Ministers head up each department (

Ministers head up each department (ministry) of the government. Some ministries headed up by a Minister are:

Ministry of the Interior --police, local government agencies, immigration (but new legislation to be effective soon will place the police agencies as a separate body, The National Police, under the direct control of the Prime Minister, rather than in the Ministry of the Interior. That change has not yet taken effect.)

Ministry of Finance -financial affairs of the government, Banks, Finance Companies,

Including Thailand's so-called "Central Bank", the Bank of Thailand, which has its own governing board..

Ministry of Foreign Affairs --responsible for embassies and consulates, ambassadors, deals with foreign dignitaries representing foreign countries in Thailand

Ministry of Justice -- supervises appointment of judges, court administration. Presently seeking legislation to have the Attorney General Department and all prosecuting officials placed under the Ministry of Justice, rather than having them continue as an independent agency.

Ministry of Defense - Army, Navy, Air Force, Supreme Command

Ministry of Commerce -- dealing with businesses, exports, commercial matters

Ministry of Education -- primary and secondary schools, technical schools

Ministry of University Affairs - public and private universities

Ministry of Public Health - doctors, nurses, health clinics, hospitals

Ministry of Transportation and Communications - highways, local roads, communications, telephones, wire and wireless transmissions, mobile phones, pagers

Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment -- science, environmental protection, advanced technology and research

Ministry of Agriculture -- farms and farm products

Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare-regulation of wages, hours, employment conditions, supervises Social Security plan