File photo: Chairman Emeritus Dr. Thanat Khoman with The King of Thailand, HM Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Emeritus Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman passed away today (3 March 2016). He was 102.
A legendary public figure, Dr. Thanat served at various positions including Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Foreign Minister of Thailand, Chairman of the UN Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE), Ambassador to the United States, and Chairman of the Democrat Party.
He was the third and the longest serving Chairman of AIT’s Board of Trustees, and was bestowed the title of Emeritus Chairman.
AIT President Prof. Worsak Kanok Nukulchai has condoled his death in a message to the AIT community, which is reproduced here:
Trustees, Executive Committee and AIT Community,AIT is deeply saddened by the passing away of its longest serving
Chairman of the Board of Trustees ever in office, H.E. Dr. Thanat
Khoman, at 15:49 hrs. today at the age of 102.During his illustrious career H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman served in many
important positions which included as Chairman of the UN Economic
Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE) in New York in 1950; Thai
Ambassador to the United States in 1957; as Foreign Minister from 1959
to 1971, Chairman of the Democrat Party from 1979 to 1982, and Deputy
Prime Minister from 1980 to 1982.
H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman was Thailand's Foreign Minister when he signed
an agreement on behalf of the Royal Thai Government with Lt. Gen. Jesus
Vargas, Secretary General of SEATO, to host the Asian Institute of
Technology (AIT) on October 25, 1967. H.E. Dr. Thanat Khoman was
also among five foreign ministers, considered ASEAN’s founding fathers,
who signed the “Bangkok Declaration” on the establishment of ASEAN on
August 8, 1967. The other ministers were from Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Singapore.
Later in 1975, H.E. Dr. Thanat became the 3rd Chairman of the AIT
Board of Trustees succeeding Dr. Puey Ungphakorn and Dr. Oscar Mapua.
He remained in this office from 1975 until 1996. During his
Chairmanship, AIT experienced its glory years with continuous expansion
and financial stability.
In recognition of his valuable contributions to the Institute, H.E.
Dr. Thanat Khoman was bestowed with the AIT Chairman Emeritus title,
which he continued to hold until his passing away.
On behalf of the Community of AIT, we pray for the Almighty to rest
his noble soul in peace and give strength to his family in this hour of
grief.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai
President
Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)