Last week the Asian Institute of Technology opened its embrace of thanks once again to distinguished graduate and former President of the AIT Alumni Association (Mother Chapter), Dr. Chainarong Na Lamphun, who recently made a 1 million baht donation to the Institute as part of its 3-year AIT Golden Jubilee Fundraising Campaign (AIT GJFC), Jan 2007 - Dec 2009.
At an honorary lunch of the AIT Executive Committee meeting on 6 August 2007, President Said Irandoust offered his sincerest thanks to Dr. Chainarong for his tremendous generosity to his former alma mater. “Our alumni comprise an important and much respected part of the AIT family and serve as the most valuable influence and resource for the institute. This lunch is just a small token of thanks to Dr. Chainarong for being the First Major Gift donor to the AIT GJFC,” President Irandoust said.
Dr. Chainarong, CEO of the Index International Group Co. Ltd., first announced his pledge on 14 July, during a GJFC workshop at his own private resort, to the fellow members of the External Advisory Committee of the Golden Jubilee Fund Raising Campaign; H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Yusuf, the Ambassador of Indonesia to Thailand; H.E. Mr. Pieter Jozef Theofile Marres; the Ambassador of The Netherlands to Thailand; and Maj. Gen. Jerdwut, representing General Dr. Boonsrang Niumpradit, President of the AIT Alumni Association (AITAA).
AIT Vice-President for Development and Resources, Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein, added that Dr. Chainarong would be officially honored with a commemorative plaque from the Institute, to be presented to him by AIT President Prof. Said Irandoust at the upcoming Mid-year Institute Forum scheduled for 24 August 2007.
Dr. Chainarong Na Lamphun, who graduated from AIT in 1980 with a Master’s of Engineering Degree in Water Resources Development, said he has never forgotten its tremendous impact on his life. “As an alumnus, I am extremely proud to have graduated from AIT, and I realize this is a good time to give back to the Institute,” Dr. Chainarong told AIT News last week.
AIT’s three-year Golden Jubilee Fundraising Campaign will be launched in 2009 with celebrations that include Alumni Home Coming Seminar for more than 15,000 graduates as a center piece, to mark its half-century service to Asia as one of its premier academic and research institutions.
According to AIT GJFC Director, Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, AIT has no tradition of Fundraising in the past since it was founded in 1959 until 2006, and he believes that this Major Gift One Million Baht by Dr. Chainarong will set an example for many to follow.
Located 42-km north of Bangkok, AIT offers a wide array of post-graduate degree programs as well as variety of tailor-made short courses for mid-career and senior professionals that are all taught in English. The International Institute is currently home to 2,000 students from over fifty countries.