Underwater Archaeology Division (UAD)
Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture
Established in 1974, the Underwater Archaeology Division of the Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture, is a unique governmental division responsible for conservation and manangement of Underwater Cultural Heritage in Thailand. The Division has worked in collaboration with the Royal Thai Navy, SEAMEO‐SPAFA (the Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts of the Southeast Asian Minister of Education Organization) and the Faculty of Archaeology of the Silpakorn University.
The Division has more than adequate human and technical capacity, namely,
Professional staff of 2 maritime archaeologists and a diving team of ex‐navy personnel, fully equipped with necessary dive equipment (including SSE, re‐breather and trimix), materials, and finds handling tools, operating under high safety standard; and
Fully eqipped necessary equipments and facilities, namely, dive equipments, a fully-equipped diving boat (capacity of up to 30 persons) with its own decompression chamber and inflatable boat, a conservation laboratory.
Furthermore, the location of the UAD office that allows easy transportation of trainees to and from the National Maritime Museum, the Royal Navy swimming pool facility (used for site survey practicing) and the Centre, trainees' accommodation and classroom.
Conservation laboratory of UAD
© A.Kolesnikov/UNESCO