National Intelligence Agency (Thailand)

The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) (Thai: สํานักข่าวกรองเเห่งชาติ) is a civilian intelligence and security agency of Thailand tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and conducting clandestine and covert operations. It serves as part of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).^[1][2]Its headquarters is in Paruskavan Palace, Bangkok.

It is one of three main entities in the Thailand Intelligence Community, along with Armed Forces Security Center (AFSC) and Special Branch Bureau (SBB), all three of which are responsible for clandestine and covert operations, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, executive protection, intelligence assessment, and intelligence gathering.

National Intelligence Agency is responsible for analysis and development intelligence gathering and counterintelligence systems to create national security, clandestine and covert operations, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, creation a civilian security network intelligence, executive protection (especially the Thailand prime minister), intelligence assessment, intelligence gathering, political warfare, support irregular warfare operations, and is the national's central intelligence affair for coordinating intelligence activities. Its director answers directly to the Prime Minister of Thailand and National Security Council (NSC).

On 1 January 1954, the Thai government established the Department of State Intelligence under the Council of Ministers of Thailand. Phao Sriyanond, then Director-General of the Royal Police Department (Thai: กรมตำรวจ) was appointed as the first Director-General of the new department.^[3]

Later, during the tenure of Sarit Thanarat, the Department of Administrative Intelligence was renamed the Department of Central Intelligence (กรมประมวลข่าวกลาง) on December 2, 1959. It was renamed again under the premiership of Prem Tinsulanonda as the National Intelligence Agency on August 30, 1985. Since then, it has served as the national intelligence agency directly under the Office of the Prime Minister.^[4]

In 1985, the "National Intelligence Act, B.E. 2528 (1985)" made the NIA the lead Thai intelligence agency.^[5] The reality as of 2016 was that seven Thai intelligence agencies—the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Armed Forces Security Center (AFSC), Army Military Intelligence Command (AMIC), Naval Intelligence Department (NID), Directorate of Intelligence, RTAF (INTELLRTAF), Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), and Special Branch Bureau (SBB)—mostly function independently of one another.^[6] In 2017, a plan was hatched to consolidate the efforts of 27 separate Thai intelligence agencies.^[1]

In 2019, the government implemented the "National Intelligence Act, B.E. 2562 (2019)," which marked a significant milestone. This act established the National Intelligence Coordination Center (NICC) as an agency within the National Intelligence Agency. The NICC's primary responsibility is to serve as a central hub for coordinating intelligence gathering and counterintelligence efforts with other domestic intelligence agencies and also public authorities.^[7]

The National Intelligence Agency has mission, authority and responsibility in 4 areas including

• Civilian security.
• Communication, technique and network intelligence.
• Internal and foreign counterintelligence.
• Internal and foreign intelligence mission.

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.

The FY2019 budget of the NIA is 717.8 million baht.^[2]