Old Thai Administrative Regimes

Old Thai administrative regimes were similar to those of other countries. That is, people were divided into groups, and sometimes into large communities, where leaders were in charge of governing and protecting the groups in the manner of Master and Slave. Authority and responsibilities totally lay in the hands of leaders, with traditions serving to provide rules and guidelines. As the population increased, problems of land and territory arose. There was a division of boundaries among groups and communities. Thais were a big group with well-organized governing rules and a high culture.

Chinese praised them by using the word "Tai" which means "Great Nation". Thais also possessed national virtues. As Somdetch Phra Chao Baromma Wong Ther Krom Praya Damrongraachanupap once said, Thailand has three significant virtues that support the administration of the country, namely, Love of national independence, Tolerance and the Power of assimilation. The formulation of Thai administration in the past can be judged from chronicles and empirical evidence. It can be presumed that the Thai central administration in the Nan-Joa Kingdom was divided into 9 ministries as follows:
  1. Hin-song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Interior
  1. Mow-song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Defense
  1. Man-song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Finance
  1. Yan-Song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  1. Wo-Song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Commerce
  1. Fad-Song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Justice
  1. Hid-Song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Public Works
  1. Chung-song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Census
  1. Cheu-Song
 Equivalent to today's Ministry of Royal Affairs

The central administration was composed of grand-ministers, ministers, undersecretaries, and director-generals taking successive responsibility. The provincial administration was divided into provinces, each of which consisted of primary, secondary and tertiary cities controlled by governors, the primary, secondary and tertiary governors respectively. Each city was also separated into districts, subdistricts and villages, governed by Chief District Officers, subdistrict headmen and village headmen respectively.