Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
on 21 December 2007 conferred H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun, former Prime Minister of Thailand, the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (honoris causa) at the Asian Institute of Technology’s (AIT) 108th Graduation Ceremony.H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun was recognized for his outstanding contributions as a diplomat, business executive, constitution writer, and twice Prime Minister of Thailand. Importantly for AIT, he was a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The citation was read by Dr. Tej Bunnag, Chairman, AIT Board of Trustees.
At the commencement exercise held at the AIT campus in Pathumthani, HRH Princess Sirindhorn also conferred Master’s degrees and Doctoral degrees on 181 AIT graduates and gave the graduation address.
Also addressing the graduates and audience were HE Mr. Anand Panyarachun, AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust, and the most outstanding student, Ms. Laongtip Wanasuwannakul, who received a master’s degree in International Public Management.
Reflecting its highly international character, AIT’s 108th batch of graduates hailed from 19 countries. The institute now has more than 15,000 degree-holding alumni and over 23,000 alumni of short-term training courses from more than 70 countries.
The gracious presence of the Princess at this year’s 108th Graduation Ceremony allowed the AIT community to experience the royal patronage and support of His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family, which has lasted throughout the institute’s 48-year history.
Over the years, AIT has been honored by the good graces of Thailand’s Royal Family.
A royal presence at AIT dates to the 50th anniversary of the founding of Chulalongkorn University in 1967, when His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej awarded an honorary doctor of engineering degree to Dean Milton E. Bender Jr. and to Assistant Dean Aroon Sorathesn of what was then still called the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering.
A year later, at the renamed Asian Institute of Technology’s graduation ceremony, His Majesty conferred degrees upon 52 candidates. In 1973, Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit ushered in yet another new era at AIT, presiding over the opening ceremony of the present Pathumthani campus. The King returned in 1975 to speak at the graduation ceremony and was conferred AIT’s first honorary doctorate. In 1987, AIT gave tribute to His Majesty by presenting him with a gold medal for outstanding leadership in and selfless contribution to rural development.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has long been associated with AIT. She is an honorary faculty member and alumna of the institute. In 1984, she attended a two-month course at the Asian Regional Remote Sensing Training Center and became AIT’s first royal alumna by earning her certificate of course completion. In 1989, as part of the institute’s 30th anniversary celebration, AIT conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Technology on Her Royal Highness.
The Princess has also visited AIT’s campus on several occasions: For the opening of the Agricultural and Food Engineering Building in 1988, the inauguration of the Computer Science Building in 1991, the inauguration of the Chalerm Prakiat Building in 1996 and the 40th anniversary of AIT in 1999. In 2003 she led students from Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy on a study visit to AIT. The Princess last participated at an other AIT event in May 2006 when she presided over AIT’s 105th Graduation Ceremony at the Thailand Science Park Convention Center.
H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun has had a long association with AIT, going as far back as 1958 when the institute was first conceived as the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering. In 1990, he was appointed a member of the AIT Board of Trustees and in 2000 was elected its Chairman.
During chairmanship, four very important and crucial issues were addressed, namely: 1) restructuring of the Board and Executive committee, following which they were downsized and infused with new blood and more empowered; 2) the amicable resolution of the land lease and forging of closer relations with Thammasat University and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA); 3) improvements in the financial situation of the Institute, its reporting procedures and introduction of effective control measures; and 4) placement of AIT under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Institute’s patron and commitment on the part of The Ministry in reaffirming AIT’s international status.
More about H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun
Beginning in 1955, H.E. Mr. Anand Panyarachun enjoyed an illustrious 23 year career in the Thai foreign service. His last position in diplomatic service was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand in 1976 before resigning in 1979. He started his second career in the private sector with the Saha-Union Group, where he assumed the position of Vice-Chairman and Director of several of its subsidiary companies. In 1991, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saha-Union Group. He was also elected Chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries in 1990 after serving as Vice-Chairman from 1988 to 1990. In addition, he served as a Director of Sime Darby Berhad from 1982 to 1998, Director of the Siam Commercial Bank from 1984 and recently elected as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Anand was appointed Prime Minister of Thailand, in February 1991. As Prime Minister, he launched a series of reforms. His pursuit of industrial restructuring, tax reform and trade liberalization fired the country’s economic boom.
In August 1997, Mr. Anand received distinction by being conferred the 1997 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service. His interest and activities in the fields of education and the environment include the Chairmanship of the Cambridge Thai Foundation, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), the Council of Trustees of Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), the Council of Asian University of Science and Technology (AUST), the Kenan Institute Asia, and Honorary International Advisor to the Governors of Dulwich College, London. He has received the ‘Man of the Year 1997 award’ from the Management Training Center, Thailand; in 2003, the ‘UNICEF Recognition Award’ for his outstanding service to children; and the ‘Outstanding Democrat Award’ by the People’s Constitution Association. In 2004, he was commended with an international integrity medal by the Kuala Lumpur Society for Transparency and Integrity.
Mr. Anand is the recipient of twenty-two honorary degrees from universities in Thailand and foreign countries, including the University of Victoria and Queen’s University in Canada, University of Hong Kong, Soka University in Japan; and in 2005, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in USA.
In 2003, he was appointed by the then Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi A. Annan, to be Chairman of the ‘High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change’ to review and recommend the collective security role of the United Nations in a rapidly changing global political development. The Report of the United Nations Panel was taken up at the 2004 session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The following year, Mr. Anand was invited by the Thai government to chair the National Reconciliation Commission to recommend both short-term and long-term strategic plans to resolve the conflicts in the three southernmost provinces of Thailand. The report was completed and submitted to the government in May 2006.
During the course of five decades of his working life, Mr. Anand has been recognized both internationally and nationally for his dedication and work for the advancement of Thai society. He has been awarded numerous decorations, both Thai and foreign, including the most recent decoration ─ The Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Sweden.