The headquarters is the supreme command of the armed forces and therefore at the apex of the military in Thailand.

Temporary personnel were called from their existing units and released after conflict subsided in 1945.

The Defence Staff Department was also created to serve as the commander's administrative office.

During the 1960s, the government saw the establishment of the permanent Supreme Command Headquarters as a necessity for the preparation of military forces and national defense.

This action originally created four groups of agencies within the Supreme Command Headquarters: Staff, Special Services, Combat Support, and Education.