Established in 2012, the Center of Excellence for Thai Music and Culture Research (CETMC) conducts fully funded research projects on royal court music, ritual music, folk music, music in the ASEAN region, and musical transmission, as well as urban culture research. Hosted by Department of Thai Music, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, the research center has become a model for other research units in the field. 

Research team members have published a wide range of textbooks and cited research articles, in addition to organizing annual seminars, and international symposiums on various topics.  The Center also serves to stimulate and train both young researchers and mid-career practitioners as well as master and doctoral students to conduct their research in accordance with international standards. Moreover, CETMC also collaborates with international organizations on research in music and Urban Culture Research.