Royal Society

Since 2015 AD, the name of the national academy of Thailand, i.e. the institute in charge of academic works and publications of the Thai government (fig.), and which in Thai is known as Racha Bandit Thayasapha (ราชบัณฑิตยสภา). Before 2015, it was known as Racha Bandit Tayasathaan (ราชบัณฑิตยสถาน), i.e. the Royal Institute, which itself was an offshoot from the Royal Society of Siam, which was initially established on 19 April 1926 AD (2469 BE). However, on 31 March 1933 AD (2476 BE), the Royal Society of Siam was disbanded and whilst its academic divisions became the Royal Institute of Thailand, its archaeological divisions were incorporated into the Fine Arts Department. Though 31 March 1933 AD is the official date on which the Royal Society of Siam was disbanded, the foundation of the Royal Institute of Thailand was not officially enacted until 24 April 1934. For this reason, a Thai postage stamp commemorating the society's 60th Anniversary was issued on 31 March, yet in the year 1994 AD (2537 BE - fig.). The society is widely known for its official roles in the planning and regulation of the Thai language, as well as its many publications, above all the Royal Institute Dictionary, the official and prescriptive dictionary of the Thai language, as well as the Royal Thai General System of Transcription, the official system for Romanizing Thai words. The society's emblem consists of the Royal Crown (fig.) over a sword, which represents wisdom, behind an open book surrounded with radsami-like beams of light and bearing the word bandit, indicating erudition, as well as a ribbon bearing the name of the society (fig.). See MAP. 回