| Faculty of Law, Thammasat University | |
| Native Name: | คณะนิติศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ |
| Motto: | "The Chao Phraya flows incessantly, as do the morals of Niti Dome. The Children of the Dome shall light society with the justice we uphold." ("Dome" refers to the university) |
| Type: | Academic faculty of a public university |
| Parent: | Thammasat University |
| Administrative Staff: | 85 (teaching staff) |
| Dean: | Pokpong Srisanit, Associate Professor |
| Students: | 4,000 |
| City: | Bangkok |
| Country: | Thailand |
| Campus: | • Tha Phra Chan Campus No. 2, Phra Chan Road, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, 10200 14.0756°N 100.6172°W • Rangsit Campus No. 99, Village 18, Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng Subdistrict, Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani Province, 12120 • Lampang Campus No. 248, Village 2, Pong Yang Khok Subdistrict, Hang Chat District, Lampang Province, 52190 |
| Mascot: | Balance and Yellow Tiger |
| Colours: | White |
The Faculty of Law, Thammasat University (Thai: คณะนิติศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์;) is an administrative agency of the Thai government, being an academic faculty attached to Thammasat University, Ministry of Education. It is the second oldest university faculty in the country, preceded only by the Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University.[1] [2] [3] It has long played a major role in the politics of Thailand and among its graduates are many former prime ministers, ministers, senior government officers, judges, and other public figures.[4]
TU's faculty of law dates from the inception of the law school in 1907 by Prince Raphi Phatthanasak, Prince of Ratchaburi, 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 gave 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 Raphi 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 1933, 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:[5]
An open admissions university from the beginning, Thammasat offered only a "Bachelor of Jurisprudence" course.
On 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 has retained its previous evaluation system (point average system) as its system of educational assessment up to the present day.
In 2006, 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 the Rangsit campus in Pathum Thani Province.
In 2008, the Lampang campus of the university was established. The university announced the opening of a branch of the faculty of law there. Law courses began the following year. Would-be students at this campus are required to have completed secondary education and to be domiciled in the northern Thailand of the country. The university's direct admission system and the government's central admission system were melded together. Each year about 150 applicants are selected from the former system and another 50 from the latter system.[6]
| List of Thammasat University's Faculty of Law Deans[7] | ||
| Name | Years served | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nitisatphaisan (Wan Chamonman), Prof Phraya | 1949–1953 | |
| 2. Latphlithammaprakhan (Wong Latphli), Prof Phraya | 1953–1960 | |
| 3. Atthakariniphon (Sitthi Chunnanon), Prof Phraya | 1960–1968 | |
| 4. Sanya Dharmasakti, Prof | 1968–1971 | |
| 5. Chitti Tingsaphat, Prof | 1971–1974 | |
| 6. Acting Dean | 1974–1975 | |
| 7. Pridi Kasemsap, Prof | 1975–1976 | |
| 8. Acting Dean | 1976–1978 | |
| 9. Mana Phitthayaphon, Prof | 1978–1979 | |
| 10. Phaisit Phiphatthanakun, Prof | 1979–1982 | |
| 11. Kiatkhachon Watthanasak, Assoc Prof | 1982–1985 | |
| 12. Preecha Suwannathat, Assist Prof | 1985–1986 | |
| 13. Phanat Thatsaniyanon, Instructor | 1886–1988 | |
| 14. Prathan Watthanawanit, Assoc Prof | 1988–1991 | |
| 15. Somyot Chueathai, Assist Prof | 1991–1997 | |
| 16. Suthi Supphanit, Assoc Prof | 1997–1998 | |
| 17. Suthi Iamprayun, Assist Prof | 1998–2001 | |
| 18. Suraphol Nitikraipot, Prof | 2001–2004 | |
| 19. Kamchai Chongchakkraphan, Assoc Prof | 2004–2007 | |
| 20. Somkit Lertpaithoon, Prof | 2007–2010 | |
| 21. Surasak Likasitwatanakul, Prof | 2010–2013 | |
| 22. Narong Chaihan, Assoc Prof | 2013–2016 | |
| 23. Udom Rathamarit, Prof | 2016–2019 | |
| 24. Munin Pongsapan, Assoc Prof | 2019–2022 | |
| 25. Pokpong Srisanit, Assoc Prof | 2022–present | |
Note: Academic titles shown above are those at the time of assuming the dean's office, some of which may have later changed.
Thammasat University's Faculty of Law consists of the following academic centers:
Each year, the faculty has an intake of about 600–700 undergraduate students pursuing the four-year LL.B. programme, with a total enrollment of almost 2,000–3,000 students. 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.[8]
An LL.B. in business law is the first Undergraduate International Programme in Law of Thailand held at Tha Pra Chan campus. There are about 100–120 students per year. For admission of this programme, two tracks are offered: students can use the 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.)[9] [10] The programme is staffed by over 100 teachers with overseas experience from various jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Australia and Japan. Students are introduced to the philosophical foundations underlying the legal code 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".
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. Under the LL.M. programme, in an attempt to promote expertise in specific areas, eight 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 five terms (2.5 years).
The Faculty offers the one year Graduate Diploma Programme in Public Law, mostly for governmental officials, with an annual intake of up to 100 students. Some credits earned from this programme may be transferred to the LL.M. programme. The faculty also offers the Graduate Diploma Programme in Business Law which provides fields of concentration, e.g., "intellectual property" or "risk management and insurance".
At the doctoral level, admission is granted via an English test as well as a qualifying examination on a selected topic. This doctoral programme largely consists of independent research, although attendance at a Legal Methodology Class is compulsory.
Every August, the faculty organises an Exhibition of the Day Commemorating Prince Raphi. Each year, four male and four female students are elected by students to be exhibition ambassadors who perform ceremonial functions. Activities consist of laying a wreath before the prince's statue at the Supreme Court of Justice as a homage to the prince, Buddhist rites, academic forums on various topics usually concerning political and social events, a free legal clinic, academic competitions, and a moot court.[14] [15]