Tag: Thailand

“Being a leader of a university that learns from real experiences” is a significant milestone throughout the tenure of Professor Dr. Supasawad Chardchawarn, Rector of Thammasat University (TU), who aims to reform the human resource development system in Thailand to ensure it is “truly effective” in supporting the country’s economic and social development.

Amid a global “crisis within a crisis,” including a workforce shortage, Thailand faces challenges, compounded by a two-year high 2.1% unemployment rate (Q2 2025) and demographic shifts toward an aging society. For the past 19 months, Professor Dr. Supasawad has focused on elevating the university through partnerships. Domestic collaborations include MOUs with Siam Cement Group, the Federation of Thai Industries, and Gulf Energy Development for cooperative education. Internationally, the focus is on expanding relationships, including student exchange and Dual Degree programs, to achieve international standards, foster knowledge sharing, become a Comprehensive University, and transform human resource production.

In 2025, Professor Dr. Supasawad stated that there have been travels to various countries to discuss cooperation in the field of education. In Japan, visits were made to three universities: the University of Hyogo, Hokkaido University, and Rakuno Gakuen University. The latter two universities are partners in collaboration and the organization of the One Health Lecture Series 2025. All the universities expressed their desire to visit Thammasat University to enhance cooperation in higher education. The University of Hyoko aims to increase international students, offering high school quotas. Learning Thammasat University has a secondary school, they expressed interest in a visit, scholarships, and recruiting students from the Thammasat Demonstration School. Separately, the President of Hokkaido University, specializing in agriculture and health sciences, also plans to visit Thammasat University in 2026.

Thammasat University will attend the Beijing Forum 2025 in China, invited by Peking University President Gong Qihuang, to discuss and strengthen global academic cooperation, particularly in science, technology, and AI. This builds on existing bilateral ties. Additionally, TU visited three universities in Uzbekistan, Tashkent State University of Law, Samarkand State University, and the National University of Uzbekistan (which has an existing education MOU), to expand relations with the resource-rich nation. Professor Dr. Supasawad noted that expanding relations with Uzbekistan enhances knowledge, attracts international students, and serves as a gateway to Central Asia. Thammasat currently holds 171 active MOUs with foreign institutions: 55 in Europe, 135 in Asia, 10 in Oceania, 1 in Africa, 3 in Latin America, and 18 in North America.

In 2026, Thammasat University (TU) will expand relations with China and Indonesia. Collaboration with China seeks technological partnerships, especially in AI, and increased Chinese student enrollment, capitalizing on their rapidly growing universities. Indonesia is a key target due to its population and TU’s reputation as a top Southeast Asian university, aiming to attract Indonesian students. These efforts support TU’s goal to become a regional educational hub and an international center for social sciences.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Worawan Marurngsith Diaz Carballo is a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University (TU), Lampang Campus. She has been selected by the world’s largest professional organization in the field of computing, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), as one of the People of ACM for the year 2025. This recognition is awarded to individuals who contribute to advancing and shaping the future of the global computing industry, making her the first person from Thailand and the ASEAN region to receive this honor.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Worawan was selected for her work promoting supercomputer utilization through the HPC Ignite project. This initiative developed high-performance computing (HPC) skills for 373 people in four northern provinces (Lampang, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, and Lamphun) to foster local innovation and address regional issues. Supported by NRCT, ThaiSC, and Thammasat University, the project addresses the need for skilled operators alongside supercomputing technology to boost national economic competitiveness. Supercomputers accelerate calculations, speeding up product development (e.g., Google DeepMind’s 800-year knowledge search in 17 days). Recognizing that only a small group in Thailand currently uses available supercomputers, this project is the first to connect this powerful technology to the general public. She further stated that the aforementioned research project is not merely about skill development but is aimed at creating an ecosystem to train skills in High-Performance Computing (HPC) for individuals who may not have the opportunity to access supercomputers. Some participants in the research project come from areas that frequently experience power outages, lack learning devices at home, and only have access to mobile phones. The research team has therefore developed a website for learning that can be accessed via mobile phones, which includes features for practical training, learning, and matching skill goals, as well as recommending learning pathways. 

Asst. Prof. Dr. Worawan noted that the research project’s ecosystem for skill development, including a learning system website, was effective. This website was used during the ACM HPC Summer School to ensure trainees without necessary equipment could participate equally. The platform has thus benefited both Thailand and the global community.

These achievements, including research projects and crucial access to supercomputers in Thailand, rely on Thammasat University’s support. Furthermore, Thammasat’s consistent participation and awards in the APAC-HPC AI Competition have led ThaiSC to grant them supercomputer access.

“Being named a People of ACM is highly significant,” Asst. Prof. Dr. Worawan concluded. “It acts as a catalyst, encouraging a wide audience to grasp the vital role of supercomputers and see them not as an abstract concept. Crucially, it inspires nations globally to bolster their specialized workforce. This enhancement in capacity allows each country to independently drive innovations, including AI development, ultimately bringing substantial national benefits. Moreover, this recognition solidifies Thammasat University’s dedication to supporting its personnel and serving society.”

‘Nan-Nunnaphat Pongwitoon,’ a fourth-year student majoring in Spanish and Latin American Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Thammasat University, has been selected as the sole youth representative of Thailand to participate in the 20th Conference of Youth (COY20) and is one of the nine Thai youths who will attend the 30th UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP30) from November 5-19, 2023, in Belém, Federative Republic of Brazil, which serves as an international forum on climate change. She stated that this year she has the opportunity to serve as the Project Manager for the Local Conference of Youth Thailand 2025, which is an environmental conference organized by Thai youth for Thai youth. The event aims to gather the voices of Thai youth to create a youth statement to be forwarded to the YOUNGO network at COY20 and COP30. Consequently, she has the chance to participate in the Conference of Youth (COY20), which is a global youth conference on climate change, as the sole representative from Thailand.

The Department of Climate Change and Environmental Affairs, with support from the Global Fund for Children, enabled Nunnaphat’s participation as a youth representative at the COP30 side events. She effectively participated in the “Youth Participation in Climate Policy” discussion, sharing policy advocacy experiences with peers from the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan. This exchange highlighted diverse methods, including social campaigns, government collaboration, and legal action. She concluded that promoting youth involvement in environmental issues is vital, as it empowers future societal drivers and upholds the fundamental human right to a quality, just, and fair environment. Through global youth exchange, Nunnaphat realized environmental issues link to social inequality, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups regarding pollution, climate change, and eco-friendly alternatives—a key call for Climate Justice at COP.

“My background in Spanish and Latin American studies provides the language skills and historical context to connect environmental issues between Southeast Asia and Latin America more effectively,” Nunnaphat concluded. COP30 was vital not just for policy learning, but also highlighted education’s role and youth involvement in shaping a sustainable future.

Thammasat University is researching “Thai textiles in Tambon Ko, Lamphun Province” (within Mae Ping National Park) to promote community sustainability. The initiative aims to add value through new patterns, tailoring, and innovations, supporting the fashion industry and creative economy in line with Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother’s royal initiatives.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Wuthigrai Siriphon, Assoc. Dean, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University, noted the continuous growth of Thailand’s creative economy, projected to exceed 1.44 trillion baht in 2024 and create nearly 1 million jobs, particularly in the in-demand fashion and textile sectors. This growth is attributed to the Queen Mother’s initiatives, which established a complete ecosystem for Thai textiles, promoting usage and stable professions.

The research team, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Wuthigrai and Dr. Nalinee Nattithammakorn, is developing a holistic design concept for community handicraft products, focusing on textiles from Ko Subdistrict, the only community in Mae Ping National Park. This supports local livelihoods, enhances product value, and promotes appropriate natural resource use to reduce wildfire and PM2.5 risks.

Ko Subdistrict’s community uniquely controls its textile production process from upstream (cotton cultivation) to downstream (sales). The research provides knowledge, skill development (pattern design, sewing), and natural dyeing techniques (Padauk and Pegaga bark) to create new garment lines and income, along with providing equipment.

These efforts have enhanced skills, increased product variety, value, and income, and utilize environmentally friendly production, aligning with SDGs (Goals 11, 12, and 15). The resulting garments have been exhibited at various events, including Bangkok Design Week and the National Research Expo, and will be shown at Chiangmai Design Week.

Currently, the textile creations are part of the rotating sustainability exhibition (SDGs) Phase 2, “Sustainable Cities and Communities,” featuring over 40 works from social sciences and humanities faculties. The exhibition runs from November 2025 to February 2026 at the SDG Lab, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Interested individuals can book a visit online. The exhibition covers five zones: Climate Change, Sustainable Cities, Circular Economy, Agriculture/Food/Health, and Diversity/Equity/Inclusion.

Thammasat University, international experts, and ASMG are developing new ASEAN guidelines for H. pylori treatment, supporting the region’s advancement towards becoming a Medical Hub.

The Center of Excellence for Gastrointestinal Diseases at Thammasat University (TU), in collaboration with the ASEAN Stomach and Microbiota Study Group (ASMG) and a panel of international experts in gastrointestinal diseases, has developed the “Bangkok Consensus 2025 on the Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection.” This document has been ratified as a standard guideline for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection at the ASEAN level, aiming to enhance the quality of treatment for this pathogen, which is a significant cause of chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers, and gastric cancer, thereby improving efficiency while ensuring appropriate budget utilization in both Thailand and ASEAN.

Prof. Dr. Ratha-korn Vilaichone, M.D., Head of the Center of Excellence in Academic Gastroenterology at Thammasat University and Secretary-General of ASMG, stated that H. pylori is a bacterium that is contracted through food and can be easily transmitted through shared items. Poor diet, like eating grilled foods or having few fruits and vegetables, contributes to the bacteria developing into more severe diseases. However, successful treatment significantly lowers the risk of developing these diseases, including stomach cancer. The risk of reinfection is also low due to improved immunity. Testing for the bacteria is simple and available through methods such as urine, blood, or breath tests.

In Thailand, over 20 million individuals are infected with H. pylori. The ASEAN region, with a population of 700-800 million, estimates 200-300 million infections, while globally, 2-3 billion people are infected. Critically, 7-15% of those infected may develop severe, potentially fatal diseases. Effective H. pylori eradication is essential to prevent severe illnesses like gastric cancer and ulcers. Collaborative ASEAN efforts are needed to establish unified guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring, offering a key academic partnership opportunity for Thailand.

Prof. Dr. Ratha-korn announced this approved framework is ASEAN’s second, updating the 2018 guidelines. Key changes include incorporating country-specific antibiotic resistance data, regional treatment formula adjustments (boosting efficacy from 60-70% to over 90%), emphasizing new molecular diagnostics, and focusing on preventing recurrence and long-term surveillance for gastric cancer. Thailand will promote these guidelines nationally, using them to reference adjustments for H. pylori reimbursement criteria across the Universal Health Coverage system, ensuring effective citizen access. Other ASEAN and Asian countries can adapt these guidelines based on their national context and drug resistance data.

Furthermore, in the recent past and currently, Thailand has been recognized as a destination for many countries around the world seeking medical treatment, due to its high-quality healthcare that is on par with international standards, yet at a lower cost than in many other countries. Therefore, if Thailand continues to advance in medical technology or innovation, along with possessing strong knowledge and a solid academic foundation, it will help attract more foreign nationals to seek services in Thailand, thereby generating revenue for the country and positioning Thailand as an international medical hub.

Prof. Dr. Varocha Mahachai, M.D., Chair of ASMG, announced that this Thammasat-supported, Thai-led treatment guideline is a new and effective dimension for ASEAN healthcare. They aim for international publication in a journal like the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology to establish it as a fourth primary global guideline, alongside the existing three (Maastricht, American, and Asia-Pacific).

Professor Kentaro Sugano of Jichi Medical University, Japan, noted that despite the release of “Helicobacter pylori management in ASEAN: The Bangkok consensus I” in 2018, the first regional H. pylori treatment guideline, significant advances have occurred. H. pylori remains a major health challenge. This revised guideline is essential for ASEAN countries to treat infections appropriately and contribute to global knowledge. He emphasized that ASEAN-specific guidelines are necessary because Western approaches are insufficient due to regional differences in prevalence and medical resources.