Faculty of Law, Thammasat University

History

Thammasat University's Faculty of Law dates from the initiation of the Law School in 1907 by Prince Raphi Phatthanasak Krommaluang Ratchaburi Direk Rit, the western-educated Minister of Justice and a son of King Chulalongkorn. Classes were originally conducted at the luncheon lobby of the Prince's palace; he would give lectures there every afternoon. The Law School was soon moved to the central building of the Ministry of Justice due to the increasing number of students.

In 1910 Prince Rhapi resigned from the office of Minister of Justice and the Law School was first relocated to Wat Mahathat Yuwarat Rang Sarit, a royally sponsored Buddhist temple, and then to a small royal residence next to the Civil Court.

The following year, King Vajiravudh took the Law School under his patronage. By a royal command, the school became a subsidiary of the Ministry of Justice. The School was once again relocated to the former office of the Department of Public Relations, near Phan Phiphop Lila Bridge.

Following the successful coup d'état against King Prajadhipok, the government, on 25 April 1932, ordered a Faculty of Law and Public Administration to be established as part of Chulalongkorn University and the Law School to be transferred to the newly established faculty.

In the next year, Narisara Nuvadtivongs, the Regent for King Prajadhipok, signed the Moral and Political Science University Act, Buddhist Era 2476 (1933), which came into force on 20 March. Certain parts of the Act read:

An open admission university at the beginning, Thammasat offered only a "Bachelor of Jurisprudence" course.

14 June 1939, the Bachelor of Jurisprudence course was divided into four majors, organised into separate faculties: the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Public Administration, the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Commerce. The Bachelor of Jurisprudence course completely came to an end in 1953.

In 1969, the Faculty of Law organised an examination for lecturer selection for the first time, and started providing funds for developing its lecturers by sending them to study abroad, such as, the National Civil Service Commission Fund, the Oceanic and Suwannamat Fund, the French Government Fund, and the Ananda Mahidol Fund.

In 1971, credit system and new evaluation system (grade point average system) were used in the University for the first time. The Faculty of Law had improved its courses to be in compliance with the new systems, but retained its previous evaluation system (point average system) as a main system for education assessment until the present.

In 2006, the Thammasat University's Faculty of Law Council resolved to move all undergraduate courses, other than Summer courses, from Tha Phra Chan Campus in Bangkok to Rangsit Campus in Changwat Pathum Thani, where there had been hosted the 1998 Asian Games and the 2007 Summer Universiade.

In 2008, Lampang Campus of the University has been established. The University announced open the branch office of the Faculty of Law there, where the law courses began in the following year. The persons capable of becoming the students at this Campus are required to have completed secondary education and to be domiciled in the Northern Region of the country. The student admission system has also been dichotomised into the University's selection (Direct Admission System) and the Government's selection (Central Admission System). In each year, about 150 students will be selected out of those applied in the former system, and further 50, from the latter.

Administers

Note: Academic titles shown above are those at the time of assuming the dean's office, some of which might later be changed.

Academic Divisions

Thammasat University's Faculty of Law consists of the following academic divisions:

Undergraduate Courses

Each year, the Faculty has an intake of about 600–700 undergraduate students contemplating the 4-year LL.B. programme, with a total students of almost 2,000–3,000 students for the whole four years. Holders of a non-law degree may also enroll in the evening LL.B. Programme, the length of which is shorted to three years, with approximately 500–600 students for each year.

LL.B in Business Law is the first Undergraduate International Program in Law of Thailand held at Tha Prachan Campus. There are about 100-120 student per year. For admission of this program, program offers 2 tracks : student can use SAT Examination or TUAdLaw Examination (it is designed to assess your aptitude for the skills required to study law at undergraduate level in English at Thammasat University.)

Staffed by over 100 well-qualified teaching members with overseas experience from various jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan and so forth, the Faculty has maintained its recognised status as the best law school of the Country.

Teaching law at this law school is distinct. Not only provisions of law are taught. Students are introduced philosophical foundations underlying "black letters" of the codes or legislation and are encouraged to discuss, articulate legal reasoning, advance arguments and think of "the law that ought to be" in tandem with "the law that is". Altruistic attitudes and social responsibilities are instilled, all along the line of the "social dedication" spirit adhered to by the University since its inauguration in 1934. Remarkably, the Faculty has thus far produced holders of significant offices of the country.

Graduate Courses

At the graduate level, teaching is based upon a comparative approach and intended to encourage critical thinking and insights into legal problems in both theoretical and practical dimensions. Those leaving the undergraduate law courses therefrom are expected to become legal scholars, legal thinkers, experts or practitioners in particular areas of law. Indeed, under the LL.M. programme, in an attempt to promote expertise in specific areas, 8 fields of study are offered: Private Law, Criminal Law, Business Law, International Law, International Trade Law, Tax Law, Public Law, and Environmental Law.

The programme has an annual intake of about 200–300 students. Students attend classes in the evenings and may now complete their courses of study and a thesis (or an independent study on a selected topic) in 5 terms (2.5 years). The Faculty of Law plans to operate an English-Language LL.M. Programme in Business Law in 2009.

With the well-known expertise in public law, the Faculty also offers the 1-year Graduate Diploma Programme in Public Law, mostly enrolled by Government and State officials, with an annual intake of up to 100 students. A certain limit of credits earned from this Diploma Programme may be transferred towards the LL.M. Programme. Further, the Faculty also offers the Graduate Diploma Programme in Business Law which provides intended fields of concentration e.g. "Intellectual Property" or "Risk Management and Insurance".

At the doctoral level, the Faculty welcomes candidates with excellent legal knowledge. Admission is granted mainly through an English test as well as a qualifying examination on the result of preliminary study on a selected topic. This uppermost programme is mainly based upon independent research, although attendance at the Legal Methodology Class is compulsory.

Symbols

Notable alumni

Day Commemorating Prince Raphi

In every August, the Faculty annually organises an Exhibition of the Day Commemorating Prince Raphi. The activities in which consists of: laying wreath before the Prince's Statue at the Supreme Court of Justice as a homage to the Prince, Buddhist ceremonies, academic forums on various topics which are usually concerning the ongoing political and social events in the country, legal clinic sans frais, academic competitions, moot court. etc.

Each year, four male and another four female students of the Faculty will be elected by all students to become the Exhibition ambassadors carrying out public relations campaigns as to the Exhibition and laying wreaths of homage.