About Us
The Faculty of Archaeology at Silpakorn University was founded in 1955 with its main purpose being the preparation of prospective employees for government archaeological work and the training of archaeology teachers. The need for the establishment of an independent Faculty of Archaeology reflected the nation’s rich cultural heritage. Its objective, since then, is to promote knowledge and understanding of Thailand’s unique and abundant material culture in order to preserve it for future generations.
The Faculty is currently organised into five departments and one section. The five departments are Archaeology, Art History, Anthropology, Oriental Languages, and Western Languages; and Local History as a section. The Faculty also has its affiliated units: Sanskrit Studies Centre (SSC) and Academic Services and Research Center for Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (ARC).
The Faculty offers 16 Undergraduate (BA), Graduate (MA), and Research programmes (PhD) covering a wide range of subjects including Archaeology, Art History, Anthropology, Oriental Languages, Epigraphy, and Local History.
The Faculty remains a sole institute in Thailand offering taught and training programmes in Archaeology and Art History.
More information, please visit https://archae.su.ac.th/
The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre (SAC) was originally established in 1989 at Silpakorn University to honor Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on the occasion of her 36th birthday.
In recognition of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s longstanding interest in and commitment to the disciplines of anthropology, history, archaeology and the arts, the Centre was created in order to serve as a Centre of knowledge in these disciplines for researchers as well as the broader public.
With the aim of improving the organization’s efficiency, in 1994, Silpakorn University proposed a change in the Centre’s status from a government organization to that of a government-funded, autonomous organization for a trial period of five years (1995-1999). During this trial period, the SAC developed and expanded its role in data collection and management, research and public education in the field of anthropology and related disciplines. In 2000, SAC was proclaimed a public organisation under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Thailand.
More information, please visit https://www.sac.or.th/main/en
The Fine Arts Department under the Ministry of Culture, a government agency overseeing the creation, restoration, preservation, promotion and dissemination of Thai art, technology, and culture, was officially founded on March 27, 1911 in the reign of King Rama VI after having been moved from the Department of Public Works under the Ministry of Public Works. Back then it was called “the Craftsmanship Division” and responsible for executing the King’s orders to restore temples and cast Buddha images. Later the division started overseeing the Museum Department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and was promoted to a Department, King Rama VI named it the Fine Arts Department.
The Fine Arts Department divides their missions into five fields which are dramatic arts, archaeology, museums, language, documents and books, and architecture and artworks. The Department’s main is to protect and preserve Thailand’s art and cultural heritage in a creative manner.
Today, the Fine Arts Department oversees regional offices of Thai Fine Arts Departments, national and regional museums and archives, historic sites and parks, and archaeological sites, including the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Ban Chiang, Sukhothai, and Ayutthaya.
More information, please visit http://www.finearts.go.th/