Bureau of the Royal Household
The Bureau of the Royal Household (BRH) (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 conduit for royal philanthropy.[1]
| สำนักพระราชวัง | |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 5 May 1895 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | Thailand |
| Headquarters | Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Annual budget | 6,800 million baht (FY2019) |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | Royal Office |
The FY2019 budget of the Ministry of Royal Households is 6,800 million baht, up from 6,391.4 million baht in FY2018.[2]
History
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Thailand |
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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 falls under the direct supervision of Bureau of the Royal Household.[4]
The agency's headquarters, headed by the Lord Chamberlain, is at Suan Amphon near Dusit Palace in Bangkok.[5]
Palaces
The bureau is responsible for promoting and maintaining three different royal palaces:[6]
Public relations
Some of the public relations of the monarchy are handled by officials of this bureau.[6] For example, during a period in which the king was quite ill, the bureau's official announcements provided information about the monarch's condition.[7]
The BRH, through its Royal Ceremonial Division, is also responsible for organizing events related to the Royal Family of Thailand.[8]
Finances
In 1932, assets of the royal family and household were seized. Much of it was restored after 1947.[9]
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.[10]
References
- Iamtan, Suparat. "Royal assistance for families of bereaved, injured," Archived 2010-04-19 at the Wayback Machine The Nation (Bangkok). April 17, 2010.
- "Thailand's Budget in Brief FY2019". Bureau of the Budget. p. 98. Archived from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
- Scigliano, Eric. (2002). Love, War, and Circuses:, p. 102. , p. 102, at Google Books
- https://www.bbc.com/thai/39660366
- "People volunteer for community service in the spirit of Mother's Day". National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT). 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
- "Bureau of the Royal Household". Archived from the original on 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- 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)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2019-04-16.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Handley, Paul (2006). The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej. New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 97. ISBN 9780300130591. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
- "Thailand The King". photius.com. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
Further reading
- Handley, Paul. (2006). The King Never Smiles: a Biography of Thailand's Bhumibol Adulyadej. New Haven: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300106824; OCLC 466622191
- Scigliano, Eric. (2002). Love, War, and Circuses: the Age-old Relationship Between Elephants and Humans. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2002. ISBN 9780618015832; OCLC 49225866
- Library of Congress Country Studies, Thailand
- CIA World Factbook, Thailand