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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

of Education with Prince Damrong being its first director. This demonstrated the king’s vision on

the importance of education to the country. (Krom Phraya Damrong Rachanupharp et al., 1920)
Note: With bicentennial celebration of Krung Rattanakosin in 1982, Princess Maha Chakri

Sinrindhorn repurposed the old building Phratumnuk Suankularb, which located on the rear
of the royal palace, and the nearby Khon performance theater into school buildings and

Phratumnuk Suankularb School was reborn on this special occasion. The school educates young
children from primary school to the first three years of secondary school as well as deaf children

at the primary school level. It is a coeducational school under the supervision by the office of
primary educational service area metropolitan (Sor Phor Por. Kor thor Mor.) and the office of

the basic education commission (Sor Phor Thor.), Ministry of Education. (Yearbook. Phratumnuk
Suankularb School. Education Year 2550 BE)

Carrying over the aspiration of his father, King Rama V, with regards to public education,
King Rama VI established Chulalongkorn University on 26 March 1917 under the Ministry of

Education. (Royal Gazette, 1917) [Note: According to the Thai calendar at that time, the Thai
New Year day was on April 1 so that the announcement of the university on March 26 in 2459

BE in the royal gazette was one year earlier. (Sukpanichnant, 2009)] The Faculty of Art and
Science was one of the first four faculties of the university. Thus, it was the first time that science

education became formally established in higher education in Thailand. Moreover, King Rama VI
granted a primary education act 2464 BE in 1921 to mandate all children, boys and girls,

from the age of 7 to study in the primary school until the age of 14. Subsequently, in 1927,
Mom Chao Boonsrikasem Kasemsri, dean of the faculty of arts and science, Chulalongkorn

University, allowed seven females to study premedical science for the first time and five of
them went on to graduate with medical degree. (Sukpanichnant, 2021)

King Rama VII founded Royal Society of Siam on 19 April 1926. (Royal Gazette, 1926)
Subsequently, it was renamed Royal Institute of Siam according to the Royal Institute of

Siam Act, 2476 BE in 1934. The institute comprised 3 academies–the Academy of Moral and
Political Sciences, the Academy of Science, and the Academy of Arts. (Royal Gazette, 1934)

The Prime Minister appointed the first 30 associate fellows in 1934, 11 of them in the Academy
of Science. (Royal Gazette, 1934) Thereafter, in 1942, the King granted the appointment of

51 fellows, 34 of them in the Academy of Science–six in the field of physical science, seven
in biological science, and twenty-one in applied science. (Royal Gazette, 1942) Subsequently,

the Royal Institute of Thailand Act, 2544 BE was replaced by the Royal Society of Thailand
Act, 2558 BE in 2015 and the name Royal Society of Thailand has been used since then.

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