KKU grants Honorary Doctorate Degrees and honorary awards 2019

On December 4, 2019 at Pullman Khon Kaen Raja Orchid Hotel, Khon Kaen University hosted the Congratulatory Reception Ceremony for the 12 recipients of the Honorary Doctorate Degrees, the Golden Phra That Phanom, Outstanding Alumnus Award, Sri Mo Din Dang Award, and Sri Kalapruek Award 2019. On this occasion, it was an honor to have Dr. Tej Bunnag, Deputy Chairman of the University Council, remarking opening speech as well as congratulating the recipients on the awards; and Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul (M.D.), Acting President of Khon Kaen University, congratulating the recipients on the awards and presenting souvenirs to them. Moreover, the donated money amounted to 1,000,000 baht was given to Srinagarind Day Fund under the royal patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Under the theme of Hope and Help: Life is hopeful from the power of giving, the donation was presented by Mr. Sunthorn Arunanondchai, a member of University Council, and the representative receiving the donation was Assoc. Prof. Songsak Kiatchoosakun (M.D.), Acting Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Members of University Council, KKU administrators, entourages, and staff also participated in the event filled with congratulatory wishes. 

Dr. Tej Bunnag stated, “It’s my honor to join the congratulatory ceremony for the recipients of Honorary Doctorate Degrees and honorary awards in this year. Khon Kaen University Council has recognized your precious work which is greatly beneficial. You have dedicated to the university as well as society, and shown work including personal morals. You are therefore deserved to be honored on this occasion. Congratulations on the awards all of you have received. Your awards today will be encourage and support you to keep doing great things for Khon Kaen University, society, and Thailand.”

Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul revealed, “I’m so honored that everyone attends the ceremony today. On behalf of Khon Kaen University, I’d like to express my admiration and congratulate you on the Honorary Doctorate Degrees, the Golden Phra That Phanom, Outstanding Alumnus Award, Sri Mo Din Dang Award, and Sri Kalapruek Award 2019. Each of you has done many great things and brought fame to Khon Kaen University, so you are deserved to be honored. Congratulations on the awards representing pride and great honor of Khon Kaen University. Thank you everyone for dedicating your time to help, support, and develop Khon Kaen University as well as the northeastern region; and for making the university both nationally and internationally accepted. I hope that these awards can encourage you to continue creating work as a role model for the benefit of people in Khon Kaen University and Thailand. 

In 2019, Khon Kaen University Council approved Honorary Doctorate Degrees and honorary awards as follow:

1. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Laws was conferred to Special Professor Jaran Pakdeetanakul. He is an important person in the field of law. Remaining in the position of a judge, he has been a role model of judge complying with judicial ethics.
2. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Nursing was conferred to Professor Emeritus Wichit Srisuphan. She is a pioneer of research and lecturer development in the field of control and prevention of nosocomial infections as well as infections in communities. What she has started was finally became Master’s Degree of Nursing offering Infection prevention and control Program for the first time in Asia.
3. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Science in Parasitology was conferred to Prof. Paul J. Brindley. He is a professor of Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, the USA. With plenty of research, he is also a foreign advisor of students enrolling in the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program of National Research Council of Thailand and the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University; and teaches master as well as Ph.D. courses regarding tropical diseases. 
4. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Architecture was conferred to Assoc. Prof. Vichit Klungboonkrong. He has produced academic architecture work in the forms of textbook, articles, international presentation of his research done with the Faculty of Applied Art and Architecture of Ubon Ratchathani University and World Crafts Council, and the research on various subjects –uniqueness of houses in the area of Mekong River in Nakhon Phanom Province, and culture including way of life around Pha Taem to become one of world heritage sites. Moreover, he has won a lot of international design awards. 
5. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Engineering was conferred to Asst. Prof. Thanet Weerasiri. He is a great expert in engineering, especially fixing leaning buildings by his self-study and developed it further until he could find the way to lift 5-story concrete building. He also invented the method to lift a building with brick bearing wall by the use of arch system transferring the force so that the hundreds of years of brick building with no reinforcement could be lifted. He has already registered petty patent of his composite pile supporting mixed forces. Moreover, he invented the method to arrange stones of Panomwan Stone Castle, which is over 1,000 years old, in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.      
6. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Agriculture was conferred to Mr. Banterng Wongkusolkit. He introduced the innovation called Mitrphol Modern Farm to sugar cane planting and increased its volume. Collaborating with Mitrphol Innovation and Research Center, he, who innovated and developed Mitrphol Modern Farm, also developed new species of sugar cane for farmers so that consumers can have more variety of sugar products. 
7. Honorary Doctorate Degree of Music was conferred to Mrs. Wandee Pontongsatit. She is an expert in Mo Lam, traditional Isan folk song. In 2005, she was selected as “the 4th group of Thai wisdom teachers of arts” by Office of the Education Council. Working with lecturers of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University, she developed Local Music and Performance Program to be taught for the first time in KKU. She also conducted research on arts regarding Lam Tia Nontan Performance.

Honorary awards 2019

1. The Golden Phra That Phanom Award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kittichai Triratanasirichai, the former President of Khon Kaen University for 2 consecutive terms. With his wide knowledge of administration, research, and education, he is nationally and internationally accepted, confirming with various honorary awards he had received – National Best Cooperative Education 2015 for best international Cooperative Education from the 6th Thailand’s Cooperative Education, NACC Integrity Awards 2016 and 2018, Thailand Quality Class 2018, and the best university in Thailand in category of Social Impact Ranking 2019 by Time Higher Education (THE), showing Khon Kaen University in the 15th-40th place of Asia’s rank and 100th-200th of the world.
2. Outstanding Alumnus Award was presented to Mr. Decha Siripat. For more than 30 years, he has never stopped inventing things and learning, especially sustainable agriculture. He keeps learning both in Thailand and other countries and always comes up with simple, practical innovation that can help improve poor farmers’ quality of life when he combined the theory of sufficiency economy with his innovation.
3. Sri Mo Din Dang Award for the category of academic staff was presented to Prof. Wanchai Watthanasap (M.D.), former President of Khon Kaen University. With his knowledge, talent, morals, and specialty in conflict management, he is nationally and internationally recognized in the field of academic aspect. He also plays an important role in developing and solving conflict situations, such as conflict between petrochemical plant and local people; and encouragement of participation from different parties in Special Economic Zones – Sakaeo, Sadao, and Mae Sod. In addition, he was granted New Zealand Order of Merit in the name of Queen Elizabeth by New Zealand government. To develop the economy along Mekong River, he is the founder and was the Director of Mekong Institute; and the Director of the Office for Peace and Governance, King Prajadhipok’s Institute. 
4. Sri Mo Din Dang Award for the category of staff who is an expert in specific field of knowledge was presented to Miss Kanchana Simacharuek. She has outstanding role in managing and developing information system for efficient nursing management. Because of the collaboration between Miss Kanchana and Pediatrics Department, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has succeeded for the first time in the northeastern region. The transplantation has been developed so much that transplantation ward was opened for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients.
5. Sri Kalapruek Award 2019 for present students was presented to Mr. Suthichon Ratanayatikul from the Faculty of Dentistry. He has received plenty of national as well as international awards and made fame to Khon Kaen University. In 2016, he participated in International Dental Physiology Quiz (IDPQ) in Malaysia; he joined the competition for dentistry research presentation at the 17th Conference of the Dental Faculty Consortium of Thailand in 2018. In 2019, he participated in the Asia-Pacific Dental Academic Excellence Competition (APDAXc) and became the 2nd runner-up of 3 categories of competition. He is also one of designers and inventors of “tools emitting adjustable light wave for cell culture plates.” 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maitree Inprasitha, Vice President for Education stated that the criteria for Khon Kaen University’s Honorary Doctorate Degrees and honorary awards 2019 consisted of the following qualifications:

General qualifications:

1. The recipient has dedicated himself/herself to society and public benefit for his/her entire life. 
2. The recipient deserves to be honored due to his/her morals, work ethics, and way of life.
3. The recipient has brought fame to Khon Kaen University and Thailand in general.  

Additional qualifications:

4. The recipient of Honorary Doctorate Degrees must be an expert of the field of knowledge he/she is granted the degree.

The recipient of The Golden Phra That Phanom Award must provide meritorious services to the northeastern region and Thailand in general.

News: Chutinan Panjarung
Photos: Attapong Hampong

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