Bureau of the Royal Household

Bureau of the Royal Household
สำนักพระราชวัง
Samnak Phra Ratcha Wang

'The Seal of Shiva on Nandi's Back'
Agency overview
Formed 1895
Preceding agency
  • Ministry of the Palace
    (1895-1935)
Jurisdiction  Thailand
Headquarters Grand Palace, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok
Annual budget 3.327 billion baht (FY2015)[1]
Agency executives
Website www.brh.thaigov.net

The Bureau of the Royal Household (Thai: สำนักพระราชวัง) is an agency of the Monarchy of Thailand. In addition to a range of administrative and ceremonial responsibilities, the bureau also serves as a direct conduit for the King's benevolent philanthropy.[2]

History

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The history of the king's household pre-dates modern Thailand. Links with the past are preserved. For example, the importance of "institutional memory" led to the appointment in the 1980s of a nonagenarian Khun Sawet Thunapradit as "Special Consultant to the Royal Household".[3] From 2017, The Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary will under the supervision of Bureau of the Royal Household.

The agency's headquarters is located within the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, headed by the Lord Chamberlain.

Palaces

The bureau is responsible for promoting and maintaining three different royal palaces:[4]

Public relations

Some of the public relations of the monarchy are handled by officials of this bureau.[4] For example, during a period in which the king was quite ill, the bureau's official announcements provided information about the monarch's condition.[5]

The BRH, through its Royal Ceremonies Division, is also responsible for organizing events related to the Royal Family of Thailand.

Finances

In 1932, assets of the royal family and household were seized. Much of it was restored after 1947 with the assistance of M.R. Thawiwong Thawalayasak.[6]

The monarchy's household and finances are managed by the Bureau of the Royal Household and the Crown Property Bureau, respectively. They are quasi-government agencies of the Royal Thai Government with nominal cabinet representation on their respective governing boards but with the majority of personnel, in practice, being appointed by the palace.[7]

References

  1. ↑ Royal Thai Government Gazette, The Annual Expenditure Budget Act for FY2015 Vol. 131 Sec. 69ก 30 September 2014
  2. ↑ Iamtan, Suparat. "Royal assistance for families of bereaved, injured," The Nation (Bangkok). April 17, 2010.
  3. ↑ Scigliano, Eric. (2002). Love, War, and Circuses:, p. 102. , p. 102, at Google Books
  4. 1 2 Bureau of the Royal Household
  5. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Thailand): Announcement of the Bureau of the Royal Household Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine., October B.E. 2552 (2009)
  6. ↑ Handley, Paul. (2006). The King Never Smiles: a Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej, p. 97. , p. 97, at Google Books
  7. ↑ Thailand, the King

Further reading

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