Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is responsible for packaging and distributing the bulk of vaccine, serums and other biomaterials and sterilization liquid; conducting research and providing services in scientific tests; services concerning rabies; giving suggestions about bites from venomous animals; tropical diseases; and giving vaccine injections to people.
History
After the cremation of Queen Saovabha Bhonsri on 24 May 1920, King Vajiravudh, aware of his mother’s kindness and benevolence, wished to create something that would provide benefit to the public and continue to exist in Thailand as a way of honouring his mother; it would stand side by side with King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, which had been established to honour his father. So, the King dedicated land at the corner where Sanam Ma Road intersected with Rama IV Road, near King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, to the project. This land covered and area of 46 rai, 3 ngan and 71 squarewah. He also made a donation from his private funds in the sum of 258,000 Baht to The Thai Red Cross Society to have a building built on this land. This building was to be used as the offices of the Pasteur Institute, which had been founded in 1913 and was known by Thais as “Pastura Sabha”. It was under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior in the person of H.R.H. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab whose daughter, Momchaoying Banlusirisarn Diskul, had died from rabies. Members of the royal family and courtiers, of both the outer and the inner court, joined the King in giving financial donations, This money was spent in acquiring the furniture, equipment and tools. The building was in a European style but adapted to a hot climate. Its beauty and architectural value has resulted in its becoming a conserved building by the consent of the Association of Siamese Architecture under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the King.
Queen Savang Vadhana, President of The Thai Red Cross Society, also donated her private funds to have another building built to the north-east of the main office. This building was named the “Sabhanayika” building and it was used to produce smallpox culture and to breed animals. The Thai Red Cross Society had another building (the “Rajudis” Building) constructed as a subsidiary building, in the same way as the one in the northeasterly direction, to make the main building look more majestic, with the hope that it would attract more people to make a donation, which paid for the construction costs.
King Vajiravudh had this place renamed “Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute” and on 7 December 1922, he presided over the opening of the Institute. All the activities of the Division of Science at the Pasteur Institute on Bamrungmuang Road were transferred to the new institute.
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute
1871 RAMA IV Road, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Tel: (+66 2) 252 0161-4
Fax: (+66 2)254 0212
e-mail : [email protected]
Website : http://www.saovabha.com