On Friday, October 18, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., at the Main Auditorium of Kasetsart University, Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat, Acting President of Kasetsart University, and Dr. Krissanapong Kirtikara, Chairman of the Princess Maha Chakri Award Foundation (PMCAF) and Chairman of the Kasetsart University Council, along with Kasetsart University executives, including Vice Presidents, Assistant Presidents, Deans, faculty members, members of the University Council, and personnel from the International Affairs Division, welcomed the awardees of the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award teachers from 11 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste, as well as the Thai delegation participating in the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award Forum (PMCA Forum), on the occasion of their official visit to Kasetsart University.

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Today's group visit followed the participation of the 44 awardees of the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award teachers from 11 ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste, as well as the 37 Thai delegates in the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award Forum (PMCA Forum). On 16 October 2024, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over the opening ceremony of the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award International Forum and the 3rd International Conference on Educational Equality at the IMPACT Forum in Nonthaburi province, Thailand. The Princess Maha Chakri Award Foundation organized the event in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Teachers' Council of Thailand, the Ministry of Education from 11 countries, the Equitable Education Fund (EEF), the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other related agencies.

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On this occasion, Dr. Chongrak Wachrinrat delivered a welcoming speech and congratulated the awardees of the 5th Princess Maha Chakri Award Teachers from 11 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and Thailand. He then introduced the university and presented a video highlighting Kasetsart University. Following this, Dr.  Krissanapong Kirtikara joined in presenting the tokens of appreciation and taking photographs with the delegation. One of the representatives also expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome and hoped this visit would serve as the starting point for future academic collaborations.

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Afterward, the Princess Maha Chakri Award teachers and the PMCA Forum participants engaged in study visits to various faculties at Kasetsart University. They traveled by electric buses (EV) with 23 seats, using four vehicles to tour around the university. The delegation visited the Kasetsart University Main Library, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Fisheries, and The Premium @KU. They then had lunch together at the Main Auditorium before departing.

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The conferment of the Princess Maha Chakri Award (PMCA) takes place every two years, and since 2015 the Award has been given to outstanding teachers from 11 countries (Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Myanmar, Brunei, and Timor-Leste). As for the selection process, the PMCAF Committee sets out broad guidelines, while the selection of awardees is at the respective countries’ discretion. For more information on the Princess Maha Chakri Award: www.pmca.or.th (other resources from: https://www.mfa.go.th/)