General

In the past, the maintenance and safe-keeping of the Grand National Treasures was the duty of the Tax Collection Department (Krom Keb) which was set up by royal order of King Rama V within the premises of the Grand Palace on October 7, 1890. In 1911, during the reign of King Rama VI, it was renamed the Royal Treasury Department. After the Democratic Revolution of 1932, the government established a committee to separate the Grand National Treasures from the Crown Property and move them to the Royal Treasury Department. The Royal Decree on Reorganizing Ministries and Departments, B.E 2476 (1933) was proclaimed. This decree abolished the Royal Treasury Department and replaced it with the Central Finance Division. Later, it was renamed the Department of the Treasury (Krom Khlang) and, finally, the Treasury Department (Krom Thanarak).

Since the safe-keeping of the Grand National Treasures is the main duty of the Treasury Department, in 1976, Mr. Sunthorn Sathirathai, the director-general of the Treasury Department at that time, asked the Central Finance Division to select certain treasures for exhibit. It was intended that these treasures be displayed in a museum, but since only some of the treasures were to be exhibited, the space for the exhibition would be limited. After the treasures had been inventoried and sorted, it was decided that Thai coins and ancient money should be exhibited first so that Thais could learn about the evolution of Thai coins. Mr. Sunthorn proposed this project to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and was granted royal permission to use a section of the Privy Purse Office, behind the Sahathai Samakom Pavilion in the Grand Palace, as the venue for the exhibition, re-named the Thai Coin Pavilion because of the items exhibited there.

In 1978, the Treasury Department asked for royal permission to expand the area in order to exhibit Thai regalia and royal decorations as well. Their Majesties the King and Queen, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn graciously presided over the two opening ceremonies in April, 1976, and August, 1978.

In 1983, the status of the section responsible for the exhibition was raised to the Division of Regalia and Coins; this designation lasted until the Central Finance Division was merged with the Division of Regalia and Coins to create the Treasury Office in 1997. In 2002, the Treasury Department underwent a further reorganization and the Bureau of Grand National Treasures was established by the Ministerial Regulation on establishing the Offices of the Treasury Department, Ministry of Finance, dated October 9, 2002; the Treasury Department has since been charged with the management of the Grand National Treasures.

Organization of the Bureau of Grand National Treasures

The Bureau of Grand National Treasures operates under the supervision of the director of the Bureau of Grand National Treasures. It is divided into five major sections, while its regional units are divided into two sections as follows:

The Central Units

 
        1. The Safe-Keeping and Conservation Section has responsibility for storing, maintaining, and preservation of  the treasures following the guide lined for best practices in the field of conservation.
        2. The Exhibition Section has the responsibility for organizing exhibition of the Grand National Treasures and Thai coins both domestically and internationally.
        3. The Dissemination Section has the responsibility for spreading information, producing relevant media and organizing outside exhibitions for the pubic.
        4. The Production Section has the responsibility for the procuring,storing and the selling of coins and coin-related products.
        5. The Fiancial Section has the responsibility forthe accounts and budgets for the Coins and Thai Money Exhibition revolving fund.
        6. The General Administration Section has the responsibility for the management of the physical plant(resource manggement: Joy) and also supports the work of the other units
        7. Treasury Pavilion 1, Chiang mai, has the reponsibility for promoting and exhibiting the Grand National Treasures, and for selling coins and coi-related products.
        8. Treasury Pavilion 2 ,Songkhla, has the responsivility for selliing coins and coin-related products.

Mission Statement

The Bureau of Grand National Treasures has three major responsibilities:

The Exhibitions of the Grand National Treasures are as follows:

Treasures that have undergone the conservation process are selected for exhibitions at the Pavilion for Regalia, Royal Decorations, and Thai Coins in the Grand Palace, and at Treasury Pavilion 1, Chiang Mai. The objective is for Thai people  of all ages to have the opportunity to learn about, appreciate, and take pride in the Grand National Treasures which are part of the national heritage and have great historical and cultural value, as well as for everyone to have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty and unique nature of ancient Thai craftsmanship.

In order for the exhibition of the Grand National Treasures to reach a wider audience, the Bureau of Grand National Treasures has established a website that gives a virtual tour of the Pavilion for Regalia, Royal Decorations, and Thai Coins. It is an online museum that displays all items in the Pavilion for Regalia, Royal Decorations, and Thai Coins. Moreover, the Bureau of Grand National Treasures participates in various exhibitions both domestically and internationally in order to make the Grand National Treasures of the country better known and more widely appreciated.

The Sale of Coins and Coin-related Products

The Bureau of Grand National Treasures sells coins and coin-related products manufactured by the Treasury Department for important occasions related to the nation, religion, and the monarchy, in order to encourage the collecting of these items. The following is a list of sales and exhibition centers, both in the central region and in other provinces:

The Central Region

The Pavilion for Regalia, Royal Decorations, and Thai Coins, in the Grand Palace
      - The Exchange Unit, The Ministry of Finance
      - Office of the Currency Management Unit, Chakrabongse Road

Other Regions

      Treasury Pavilion 1, Chiang Mai was established in order for people in the northern regions to have the opportunity to appreciate the Grand National Treasures by visiting the exhibition of coins on display from each period (money from the Lanna Period is most prominently displayed) and of commemorative coins and regalia; these exhibits are intended to foster the spread the culture outside the central region. Moreover, a coin exchange and refund services are provided, along with the sale of collectible coins; and travelling exhibitions are also organized. Treasury Pavilion 1 is located at 52, Ratchadamnoern Road, Sri Phum Subdistrict, Mueang District, Chiang Mai. It officially opened on 4 December 1995.

Treasury Pavilion 1, Chiang Mai

              Treasury Pavilion 2 was established in order to provide services for the  people  live in the region, with the responsibility for providing a coin exchange and refund service and also the sale of collectible coins. It is located on the first floor of the old Provincial Treasury Office. It is located at the (former) Provincial Treasury Office in the old city hall building, Ratchadamnoern Road, Boh Yang Sub-district, Muang District, Songkhla. It officially opened on 22 July, 2003,

Treasury Pavilion 2, Songkhla