History and Information about the Faculty
Originally, the study of law was carried out in a piecemeal fashion by recruiting individual experts as teachers. There was no law school as an institution for imparting knowledge in the field of law in a formal manner. However, in the year R.S. 111 (1892), Chao Phya Abhai Raja Siammanukulkij (M. Rolin-Jaequemyns), advisor to the government of King Chullalongkorn, Rama V, expressed his opinion that this course should be established to improve law making and the management of the courts of justice, since at that time Thailand was at a disadvantage compared to other nations in many matters, especially in relation to the issue of extraterritorial rights. Therefore, in the year R.S. 116 (1897) when Prince Rabhipatthanasak (later, Phra Chao Boromwong Ter Phraong Rabhipatthanasak, Kromluang Ratchaburi Direkrit) took the position of the Chancellor of the Ministry of Justice, he established a law school to formally provide education in the field of law. However, at that time the law school did not have official status until 7 June 1911, when King Rama VI founded a royal school for higher education under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice and graciously allowed the premises to be moved to the foot of the Phan Phiphop Lila bridge.
2476 – 2477
On 25 April 1933, or about one year after the change of government, King Prajadhipok issued a royal proclamation to integrate the study of law within Chulalongkorn University. Approximately 11 months later on 17 March BE 2476 (originally the calendar year ran from 1 April. Converting into the modern calendar which runs from 1 January, this would be 17 March BE 2477 (CE 1934)) the University of Moral and Political Science was founded (officially opening on 27 June 1934) by promulgation of the “University of Moral and Political Science Act BE 2476” which had the effect of transferring the Faculty of Law and Political Science in Chulalongkorn University, together with all of its assets and budget, to the University of Moral and Political Science. It only had one educational programme, an undergraduate programme focusing on law courses together with courses on politics and economics.
2492 – 2496
Later, in March 1949 after the Palace Rebellion, the government submitted two proposals to university executives as follows:
1) To change the name of the university, by removing the word “Political”; and
2) To divide education at the university among different faculties
Both proposals were accepted by the university’s executives. Regarding changing the name of the university, over a three year process the University of Moral and Political Science became Thammasat University, its name today. Regarding the proposal on dividing education at the university among different faculties, this received the same response. Education was divided among four faculties: 1) the Faculty of Law, 2) the Faculty of Commerce and Accounting, 3) the Faculty of Political Science, and 4) the Faculty of Economics. The original undergraduate programme gradually closed by the year, and the course was closed completely in the year 1953. Therefore, it can be said that the Faculty of Law was established on 14 June 1949. Those students on the original undergraduate programme who had not completed their studies in 1953 were permitted to transfer to the Faculty of Law.
2515 – 2549
In the academic year 1972, the Faculty of Law opened a graduate law programme to give the opportunity to graduates from other faculties to study law, by way of studying the compulsory courses of the second, third and fourth years of the undergraduate programme of the Faculty of Law. Graduates of this programme have the right and honour to be law graduates of Thammasat University in all respects.
Later, in the academic year 1986, the Faculty of Law implemented a policy of the university to transfer the teaching of the first year of the undergraduate degree (regular programme) to Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, and this policy expanded to the second year in the academic year 2002, and then in academic year 2006, all teaching on the undergraduate degree (regular programme) was transferred to the Rangsit Campus.
2552 – ปัจจุบัน
The Faculty of Law sees the importance of expanding educational opportunities to the regions. The Faculty of Law has expanded its teaching to the North region by offering the graduate course in law at the Thammasat University Lampang Campus and, after gathering information and making sufficient preparations, in academic year 2009 the Faculty of Law established the undergraduate programme (regular programme) at the Thammasat University Lampang Campus, which each year accepts approximately 200-250 students using the same standards as the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus, including the same courses and lecturers. Now the Faculty of Law has opened additional programmes teaching law in English at Master’s and Bachelor’s level in academic years 2009 and 2014 respectively, in response to the internationalisation of the university, society and the nation.