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]
The 2019 budget for the Bureau of the Royal Household was 6,800 million baht, up from 6,391.4 million baht in FY2018.[2]
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]
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]
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