During the
Rattanakosin Period, the kingdom's administration was similar to that of the
Ayutthaya Period. There were two chief ministers (: the first running military affairs or
samuhakalahom (, and the second
Samuhanayok ( for civilian affairs. The civilian ministry was divided further into four
kroms (, headed by a
senabodi ( or 'minister'. This type of administration was called the
Chatusadom ( :
Rama V reforms King
Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who had received a European education and traveled widely, reformed the administration of the state. In 1875, he issued a
royal decree to bring about this reform, dividing and creating many departments, and thereby preventing the archaic system from collapsing. The administrative reforms of
Chulalongkorn created six ministries (, each headed by a
minister of state or (, ): A further four were soon added: By 1900 the entire structure was formed. The ten ministries became the center of Siamese government and rule. After the
1932 Revolution, most of the ministries were retained by the
Khana Ratsadon, however from then on the ministers were chosen by the prime minister and not the king. ==See also==