About Us
The SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA) promotes professional competence, awareness and preservation of cultural heritage, in the fields of archaeology and fine arts in Southeast Asia. It is a regional centre constituted in 1985 from the SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts, which provided the acronym ‘SPAFA’. The Centre is part of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), an international organization dedicated to promoting co-operation in education, science and culture in Southeast Asia.
Member Countries
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Lao PDR
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Vietnam
Associate Member Countries
- Australia
- Canada
- Germany
- France
- New Zealand
- Netherlands
- Spain
- United Kingdom
Founding Purposes
Cultivate awareness and appreciation of cultural heritage through collaborations.
Promote archaeological and cultural activities.
Further professional competence in archaeology and fine arts.
Advance mutual understanding among the countries of Southeast Asia.
Our History
1971
ARCAFA
SEAMEO initiation for establishing a Centre for applied research in archeology and fine arts (ARCAFA = Applied Research Centre in Archeology and Fine Arts).
1973
Establishment of ARCAFA
1978
SEAMEO re-established ARCAFA as a SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA). A co-ordinating unit was based in Bangkok, with three sub-centres in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei became members later, followed by Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
1981
SPAFA became a permanent project
1985
The SPAFA project was reconstituted into a Centre, the SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA). The Government of Thailand agreed to host the Regional Centre at the SEAMEO Secretariat building (the acronym, SPAFA, is based on the project name, ‘SEAMEO Project in Archaeology and Fine Arts’).
1993
Inauguration of the SEAMEO SPAFA building as the headquarters of the regional centre. The newly-built SEAMEO SPAFA building was inaugurated by H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The Centre Directors
| Name | Tenure of Office |
| Mr Khemchat Thepchai | 1 October 2022 – Present |
| Mrs Somlak Charoenpot | 2019 – 2022 |
| Dr M.R. Rujaya Abhakorn | 2010 – 2019 |
| Dr Pisit Charoenwongsa | 1999 – 2010 |
| Dr Ruang Charoenchai | 1993 – 1998 |
| Prof. M.C. Subhadradis Diskul | 1987 – 1993 |
