History

               Thammasat University is the fruit of the Siamese Revolution in 1932. The University was founded on June 27th, 1935. Its establishment constituted the birth of the political studies in Thailand. Thammasat University - which held its iconic name at that time as "The University of Moral and Political Sciences” - designated political science as a core subject for its undergraduates, while the Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees had three clearly separated programmes: Political Science, Law, and Economics.

 

                   In the period following World War II, Thailand was embroiled in a series of political turmoil as well as the vicissitudes of the international politics that directly affected the University. Such challenges necessitated the adjustments of the existing curriculums. Therefore, in 1949, Thammasat enacted a set of regulations that pave the way for sweeping reform. Among other things, these regulations led to the creation of the Faculty of Political Science on June 14, 1949. In the process of curriculums and programmes planning, the dean and the faculty’s committees carefully and comparatively studied many academic programmes abroad, with generous assistances of the scholars and specialists from the Fulbright Foundation of Thailand.

 

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                    In 1955, the Faculty of Political Science formed a Master Degree Programme in Political and Administrative Science, with the academic support from the United States. The Faculty also taught its courses both in Thai and English. Later on, in 1959, the Diplomacy programme was founded, followed by the Public Administration programme and the Political Studies programme.

 

                        During the decade of 1967-1977, there were several structural adjustments aimmed at fostering better academic specialisation within the Faculty. Eventually, the Faculty of Political Science came to have three primary divisions: the Department of Politics and Government; the Department of Public Administration, and the Department of International Affairs. This rearrangement of the Faculty persists until today. However, the Faculty of Political Science constantly strives to reinvent and adapt relentlessly in order to be able to cope with the transition of the global contexts as well as new developments and situations. Academically, in the early 1990s, notwithstanding countless partnerships with other universities both in Thailand and abroad, the Faculty also started other three special programmes for the Master Degree studies: the Master of Political Science Executive Program in Public Administration and Public Affairs (EPA), the Master of Arts Program in Politics and Government for Executives (MPE), and the Master of Political Science Program in International Relations (MIR), which is taught in English.

 

                    After many years of intense preparation, recently in 2009, the Faculty reaffirmed its leading role in Thai Academia as the first Political Science institute in Thailand that starts an English programme for politics and international relations. This programme, the Combined Bachelor and Master of Political Science Programme in Politics and International Relations (BMIR), would greatly bolster the reputation of Faculty as well as its crucial role as an international academic institute. The programme is now thriving fruitfully with the leaping increment of academic contracts from other Thai universities, as well as international students and researchers.

 

List of Deans
   Name
   Tenure
   1. Prof.Direk Chaiyanam
  19 June 1949 - 19 December 1952
   2. Prof.Malai Huwanan
  20 December 1952 - 1 July 1956
   3. Prof.Tawee Rangkam
  2 December 1956 - 4 April 1969 
   4. Prof.Pakorn Angsusingh
  5 April 1969 - 9 February 1973
   5. Prof.Dr.Kamon Paopichit
  10 February 1973 - 7 January 1975
   6. Anan Ketwong
  8 Januaury 1975 - 22 May 1977
   7. Prof.Phairot Chaiyanam
  23 May 1977 - 5 January 1978
   8. Asst.Prof.Noranit Setabutr
  4 April 1978 - 30 June 1979
   9. Asst.Prof.Dr.Arun Raktham
  21 September 1979 - 30 October 1980
   10. Chat Kitchatham
  6  March 1981 - 5 March 1983
   11. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Likhit Dhiravegin
  6 May 1983 - 15 May 1985
   12. Asst.Prof.Dr.Radom Wongnom
  31 May 1985 - 31 August 1987
   13. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Surachai Sirikrai
  1 September 1987 - 3 October 1990
   14. Assoc.Prof.Wisut Phothithaen
  4 October 1990 - 31 October 1993
   15. Dr.Seksan Prasertkul
  1 November 1993 - 1 November 1995
   16. Assoc.Prof.Dr. Corrine Phuangkasem
  17 January 1996 - 4 March 1999
   17. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Anek Laothamatas
  5 March 1999 - 14 October 2000
   18. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Corrine Phuangkasem
  1 February 2001 - 31 January 2004
   19. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Nakharin Mektrairat
  1 February 2004 - 31 January 2010
   20. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Siriporn Wajjwalku
  1 February 2010 - 31 January 2013
   21. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Supasawad Chardchawarn
  1 February 2013 - 31 July 2018
   22. Asst.Prof.Dr.Tavida Kamolvej
  1 August 2018 - 31 May 2022
   23. Assoc.Prof.Dr.Puli Fuwongcharoen
  3 January 2023 - Present