Tag: Thailand

Asst. Prof. Supawadee Tubklum, Nursing Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Thammasat University foresaw problems that arise after breast cancer surgery which affect patients both physically and mentally, thus led to the invention of innovative solutions ‘the devices to promote physical rehabilitation after breast cancer surgery’ by which the latest version won a gold medal from the International Innovation Competition “XXV Moscow International Inventions and Innovative Technologies Salon (ARCHIMEDES-2022)”, the largest international innovation exhibition in Eastern Europe. The innovation are in the process of authorizing grant protection from the Department of Intellectual Property.

Asst. Prof. Supawadee said that these devices, in addition to supporting arm physical therapy after surgery, promoting self-help, reducing postoperative complications such as frozen shoulders and reducing inflammation, they also increasing a sense of self-worth through the patient’s ability to support themselves in their daily lives. The innovation consists of 3 inventions:

1. Elastic bandage to restore movement of the arms and shoulder joints with a sensor to visualize the degree of the arm movement.

2. Bathroom routines self-help promotion bathrobe.

3. Waterproof bag for blood and lymphatic drainage bottles (Hands-free design)

All three devices help to systematically rehabilitate patients’ body after surgery, promote learning readiness and ability to exercise continuous arm and shoulder physical therapy and display visual feedback of the progression of arm movement degree, rejuvenate the body, prevent post-surgery complications along with mental rehabilitation to provide the patient a sense of self-worth, promote confidence in conducting various activities on their own and not feeling like having to rely on others’ assistance. The patients will have a state of mind that is ready to receive treatment consequently.

Thammasat University, Lampang Campus led by Assoc. Prof. Gasinee Witoonchart, Rector of Thammasat University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phipop Udon, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Supreeya Kaewla-iad, Vice Rector for Lampang Campus Administration and Law along with the university administrators, faculty administrators, and faculty members, jointly discussed with the heads of government agencies, heads of both public and private agencies to find ways to develop academic cooperation between Thammasat University, Lampang Campus, government, and private agencies in order to join in the integration of knowledge and resources in various fields between government agencies and the private sector by building a network of partners to exchange academic knowledge which covers both research, academic activities, academic service to society collaboration on issues of interest according to the identity and prominence of the organization as well as cooperation in other fields that will benefit agencies, communities and society in a sustainable way.

In addition, Thammasat University and Lampang Provincial Administrative Organization also agreed to prepare a memorandum of understanding for collaboration in academic activities such as joint research, special lectures and international academic conferences, promote academic exchanges and cooperation that are beneficial to both sides. This memorandum of understanding will serve as a framework for cooperation to facilitate further discussion of specific project cooperation.

As Thammasat University, Lampang Campus is part of Lampang Province and the policy of the university focuses on developing people’s potential to be the driving force of the country’s economy. Thammasat University has designed the curriculum in parallel with the emphasis on the strengths of Lampang Province to strengthen people in the area and Lampang Province which will impact Thailand in the end. Thammasat University, Lampang Campus will be an important mechanism for human potential development to be the driving force of the country’s economy along with the development of local communities. This is a great way to promote Thailand’s economic development in the future.

Thammasat Hospital achieved 200 knee and hip replacement surgery in 150 poor, elderly patients, while promoting its leadership in knee-hip joint replacement surgery with the plan to open “Thammasat Joint Replacement Center” which is considered an accumulation of surgical innovations and the introduction of robotic arm technology to assist in knee replacement surgery for the first time in a government hospital in Thailand. This will improve the accuracy of joint positioning and reduce injuries to surrounding tissues, as well as enhancing the quality of knee replacement surgery to be of international standard. It is expected that the center will be able to open in late June of the year 2022.

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nattapon Thammachot, Assistant Director of Physical Development, Thammasat Hospital said that throughout the “Join replacement for poor patients volunteering” reminds us that there are a large number of elderly patients in our country that still lack access to knee and hip replacement. This reflects the demographic structure of the country that is entering an aging society. This project has been initiated since the 85th anniversary of the founding of Thammasat University in 2019. This arose from the ideas of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pharuehas Tor-Udom, Director of the Hospital and Assoc. Prof. Gasinee Witoonchart, Rector of Thammasat University and working closely with the National Health Security Office (NHSO) with the aim of helping patients with knee and hip dysplasia in returning to have a better quality of life, and can assist themselves to live a happier life, and reduce the burden on the family. In addition, this also encourages medical personnel to have the opportunity to use their abilities to support society by joining as volunteers to help perform surgery outside office hours. This project has been ongoing for three years and within the first two years we made 100 replacements per year, but this year we have done 200 replacements in just four months from December 2021 to March 2022.

“Thammasat Joint Replacement Center” is one of the new special services of Thammasat Hospital as a one-stop service in order to provide convenience in receiving services and to focus on the best quality of treatment by a team of doctors who are specialized in patient care throughout the treatment pathway. This is to provide patients with a better treatment experience and receive a new, high-quality, long-lasting knee replacement according to the vision of Hospital 4.0 with modern service systems and innovative pain relief medical treatment, new surgical techniques with higher accuracy, such as the introduction of robotic arm technology to assist in such surgery,” concluded Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nattapon.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat, Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University received a grant from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) for research and development on the production of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition to reduce the burning of rice straw and rice stubble in the farmer community.

Later, continued to receive funding in conveying the production technology and the use of manure to farmers. The project was completed in early 2022 by operating in 10 provinces under cooperation with Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in 6 northeastern provinces, namely; Udon Thani, Roi Et, Buriram (2 areas), Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Amnat Charoen and the central region, namely; Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Nayok, the eastern Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University region in Chonburi Province. In every area, there will be pilot plots of 5 rai for operation demonstration and training to educate farmers on microorganisms’ production, expansion and preservation and the production of manure pellets to ensure that the farmers are able to start the production by themselves.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat, Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University revealed that it provided a household-sized fertilizer pelletizing machine to farmers, one per group, as a model for fertilizer production for the community until the results are extended in every area of ​​200 rai per area. As for the use of fertilizer pellets, after harvesting, the efficient microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition was sown at the rate of 100 kg/rai and then plowed over the rice stubble and straw and leave it for 14 days. During planting, when the rice produces grains, farmers then to inject the fermented water of the project with selected strains of microorganisms to increase the weight of the ear of rice. Most importantly, during the preparation of the planting area, no rice stubble is burned. Comparing to traditional cultivation methods, the use of microorganism-infused manure pellets provides beneficial results as follows:

1. Reduce environmental problems and PM 2.5 dust problems caused by burning stubble after the harvest season by about 50 percent.

2. The soil condition is more crumbly. This allows the rice roots to seek food better. Usually after harvesting, farmers would leave rice straw and rice stubble to dry in their fields for about 4-5 months, so the soil becomes dry and hard. Until the new planting season arrives, they began to plow and burn the rice straw and rice stubble to prepare the fields for planting. The project is grounded to providing advice on plowing shortly after harvesting and while the soil is still moist, the soil is looser than the farmer’s existing method applied.

3. The average rice yield increased by 26 percent/ rai according to the experiment in the Pathum Thani 1 rice plot in Ayutthaya province which can increase rice yield from 600 kg/rai to 760 kg/rai.

4. Reduce the use of fertilizer by about 800-1,200 baht/rai because throughout the planting season, there is fertilizer from rice straw and rice stubble. Farmers therefore does not require additional fertilizers.

5. As a result of reducing costs and increasing yields, farmers earn about 18% more income.

6. Farmers obtain additional income from the production and sale of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition. As far as we know, there are groups of farmers trained in Udon Thani province who are interested in producing microorganism-infused manure pellets for sale as supplementary income.

For future guidelines, there should be extension and campaigning for the use of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition to reduce production costs, increase income for farmers and encourage farmers to produce fertilizer for using in the community. As part of the project, about 400 farmers have been trained and all have the capacity to become role models for training and extending this knowledge to other farmers.

“Ohm-Yim (Smilingly) Team”, a team of students from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Thammasat University consists of Ms. Pornnaphat Tinamas, Ms. Suchanaree Saetan, Ms. Kanwara Yavichai and Mr. Naekin Wanthong, and the “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Team” consists of Miss Kasira Tangkunaporn, Miss Natcharee Sooksawat, Miss Nichaporn Na Phatthalung and Mr. Thachanan Chankaewrae won the first prize of the “Awareness and fundraising plan” contest for the Smile Foundation. The winners of both teams will be receiving an internship opportunity at Dexer Bangkok.

Today, we had an opportunity to interview one of the winning teams, the Merry Christmas and Happy New Year team. They mentioned that this awareness and fundraising plan arises from foreseeing the problem of fundraising from the COVID-19 pandemic and economic problems which affecting the amount of donations within the foundation to decline.

Thus, causing the idea of ​​fundraising plans under the concept “Smile for hope, Going above dreams” through the “Smile for Hope” campaign with the idea that “Not only are children suffering from cleft lips and cleft palate deserve good fortune, but in the wake of the coronavirus and the economic woes that are making it harder for working-age people to live. Those who donate in turn, deserve hope and encouragement in their daily lives.”

The “Smile for Hope” campaign is a campaign to raise funds for children with cleft lip and cleft palate with the main idea for the children in the foundation to be a part of giving through taking part in the design of various lucky charms, such as drawing and painting to be used as mobile wallpaper, and writing wishes and thank you message to be inserted into the Japanese Omamori amulet. Omamori is a small silk bag embroidered with beautiful patterns. The mouth of the bag can be opened. Inside, there are amulets made of paper and various incense to enhance good feelings, encouraging and providing hope to money donors amid the COVID-19 situation and economic downturn.

The team does hope that this campaign will be a part to help the foundation in becoming more reputed, and receiving donations that can be used to support a larger number of children. The team wishes to be another voice and allows people to realize that there are many children who have not been saved from cleft lip and cleft palate.