Page 126 - -25-0508(ALLs)

The Royal Institution and Advancement of Medicine

and Public Health in Thailand*

Professor Sanya Sukpanichnant, MD

Associate Fellow of the Academy of Science,
The Royal Society of Thailand

Professor Emeritus Surapol Issaragrisil, MD
Fellow of the Academy of Science,

The Royal Society of Thailand

Abstract

The advancement of medicine and public health in Thailand is possible because of

th
the Royal Institution. H.R.H. Prince Wongsa Dhiraj Snid, the 49 prince of King Rama II, was the
royal physician to King Rama III and King Rama IV. While he was a Thai traditional physician,
he also incorporated Western medicine to his medical service. His accomplishment earned him

a certificate for the corresponding fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. His physician
son and descendants up to the present include 6 royal physicians and 2 professors in
medical school. King Rama V established Siriraj Hospital and the Royal Medical College

(Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University at present), the first institution to
produce certified doctors who studied both western and Thai traditional medicine.
When King Rama VI established Chulalongkorn University, the Royal Medical College was

incorporated into the faculty of medicine to produce medical degrees in western medicine
only. Thai traditional medicine has not been included in the curriculum since 2458 BE but it

th
still exists as a separate course at present. H.R.H. Prince Mahidol, the 69 prince of King Rama V,
devoted himself to building the foundation of medicine and public health. Those in medicine,
dentistry, nursing and related fields who received his supports had together helped advance

the fields. King Rama VII established the Royal Society of Thailand in 2469 BE and subsequently
King Rama VIII appointed 8 physicians as fellows of the Royal Society of Thailand. They played

important roles in improving medical schools and establishing hospitals in the rural areas.
King Rama VIII’s wish to produce more doctors to serve his people led to the establishment of
a second medical school in 2490 BE. King Rama IX provided considerable supports to medicine

* This is an English version adapted from the article with the same title in Thai published in the book
“The Royal Institution and Academic Advancement of the Nation” (สถาบัันพระมหากษััตริย์์กับัวิิวิัฒนาการทาง
วิิชาการของประเทศ).

119

7/7/2568 BE 15:17
-25-0508(001)P5.indd 119 7/7/2568 BE 15:17
-25-0508(001)P5.indd 119