SEAFCO to collaborate with AIT on research and to establish scholarships
On Monday, SEAFCO Public Company Limited and AIT will enter into an agreement that will provide two scholarships for master's degree students and make provisions for joint research projects.
SEAFCO is a leading provider of deep foundation works, comprising large bored piling, diaphragm walling and substructure construction in Thailand.
SEAFCO initiated the collaboration with AIT to promote research and development activities focusing on geotechnical issues in Thailand. The collaboration will provide opportunities for SEAFCO Research and Development team to participate in leading-edge academic research networks and strengthen their international research experience, under the Co-operative Research Initiative Program. SEAFCO will form the partnership with AIT's School of Engineering and Technology to exchange technical and academic information and materials, arrange joint seminars and organize joint research programs.
SEAFCO will also establish a 'Supot Thasnanipan Scholarship' program in dedication and memory of the late Mr. Supot Thasnanipan, the founder of SEAFCO and a former AIT student. During his time of leadership in SEAFCO, Mr. Supot intended to initiate scholarships for qualified Thai students to undertake advanced studies at AIT.
The scholarship program, amounting to 1.9 million baht, consists of the funding of two master's degree students of Thai nationality to further their studies in the field of Geotechnical and Geo-environmental Engineering (with specialization in foundation engineering). The two-year scholarship program will cover one scholarship per year from August 2006 to August 2008. SEAFCO will further provide additional funding and other forms of support to the students in conducting field experiments of their thesis work in piled foundation and deep excavation research. The support to thesis works will be administered directly by SEAFCO.
A memorandum of agreement between SEAFCO and AIT on research collaboration and the establishment of 'Supot Thasnanipan Scholarship' will be signed by Mr. Tachapong Pravesvararat, chairman of SEAFCO, Mr. Narong Thasnanipan, president of SEAFCO, Prof. Vilas Wuwongse, AIT vice president for external relations and Prof. Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, dean of the School of Engineering and Technology.