Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

History

Prior to the creation of the ministry, much of the country's foreign relations were handled by the absolute monarchs of the day. During the Kingdom of Ayutthaya foreign relations were handled by the "Krom Phra Khlang" (Thai: กรมพระคลัง) (or the Treasury Department). The head of the department was known as "Phra Khlang" (Thai: พระคลัง) and occasionally referred to as "Berguelang" or "Barcelon" by foreign authors. A notable Phra Khlang Kosathibodi during the reign of King Narai was Kosa Lek, who was the elder brother of the famous 17th-century Siamese ambassador to France Kosa Pan. Kosa Pan also became a Phra Khlang Kosathibodi upon the reign of Petracha. Soon after, a sub-department called "Kromma Tha" (Thai: กรมท่า, "Port Department") was created to deal with foreigners.

During the Bangkok Period most of these features were retained. For instance, the Chau Phaya-Phraklang in his capacity as Minister of State on behalf of Jessadabodindra negotiated the Siamese–American Treaty of Amity and Commerce of 1833 with Edmund Roberts in his capacity as Minister of the United States on behalf of President Andrew Jackson.

In 1840, King Mongkut, the next king, founded the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Siam, which was administered directly by the king. The responsibilities and roles of the old "Krom" were shifted to this ministry. Chao Phraya Bhanuwong became the first Foreign Minister of Siam in 1871, appointed by King Chulalongkorn. In 1881 Prince Devavongse Varoprakarn was appointed to replace him. Known today as the "father of Thai diplomacy" he reorganized and modernized the ministry to meet 19th century standards. The ministry was then permanently established at Saranrom Palace, east of the Grand Palace. The ministry was divided into seven divisions:

Senabodi Division (Ministerial Division)

Under-Secretary Division

Translation Division

Reception Division

Accounts Division

Filing Division

Diplomatic Division

Consular Division

Foreign affairs advisers

From 1892 to 1924, the Siamese government retained the professional legal services of lawyers skilled in international law.

Gustave Rolin-Jaequemyns, an international legal scholar, served as Adviser-General from 1892 to 1902.

Edward Strobel, a Harvard Law School Bemis Professor of International Law, served as American Adviser-General from 1906 until his death in 1908. He was followed by Harvard Law Professors Jens Westengard, Francis B. Sayre and Eldon James.

Reorganization

After the Revolution of 1932, the ministry came under civilian control and the minister was made a member of the constitutional government of Siam. The first minister under this new system was Phraya Srivisanvaja.

In 1992, the ministry office was moved to Si Ayutthaya Road, Thung Phaya Thai Subdistrict, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok in the area that used to be the headquarter of Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), the Ministry also has an office building of the Department of Consular Affairs at Chaeng Watthana Road.

Operations

The MFA budget for FY2019 is 9,197.3 million baht.

Administration

Office of the Minister

Office of the Permanent Secretary

Functional departments

Department of Consular Affairs

Department of Protocol

Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA)

Department of International Economic Affairs

Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs

Department of Information

Department of International Organizations

Regional departments

Department of European Affairs

Department of American and South Pacific Affairs

Department of ASEAN Affairs (for international undertakings under the framework of ASEAN; while bilateral relations between Thailand and each ASEAN member is under the East Asian Affairs Department)

Department of East Asian Affairs

Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs

List of ministers

This is a list of ministers of foreign affairs of Thailand: