Historical Background
The idea to found the center for rabies prevention was conceived in 1912 by His Royal Highness Prince Damrong, whose daughter, Princess Banlusirisarn, had died of rabies because Thailand at that time had no place where people could go for vaccination. Prince Damrong proposed the idea to King Rama VI, who subsequently granted him permission to use Luang Building on Bamrung Muang Road as the center for producing and giving the vaccine. The center also incorporated the manufacturing of vaccine against smallpox in Nakorn Pathom and was officially opened on 26 October 1913. It was named the Pastura Institute after Louis Pasteur, who discovered vaccine against rabies. In August 1917, King Rama VI ordered that the institute be placed under the supervision of the Thai Red Cross Society instead of the Ministry of the Interior. In 1920, the King contributed his private property for the construction of a new building for the institute on Rama IV Road. He then named the place Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in honor of his mother and presided over the opening ceremony on 7th December 1922. The building has remained the institute's headquarter ever since.

Responsibilities
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is divided into 9 departments.     
1. Administrative Department     
- General administration
- Public relation
- Finance
- Logistic     
2. BCG Vaccine Department     
- Mycobacterium culture
- Production of BCG
- Production of tuberculin
- Research for new products     
3. Quality Assurance Department     
- Biochemistry laboratory
- Microbiology laboratory
- Animal laboratory     
4. Serum Production Department     
- Production of equine rabies immuoglobulin
- Production of snake antivenom     
5. Parenteral Fluid Department     
- Production of injection fluids
- Research for new development     
6. Clinical Service Department     
- Rabies and vaccine clinic
- Animal diagnostic clinic
- Clinical research

7. Research and Development Department     
- Research for product improvement
- Research for new products
- Research for diagnostic techniques
- Clinical and basic research

8. Horse and Laboratory Animal Breeding Center     
- Horse raising
- Laboratory animal raising
- Production of crude immunoglobulins

9. Snake Farm     
- Venom extraction
- Snake husbandry
- Public education