Abstract:
Objective of this thesis is to study the role of the Privy Council of Thailand as the Counseling Organization to the Monarch of Thailand from historical facts reflecting the development and characteristics of the Kings Counseling Organization which has long history alongside Thai society. This study includes prescriptions of the Thai Constitutions relating to the King and the Counseling Organization of the King which express the dynamic character of the Organization continually having development and changes. The study found that there was correlation between the accountability of the Kings Counseling Organization in form of the Privy Council of Thailand and the power of the King. During the absolute monarchy system period, the King was the sovereign holding sovereign power in ruling the Kingdom, the role of the Counseling Organization corresponded greatly to the absolute power of the King. Later, when the absolute monarchy system was replaced by the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State where the power of the King was limited under the Constitution, the role of the Counseling Organization was also limited accordingly. An example is the absence of the prescription on the Counseling Organization in the first three Constitutions after the 1932 change of government system where the concept of limitations on royal prerogatives was clearly presented. However, when the new Constitutions increased the power of the King, the role and number of the Counseling Organization also increased. Furthermore, the study also found that the more the present King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, has worked on many fields: Agriculture, Irrigation, Education, Medical Profession, Public Health, and International Relations, the more remarkable role of the Privy Council has been witnessed through the management duties in H.M. the Kings initiated royal development projects. The works in the specific projects were assigned by H.M. the King to each Privy Council member who has specialized skills and suitable working background.