A Hospital

    The Bangkok military medical division moved into Phya Thai Palace in October 1932 and in 1946 the division was turned into a hospital occupying the whole palace.

    Since the palace was once the residence of King Vajiravudh, whose full title was Phrabat Somdet Phra Monkutklao Chao Yuhua, the Army sought and received permission to name the new hospital Phra Mongkutklao Hospital in honor of the late royal resident. The hospital was dedicated in a ceremony held on November 25, 1952, the anniversary of his death.

In 1969, the administrative unit of the Phra Mongkutklao Hospital moved out to a new building nearby. The Army Medical Department moved in and occupied the palace for twenty years until it was relocated in a new facility on Phya Thai Road, Ratchathevi District, in 1989. Phra Mongkutklao Medical Center then moved its office into the Palace. In the near future, these offices will become a museum open to the public. The Department of Fine Arts registered Phya Thai Palace as Thai National Heritage Site on January 12, 1979, and this was announced in the Royal Gazette. Vol. 96, Part 15, on February 6, 1979.