Tracing the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives

     Agriculture in Thailand has been recorded in historical evidence found in the stone inscriptions from the Sukhothai period (starting from 1257 AD). This stone inscriptions illustrated the King Ramkhamhaeng’s state policies to promote agriculture development notably people’s freedom to pursue their professions according to their skills and the land used for cultivation which would eventually become the property of farmers who cultivated it.
This land could then be passed down as an inheritance to their descendants. During this period, the land was fertile, clean water was available for consumption throughout the year, and there was sufficient water for agricultural use.

     It is presumed that the King Ramkhamhaeng constructed irrigation systems to help farming, such as digging canals, constructing weirs, and installing pipelines to divert water from mountain streams to the city of Sukhothai. He also encouraged the general practice of forestry and gardening for instance, he planted sugar palm forests and used these forests as places for monks to preach on Buddhist holy days and as venues for his public appearances and performed official duties on regular days. This royal policy was aimed to cultivate an affection for forests, gardens, and cultivation among the populace.

     At the beginning of King Rama V's reign, there was an era of governmental reform and the establishment of various ministries to propel prosperity. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives undergone its first major restructuring during this period. It was transformed from the Ministry of Agriculture (Department of Rice Fields) to the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. For the first time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce assumed the role of promoting and supporting agriculture, in addition to its existing duties related to rice cultivation, taxation, and food supply management.

     The Ministry expanded its functions to include activities such as appointing mining officials in various provinces, dredging canals, and issuing land ownership in collaboration with the Department of Maps surveying land demarcation to ensure accuracy for issuance of land deeds. Furthermore, the Ministry also imposed weighing and measuring standards, collected land field taxes, regulating draft animal, and packing agricultural products to be dispatched to United States museums for exhibition. The Ministry also managed water resources for rice farming and cultivation and established an agricultural department responsible for inspections and reporting to the Ministry.

     In 1896, the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce was restructured into the Department of Agriculture under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance. In the same year, the Forestry Department was established, under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior.

     The agency responsible for agricultural activities first became clearly evident during the Ayutthaya period (beginning in 1350 AD). This agency, known as the Department of Rice Fields, was one of the four administrative departments under the traditional tetrarchy system, which included the Department of the Capital Administration, the Department of the Palace, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Rice Fields. These departments were akin to modern-day ministries. Thus, in old proclamations and royal decrees, terms like the Department of Agriculture, the Ministry of Rice Fields, and the Ministry of Agriculture were used, all referring to the Department of Fields within the tetrarchy, with the title of the chief official being Khun Kasetdhradhibodi.

     Later, during the reign of King Borommatrailokkanat (1448-1488), the title of the chief official of the Department of Rice Fields was renamed to Phra Kasetdhradhibodi. Subsequent royal chronicles, including the 1635 decree during the reign of King Prasat Thong, refer to the chief official as Chao Phraya Pholathep Senabodhi Sri Chaiyanopharat Kasetdhradhibodi Aphai Phiriya Borakrom Pahuh, a title that continued into the Rattanakosin period. In the Rattanakosin period, King Rama IV updated the title to Chao Phraya Pholathep Sappolsep Senabodhi Sri Phichai Rajmahayasawan Anekkanantathanyaharnphichanpathiphat Nopharatmurathathorn Mahisornsamuhachetketthadhibodi Aphaiphiriyaborakrompahuh.

     The role and duties of the Department of Fields were first recorded in the comprehensive laws enacted during the reign of King Ramathibodi I (U-Thong) of Ayutthaya. These decrees included provisions assigning the Department of Rice Fields to handle and resolve disputes related to rice, crops, and draft animals, marking a significant contribution to agricultural management.

     The Department's role expanded under the royal decree of King Prasat Thong, which tasked it with managing fallow lands to make them productive, overseeing irrigation and draft animals, collecting rice for royal granaries, managing royal land grants, resolving land disputes, and establishing field officers in various provinces to perform these duties. Additionally, the decree detailed nine different seals used by the chief official of the Department of Rice Fields for various responsibilities.

     By the reign of King Rama V, the Department of Fields' duties included appointing officials to survey and assess the land, collecting land taxes as royal revenue, resolving land disputes, purchasing rice for the royal granaries, and supplying rice for general public.

     In 1898, the Department of Agriculture was re-established as the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Maps, and the Department of Mines were reinstated under its jurisdiction. The Ministry of Agriculture's duties were divided into various sectors to oversee and promote different aspects of agriculture, including:

Irrigation:
     A cooperation agreement was made with the Netherlands government to construct irrigation projects in Thailand. The Department of Canals was established in 1902 to conduct land surveys for irrigation construction. A significant project was designated as the Chai Nat Scheme, now known as the Chao Phraya Dam project. Later, the Department of Canals was transferred to the Ministry of Public Works and renamed the Department of Roads, which handled land and water transportation routes. The construction of canals for agricultural purposes remained under the Ministry of Agriculture. The old Department of Canals was subsequently renamed the Department of Water Management, and eventually, it became the Department of Irrigation in 1927.

Cultivation:
     Initially, emphasis was placed on sericulture (silk farming). Collaboration with Japanese experts led to experiments in silk farming and the dissemination of techniques to Thai farmers. The Department of Sericulture was established to manage these efforts and was later renamed the Department of Cultivation in 1908. The first nationwide rice variety competition was held in 1910 during the Agricultural and Commercial Exhibition.

Livestock:
     The Ministry undertook various initiatives such as establishing animal breeding stations and promoting pig, duck, and chicken farming among the general public. In 1914, a veterinary school was founded within the Department of Cultivation to prevent livestock epidemics. In 1921, the Forestry Department was transferred from the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Agriculture. Additionally, the Department of Aquatic Animal Preservation was established in 1925.

Land and Mineral Resources: 
     The Department of Maps, the Department of Metallurgy, and Geology were merged under the Ministry of Agriculture to form the Land Registration Department. This restructuring aimed to streamline operations and improve the management of land and mineral resources.
     Overall, the Ministry of Agriculture played a crucial role in advancing agricultural practices, supporting farmers, and managing natural resources to foster economic growth and development in Thailand.

     In 1932, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Transport were merged to form the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce. During this reorganization, the Department of Land Registration, the Department of Land Surveying, the Forestry Department, and the Department of Royal Industries were transferred from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Interior.

     Following the promulgation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Siam in 1932, the title of Minister replaced the former title of Senabodi (Secretary of State). The position of Permanent Under-Secretary of State was also renamed Permanent Secretary. This change marked a significant modernization and centralization of governmental functions, aligning Thailand's administrative structure more closely with contemporary governance practices.

     The restructured Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce was tasked with overseeing a broad range of responsibilities, including agricultural development, commercial trade, and transportation infrastructure, aimed at fostering economic growth and ensuring efficient resource management nationwide.

     In 1933, the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce was renamed the Ministry of Economic Affairs following the enactment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Departments Act. This reorganization included several changes:
          - The Department of Agriculture Inspection was renamed the Department of Agriculture.
          - The Department of Aquatic Animal Preservation was renamed the Department of Fisheries.
          - The Forestry Department, the Department of Land Registration, the Department of Land Surveying, and the Department of Royal Industries, which had been transferred to the Ministry of Interior, were returned to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Department of Land Registration and the Department of Land Surveying were merged to form the Department of Lands.

Additionally, the titles for regional agricultural officers were changed:
     - Regional agricultural officers and provincial agricultural officers were renamed regional land officers and provincial land officers, respectively.

     During this period, the Ministry of Economic Affairs prioritized agricultural duties. The Ministry adopted the seal of Phra Phirun riding Naga (a serpent deity), the large seal previously used by the Minister of Agriculture, as its emblem.

     In 1934, the Ministry Reorganization Act further amended the structure of government ministries. The Ministry of Agriculture was separated from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, becoming an independent ministry again, focusing solely on agricultural matters. This move underscored the importance of agriculture in the national administration.

     The Ministry of Agriculture was re-established on April 1, 1935. Several significant changes and separations occurred as part of this reorganization:

          - The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fisheries were separated into distinct entities.
          - The Department of Lands and the Department of Royal Industries were separated, with the Department of Lands returning to the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Royal Industries coming under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
          - The Livestock and Animal Health Divisions were separated from the Department of Agriculture to form a new department, the Department of Livestock and Animal Husbandry.

     In addition, Kasetsart University was established in Bangkok in 1943, marking a major advancement in agricultural education and research in Thailand.

     These transformation highlighted the ongoing importance of agriculture and aimed to improve the efficiency and specialization of agricultural management and development within the country.

     During the tenure of Prime Minister Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram in 1952, the Ministry of Agriculture was renamed from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Concurrently, several departments underwent name changes and reorganizations:
          - The Department of Agriculture was renamed the Department of Agriculture.
          - The Department of Livestock and Animal Husbandry was renamed the Department of Livestock Development.
          - The Department of Kasetsart University was established, which later being transferred to be under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Prime Minister.

     Additionally, the Department of Cooperatives was separated to form a new ministry, the Ministry of Cooperatives, in 1952. The Rice and Experimental Division was split from the Department of Agriculture to form a new department, the Department of Rice. The Department of Agriculture was renamed the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Fisheries was renamed the Department of Fisheries, and the Department of Livestock Development was renamed the Department of Livestock.

     With the establishment of the Ministry of National Development, the Department of Irrigation and the Agricultural Chemistry Division were transferred to this new ministry. Furthermore, the Department of Agricultural Extension was established to promote agricultural development across the country. The Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO) was also founded in collaboration with Denmark to establish dairy farms and training centers.

     These restructuring aimed to streamline the ministry's functions and enhance the agricultural sector's development, reflecting the government's focus on promoting agricultural advancement and improving efficiency in managing agricultural affairs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives oversees various aspects of agriculture, forestry, land development, and cooperatives through 14 government agencies:

     1. Office of the Minister
     2. Office of the Permanent Secretary
     3. Royal Irrigation Department
     4. Cooperative Auditing Department
     5. Department of Fisheries
     6. Department of Livestock Development
     7. Department of Forestry
     8. Land Development Department
     9. Department of Agriculture
     10. Department of Agricultural Extension
     11. Cooperative Promotion Department
     12. Agricultural Land Reform Office
     13. Office of Agricultural Economics
     14. National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards

In addition, the ministry is responsible for seven state enterprises:

     1. Forest Industry Organization
     2. Rubber Estate Organization
     3. Rubber Replanting Aid Fund
     4. Fish Marketing Organization
     5. Marketing Organization for Farmers
     6. Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand
     7. Thai Plywood Company Limited

2003 Reorganization
     In 2003, a Royal Decree transferred the Department of Forestry from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' roles were redefined to focus on agriculture, water resource management, irrigation system development, farmer promotion and development, cooperative system promotion and development, and the overall agricultural production process and agricultural products. The ministry's responsibilities, as defined by law, encompass all related functions assigned to it or its affiliated agencies.

Following this reorganization, the ministry comprised 13 government agencies:

     1. Office of the Minister
     2. Office of the Permanent Secretary
     3. Royal Irrigation Department
     4. Cooperative Auditing Department
     5. Department of Fisheries
     6. Department of Livestock Development
     7. Land Development Department
     8. Department of Agriculture
     9. Department of Agricultural Extension
     10. Cooperative Promotion Department
     11. Agricultural Land Reform Office
     12. Office of Agricultural Economics
     13. National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards

The number of state enterprises under its responsibility was reduced to five:

     1. Rubber Estate Organization
     2. Rubber Replanting Aid Fund
     3. Fish Marketing Organization
     4. Marketing Organization for Farmers
     5. Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand

     These changes were aimed at refining the ministry's focus on agricultural development and enhancing its effectiveness in managing the country's agricultural sector.