Number of countries including Thailand earnestly and continuously established and developed intelligence agencies after the end of World War II. The geopolitical situation in Asia especially communist threat was the
key factor to establish a national intelligence agency in Thailand. The United States perceived that Thailand was the most suitable strategic area in Mainland South East Asia to fight against communist threat. Thus,
the Thai government, led by Field Marshal Poh Pibulsongkram, was under geopolitical pressure and had unavoidably to adjust policies to comply with the US support for Southeast Asian nations to counter communist.
Thailand was first established a national intelligence agency established as “the Department of State Intelligence” by virtue of the Royal Decree for the Regulation of the Department of State Intelligence, the Cabinet Bureau in Charge of Politics, under the Prime Minister’s Office B.E. 2497 (1954).
The Department of State Intelligence” established as by virtue of the Royal Decree for the Regulation of the Department of State Intelligence, the Cabinet Bureau in Charge of Politics, under the Prime Minister’s Office B.E. 2497 (1954). In 1959, the name of “the Department of State Intelligence” had been changed to “the Department of Central Intelligence” in order to be consistent with the Department’s roles and duties as mentioned in Section 3 of the Governmental Organization of the Prime Minister’s Office Act B.E.2502 (1959) announced in the Government Gazette dated 1th December 1959. The Act specified that the powers and duties of the Department of State Intelligence shall be transferred to the Department of Central Intelligence. Moreover, the Department of Central Intelligence would work with the National Security Council and Intelligence Advisory Committee.
Thailand was first established a national intelligence agency which assembled to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States by dividing the internal and foreign intelligence. Nevertheless, the first Thai national intelligence agency had a unique characteristic as it merged foreign intelligence agency and counter foreign intelligence agency into one organization
After other government offices had improved and expanded a great deal, the Department of Central Intelligence had an intention to improve the law in order to be
1) in line with the concepts and principles in establishing national-level organization that staff agencies of the Prime Minister report directly to the Prime Minister
2) to be consistent with the wider scope of work of the Department of Central Intelligence as a national intelligence not only department intelligence
3) to deal more with strategic intelligence not tactical intelligence
4) to be designated as a national civil security organization.
Thus, the Thai government enacted the National Intelligence Agency Act B.E. 2528 (1985) on 20th August, 1985 and the name of the Department of Central Intelligence has changed to “the National Intelligence
Agency (NIA)” since 30th August, 1985.
The National Intelligence Agency has mission, authority and responsibility in 4 areas including
1) Internal and foreign intelligence mission
2) Internal and foreign counter-intelligence
3) Communication, technique and network Intelligence
4) Civilian security.
Moreover, the National Intelligence Agency is a center of intelligence affair coordination to serve the requirements of the government, Office of the National Security Council,
and also relevant government agencies.