The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage
Thailand's oldest learned society preserving and promoting Thai and regional arts, culture, and natural history since 1904
The Siam Society Under Royal Patronage is one of Thailand's oldest and most respected cultural institutions, founded in 1904 to promote knowledge of Thailand and its neighboring countries in the fields of arts, culture, history, and natural history. The Society operates under royal patronage and has long served as a meeting point for scholars, diplomats, and members of the public interested in the region's heritage.
Based in Bangkok on Asoke Montri Road (Sukhumvit 21), the Society maintains a public research library, hosts regular lectures and study trips, and stages cultural performances. Its grounds include the Kamthieng House Museum, a traditional 19th-century Northern Thai teak house relocated to Bangkok and preserved as a museum of vernacular life, alongside the neighboring Saeng Aroon House.
The Society publishes two long-running scholarly journals: the Journal of the Siam Society (JSS), first issued in 1904 and one of Asia's oldest continuously published academic journals, and the Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society (NHBSS). Through its Siamese Heritage Trust, it also works to digitize and safeguard archival material relating to Thai and Southeast Asian history.
- Public lectures and study trips on Thai history, art, and culture
- Kamthieng House Museum, a preserved traditional Northern Thai residence
- Research library open to members and visitors
- Publisher of the Journal of the Siam Society and the Natural History Bulletin
For visitors and researchers exploring Thai culture, and for businesses or institutions seeking a credible partner on heritage and cultural programming, the Siam Society remains a central reference point in Bangkok.