Celebrating AIT Family Day

By Natnipha
Vimuktanon

As the end of the year nears and the holiday season beckons, many
people’s thoughts turn to home and family. AIT is no different. Taking
advantage of the end of semester break, with the campus conspicuously
quiet of its normal buzz of students and hum of academic energy, AIT
staff and faculty enjoyed a break from their normal routine yesterday
(December 17) to celebrate being a part of the AIT
Family.

At AIT’s first ever “Family Day Grand Party” hundreds of employees
flooded the fountain-side patio area in front of the AIT Conference
Center to share each other’s company and delight at the sight of
angels, devils, masked-maidens and more than a few cowgirls and
reindeer spotted in the crowd.

President Said Irandoust welcomes AIT
faculty and staff to the
Family Day celebration.

The celebration was organized by the Human Resources Office (HRO), and
chaired by the Vice President for External Relations, Prof. Vilas
Wuwongse. A highlight of the festivities was a ceremony to honor all of
AIT’s retiring colleagues. President Said Irandoust, who presided over
the event, publicly thanked all of the retirees for their invaluable
contributions to the Institute and wished everyone well in their future
endeavors.

The master of ceremonies for the day was Dr. Winai Wongsurawat of the
School of Management, who took charge of introducing the festivities
such as the games and lucky draw. For many the raffle giveaway was the
main attraction. Most of the crowd stayed until the very end in the
hope of hearing their name called as a winner of one of the 150 prizes
that were up for grabs. The whole community was also treated to a
delightful lunch.

Throughout the day people sang along in the open air to popular
melodies performed by a band from the Montien Hotel. Three
scintillating dance performances also added to the temperature on what
was a comfortably cool day for all. To brighten the festive mood, many
party-goers arrived in costumes intending to win the fancy dress
contest. In all, seven contestants caught the eye of the judges, and
the two winners were ultimately decided by earning the largest applause
from the audience.

As the sounds of laughter, dance, and music filled the open air,
organizers stressed that the AIT Family Day Grand Party was all about
having fun together as an AIT community. All who attended said the
event was extraordinarily enjoyable and most can’t wait to attend the
same event in 2009!

To view photo gallery of Family Day Grand Party, go to here.

Dr. Winai Wongsurawat
(left) MC for the party awaits the name
of a lucky draw winner chosen by President Irandoust.

An angelic smile worthy of
top prize in the fancy dress competition.