal of the Lord of Strength on the Back of Airavata
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security	กระทรวงการพัฒนาสังคมและความมั่นคงของมนุษย์	Krasuang Kan Phatthana Sangkhom Lae Khwam Man Khong Khong Manut	2002	Minister		Seal of the Lord of Creatures
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives	กระทรวงเกษตรและสหกรณ์	Krasuang Kaset Lae Sahakon	1892	Minister	100px	Seal of Varuna on Naga's Back
Ministry of Transport	กระทรวงคมนาคม	Krasuang Khamanakhom	1912	Minister	100px	Seal of Rama on the Chariot
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment	กระทรวงทรัพยากรธรรมชาติและสิ่งแวดล้อม	Krasuang Sapphayakon Thammachat Lae Sing Waet Lom	2002	Minister		Seal of the Shield of Nature
Ministry of Information and Communication Technology	กระทรวงเทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศและการสื่อสาร	Krasuang Theknoloyi Sarasonthet Lae Kan Sue San	2002	Minister		Seal of Budha
Ministry of Energy	กระทรวงพลังงาน	Krasuang Phalang Ngan	2002	Minister		Seal of Lokuttara
Ministry of Commerce	กระทรวงพาณิชย์	Krasuang Phanit	1892	Minister	100px	Seal of Vessavana
Ministry of Interior	กระทรวงมหาดไทย	Krasuang Mahatthai	1892	Minister	100px	Seal of the Lion
Ministry of Justice	กระทรวงยุติธรรม	Krasuang Yuttitham	1891	Minister	100px	Seal of the Scales of Justice
Ministry of Labour	กระทรวงแรงงาน	Krasuang Raeng Ngan	1993	Minister		Seal of the Three Deities
Ministry of Culture	กระทรวงวัฒนธรรม	Krasuang Watthanatham	2002	Minister	70px	Seal of the Illumed Baldachin
Ministry of Science and Technology	กระทรวงวิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี	Krasuang Witthayasat Lae Theknoloyi	1979	Minister		Seal of Atom
Ministry of Education	กระทรวงศึกษาธิการ	Krasuang Sueksathikan	1892	Minister	100px	Seal of the Wheel of Law on the Boundary Stone
Ministry of Public Health	กระทรวงสาธารณสุข	Krasuang Satharanasuk	1942	Minister		Seal of Caduceus
Ministry of Industry	กระทรวงอุตสาหกรรม	Krasuang Utsahakam	1942	Minister	100px	Seal of Narayana Churning the Ocean of Milk

History

During the Rattanakosin Period, the Kingdom's administration was similar to those during the Ayutthaya Period. There were two Chief Ministers (Thai: อัครมหาเสนาบดี: Akkhramahasenabodi): the first running military affairs or "Samuhakalahom" (Thai: สมุหกลาโหม) and the second "Samuhanayok" (Thai: สมุหนายก) for civilian affairs. The Civilian Ministry is divided further into four "Kroms" (Thai: กรม), headed by a "Senabodi" (Thai: เสนาบดี) or Minister. This type of administration was called the "Chatusadom" (Thai: จตุสดมภ์) :

Ministries

Name	Thai Name	Head	Purpose
Krom Nakhonban or Kromma Wiang	กรมนครบาล หรือ กรมเวียง	Senabodi	Cities and local administration
Kromma Wang	กรมวัง	Senabodi	Palace affairs
Kromma Khlang	กรมคลัง	Senabodi	The Treasury and Trade
Kromma Na	กรมนา	Senabodi	Agriculture and land

King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who had received a European education and traveled widely, decided to reform the administration of the state. In 1875, he issued a royal decree to bring about this reform, dividing and creating many departments, and thereby preventing the archaic system from collapsing.

Rama V reforms

The administration reforms of Chulalongkorn created six ministries (Thai: กระทรวง: Krasuang), each headed by a Minister of State or (Thai: รัฐมนตรี, rtgs: Ratthamontri):

Ministries

Name	Thai Name	Head	Purpose
Mahatthai Ministry	กระทรวงมหาดไทย	Minister	Local administration and the North
Kalahom Ministry	กระทรวงกลาโหม	Minister	Military and the South
Nakhonban Ministry	กระทรวงนครบาล	Minister	Bangkok and the surrounding area
Wang Ministry	กระทรวงวัง	Minister	Palace affairs
Kan Khlang Ministry	กระทรวงการคลัง	Minister	Finance and commerce
Kasettrathikan Ministry	กระทรวงเกษตราธิการ	Minister	Agriculture and land

A further four were soon added:

Ministries

Name	Thai Name	Head	Purpose
Kan Tang Prathet Ministry	กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ	Minister	Foreign affairs and relations
Yuttitham Ministry	กระทรวงยุติธรรม	Minister	Justice and the judiciary
Yothathikan Ministry	กระทรวงโยธาธิการ	Minister	Transport and communication (railways and telegrams)
Thammakan Ministry	กระทรวงธรรมการ	Minister	Education

By 1900 the entire structure was formed. The ten ministries became the center of Siamese government and rule. After the 1932 Revolution, most of the Ministries were retained by the Khana Ratsadon, however from then on the Ministers were chosen by the Prime Minister and not the King.

See also

• Cabinet of Thailand
• Independent agencies of the Thai government
• Government of Thailand
• Politics of Thailand
• Prime Minister of Thailand

References

• Reshaping Thailand through Bureaucratic Reform and Development
• The History of Thailand's Administration Website of the Department of Provincial Administration – DOPA (in English) ([1] Internet archive of November 25, 2009)

External links

• Official webpage