BANGKOK — The Thai House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution Wednesday to rename the Crown Property Bureau to the Crown Property Office, with 454 votes in favor, 2 abstentions, and no opposition votes. The change restores a historic name dating back to Thailand’s absolute monarchy era.
The legislation sailed through three readings in a single day using an expedited process that drew criticism from opposition lawmakers, who questioned the government’s rush to pass the measure despite having no objections to the substance of the bill.
Opposition Questions Rapid Legislative Process
Opposition leader Nattapong Ruangpanyawut of the People’s Party said his caucus supports the name change but strongly disagreed with the Cabinet’s decision to fast-track the legislation through a full House committee rather than following normal parliamentary procedures.
“This important law requires thorough consideration,” Nattapong told the House. “If it is a bill related to the institution of the head of state, our parliament should consider it meticulously and cautiously to avoid any suspicion or questions among the public.”
The Crown Property Office will oversee royal assets estimated at more than 1 trillion baht as of 20 years ago, making it one of Thailand’s most significant financial institutions. The agency manages both institutional royal assets and the monarch’s personal holdings.
Historical Context and Recent Changes
The name change reverses terminology introduced during Thailand’s military government era. In 2018, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) enacted the Royal Assets Organization Act, which consolidated oversight of both personal and institutional royal assets under a single entity and changed the traditional term “royal assets” to “assets in His Majesty.”
Nattapong explained that previous Thai monarchs maintained a clear distinction between personal assets, managed at the king’s discretion, and institutional assets, overseen by the Crown Property Bureau. The 2018 military-era law blurred this separation by placing both categories under royal discretion.
“The real substance of this law is merely a name change,” Nattapong said, noting that the fundamental management structure established in 2018 remains unchanged.
Government Defends Royal Institution
United Thai Nation Party MP Juti Krairiksh defended both the legislation and the expedited process, emphasizing the importance of the monarchy to Thailand’s democratic system.
“Nation, religion, and monarchy are extremely important to a democratic system with the King as head of state,” Juti said. He argued that royal asset management has consistently benefited Thai citizens, citing the king’s support for 37,000 ethnic minority children along Thailand’s borders and a recent 20 million baht donation to restore a hospital damaged by fire.
Constitutional Monarchy Framework
The People’s Party leader stressed his party’s commitment to Thailand’s constitutional monarchy system while calling for careful legislative procedures around royal matters.
“We will act to protect the constitutional monarchy, or democracy where the King is under the constitution,” Nattapong said. “We will be careful not to allow any law to be criticized or questioned as an attempt to deviate from this framework, where the King reigns but does not rule.”
The legislation now moves forward as part of efforts to align current institutional names with historical Thai royal traditions while maintaining the management structure established during the military government period.
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