Understanding the government in Thailand, before you go to visit this beautiful country is very important.

Thailand is a wonderful, exciting country that is ruled by a constitutional monarchy. A constitutional monarchy is a government that has a king or queen but is ruled primarily by other branches of government.

In the case of the Thai government the government is run by three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. While the King of Thailand serves as a head of

state and has very little political power.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej has been on the throne since 1946. Main article: Monarchy of Thailand The King of Thailand, currently King Bhumibol Adulyadej (or Rama IX) is the worlds longest reigning monarch, and has reigned since 1946. The Constitution stipulates that although the sovereignty of the state is vested in the people, the King will exercise such powers through the three branches of the Thai government. Under the constitution the King is given very little power, but remains a figurehead and symbol of the Thai nation. As the Head of State however he is given some powers and has a role to play in the machinations of government. According to the

Constitution, the King is the Head of the Armed forces, required to be Buddhist as well as the defender of all faiths in the country. The King also retained some traditional powers such as the power to appoint his heirs, power to grant pardons and the royal assent. The King is aided in his duties by the Privy Council of Thailand. The King is head of the House of Chakri, the ruling house of Thailand founded by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (or Rama I) in 1782. The Monarchy and the Royal family commands huge respect in Thailand. The present monarch has a great deal of popular respect and moral authority, which has been used at times to resolve political crises. The monarchs official home is the Grand Palace, however the present King lives primarily in the Chitralada Palace in Bangkok or the Klai Kangwon Villa, in Hua Hin. The Monarch's household is managed by the Bureau of the Royal Household and his finances by the Crown Property Bureau. The heir to the throne is the Crown Prince of Thailand: Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn. The succession of the Throne is governed by the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, promulgated by King Vajiravudh. The Palace Law follows the male Agnatic Primogeniture, where males are only allowed to succeed and inheritance is passed only from father to son and through male line only.

THAI GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE (Under Thailand's 1997 [B.E. 2540] Constitution)

The Role of the King: Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, under which form of government the King serves the People of Thailand as "HEAD OF STATE", under the terms of the Constitution of Thailand. (It should be noted that the Constitution provides that the successor to the King may be a Princess, and not necessarily a Prince, and therefore some translators use the word "Monarch" instead of the word "King" in translating this Constitution into English. The word "monarch" is a non-sexist term, which indicates a monarch may be either a man or a woman.) Thailand adopted a new Constitution in October of 1997, which is now in effect, although certain provisions of that Constitution will not take full effect until after new elections are held. (Those provisions are known as "Transitory Provisions", and some do not take effect for several years after its adoption, to give the parliament enough time to enact appropriate new laws.) Bills passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate become law upon approval of the bill by the King. The King has the power to approve or disapprove bills adopted by the Parliament; bills do not become effective as laws without the approval of the King, unless later re-approved by the Parliament. If the King disapproves a bill as a proposed law, the bill is returned to the Parliament to consider the King's objections. If the parliament nonetheless approves the law again, by at least a 2/3 vote of both houses of the parliament, the bill is returned to the King for reconsideration. If the King still declines to sign the bill into law, the Prime Minister is authorized to promulgate the bill as a law by publishing it in the Government Gazette, the official newspaper of the Government, as if the King had signed it.