Pin Malakul
Encyclopedia
Mom Luang Pin MalakulMom luang is a Thai honorific
hereditary title
denoting a royal bloodline; the subject's personal name
was Pin Malakul. See Thai royal and noble titles
for details. was a Thai
educator and writer. His contributions to education in Thailand
include the establishment of various institutions of higher education
, the introduction of fixed class schedules, and the implementation of teacher-training programmes. In his career he served as Director-General of the Department of General Education, later becoming Permanent Secretary, and Minister, of Education. He was also a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO
. His writings earned him the title of National Artist
in 1987, and the 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by the UNESCO in 2003 as recognition of his contribution to the advancement of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
. Pia Malakul was also known by his nobility title
as Chao Phraya Phrasadej Surendradhibodi. and Thanpuying Sa-ngiam Malakul.Thanpuying is a Thai title equivalent to dame
. Sa-ngiam was her given name
. He was the sixth of thirteen children (although the fourth, and the only son, to survive past birth). His father, a nobleman and great-grandson of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai
, had served as King Vajiravudh
's guardian during the King's overseas studies and held posts including Ambassador to the United Kingdom. MR Pia's work was instrumental in the establishment of higher education in Thailand (then known as Siam) and he later became the third Minister of Public Instruction under King Vajiravudh
.
ML Pin recalled in his autobiography that although his mother was a kind and loving figure, his father was rather strict and acted more like a teacher than a father, and that he was often fearful of him. A loyal servant of the crown, MR Pia introduced ML Pin to King Vajiravudh when he was seven years old. Another often-recounted story from his childhood is that of how, before having learned to count, when his mother asked him to gather half a bunch of betel
leaves for her, ML Pin set down to picking up one leaf with each hand at a time, separating them equally into two piles.
At the age of four, ML Pin began receiving preliminary education from teachers who came to teach at the family home on Damrongrak Road, next to Varadis Palace
. He enrolled at Suankularb Wittayalai School
(then known as Wat Ratchaburana School) shortly before turning seven in 1910, and after half a year his examination results placed him at Mathayom 1 level. In 1914 he was accepted into the Royal Pages School (now Vajiravudh College
). Half a year later, King Vajiravudh named him one of eight Royal Page Students in the King's personal service. Although he did not attend regular classes at the school afterwards, he passed exams at Mathayom 5 level (grade 11) at the end of the school year.
As a Royal Page Student, ML Pin's duties included various tasks in the royal household as well as accompanying the King in his various activities. The Royal Page Students were involved in plays and sports games held in court and also in activities of the King's scouting-related paramilitary movement, the Wild Tiger Corps
. ML Pin also became an editor of the Dusit Samit Magazine, part of the King's Dusit Thani
miniature city/micronation
project. One memorable task appointed to him by the King was to determine the day of week King Naresuan
left Ayutthaya for his famous elephant duel, a problem ML Pin was unable to solve at the time, but became the inspiration for his later development of the "Everlasting Calendar". He lived in the royal court most of the time and received a salary of twenty to thirty baht.
. He departed abroad the MS Jutlandia on 23 January 1922 and arrived in London
on 7 March.
During his first two years, ML Pin studied Pali
and Sanskrit
at the University of London
School of Oriental and African Studies
and lived with Mr and Mrs L J Marshall of 23 Portland Place in Brighton
, from whom he also received additional instruction in mathematics, English and French. Such was his talent in mathematics that Mr Marshall, who was head of Mathematics and Surveying at Brighton Technical College
, wrote to the Superintendent of Siamese Government Students recommending that ML Pin major in mathematics instead and saying that his skills would undoubtedly warrant a university scholarship for mathematical studies. This, however, did not suit the requirements of the Ministry of Public Instruction, and so ML Pin did not continue his mathematics education. Nevertheless, his interest in the field did not waver, and he continued to produce works on the subject. Among these are his publication in 1927 in Samaggi Sara, the journal of Samaggi Samagom
(the Thai Association in the UK), of a formula which he called the "Everlasting Calendar", upon which he later based the development of a set of slide rule
s which could be used to calculate the day of week for any given date, and his publication of Miscellaneous Problems, a collection of various mathematical problems he had worked on, later in 1960.
In England ML Pin formed close friendships with fellow Thai students Prince Dulbhakara Worawan, Visuddhi Krairiksh and Phanom Thephasdin, the first of which with whom he had been friends since their time as Royal Page Students. He also developed a taste for opera
and classical music
, on which he recalled spending quite a disproportionate amount of his scholarship's allowance, eventually building a collection of 317 records
.
ML Pin was accepted into Brasenose College of the University of Oxford
in 1924, where he studied in the Honour School of Oriental Studies for four years. He graduated with a BA
degree on 28 June 1928. He then enrolled in a one-year course in education also at Oxford, according to the wishes of the Ministry of Public Instruction. He practice-taught at The Latymer School
during the school year, but fell ill during the winter and again near the end of the school year late in the spring of 1929, which adversely affected his studies. He was later awarded the Oxbridge MA degree on 15 October 1931.
After finishing his studies, ML Pin accompanied Princess Kalyanga Sombati Kitiyakara on a one-month trip in Europe. Upon return to London, he attended the First World Conference on Adult Education on behalf of Siam, but during the same time his health deteriorated further, and he was diagnosed with tuberculosis
. Accordingly, his return trip to Siam had to be postponed in order for him to recover in Switzerland
. There he spent almost two years in Davos
and later Klosters
, until September 1931 when he attended the League of Nations
annual conference before returning to Siam via a Nippon Yusen
ship departing from Naples
, Italy
. He finally arrived in Siam on 23 October 1931, after spending over nine years abroad.
in 1938. They had no children.
, in addition to the various duties he performed for the ministry. In 1934, he became head of the university's teacher-preparation programme and Headmaster of the Horwang Secondary School of Chulalongkorn University, which served as the country's first demonstration (teacher training) school. He began developing projects for the school, although few of them were realised at the time. One such project was the creation of the country's first school workshop
.
In 1938, Plaek Pibulsonggram
, as President of Chulalongkorn University, assigned ML Pin the duty of overseeing the establishment of Chulalongkorn's University Preparatory School according to the National Education Plan of BE 2479 (1936 CE). Although given a tight timeframe of only three months, the new school was created on the location of Horwang School, and gradually absorbed the older school, the entire staff merging within a few years. ML Pin became the first director of the school, which was the country's first coeducation
al, and is now known as Triam Udom Suksa School
and widely regarded as one of the best schools in the country. During his term as director, which lasted until 1944, he developed and implemented a fixed class schedule system, along with a mechanical timetable
used to assign teaching periods, which is still in use today.
As World War II
reached Thailand in December 1941, Japan
ese troops raided and occupied the school, forcing teachers and students to evacuate and relocate to temporary locations around Bangkok, and later to various other provinces. At one point, ML Pin disguised himself as a janitor to smuggle important documents and cash out of the school.
In 1942, not long after the invasion, Prime Minister Pibulsonggram assumed the post of Education Minister himself, and appointed ML Pin as Director-General of the Department of General Education. Although resources were limited due to the war, ML Pin was able to manage the budget and personnel to allow a countrywide 12 baht salary for rural local schoolteachers. During his term, every province was provided with at least one upper-secondary school. He also became involved in frequent school migrations due to both the war and changing policy.
One issue with which ML Pin was deeply concerned was that of the country's teacher-training system, an issue he stressed during an audience with King Ananda Mahidol after the war in 1946, and would later address during his term as Permanent Secretary of Education.
, and the drafting of the first national education plan.
Administration-wise, Krom Vichakan (or the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Development) was re-created in 1952 and the Department of Teacher Education was created in 1954, along with the expansion of the Higher Teacher Training School to become the College of Education, of which ML Pin served as president until 1956. He later oversaw the creation of the College's Prasanmit Primary Demonstration School.
ML Pin also pioneered the field of distance education
via the "Educational Radio" broadcasting station, which was set up at Thung Maha Mek Technical College in 1954. Despite obstacles and limited support, the programme proved successful and continually developed, and is now under the authority of the Centre for Educational Technology.
As permanent secretary, ML Pin acted as the head delegate
for Thailand to the third UNESCO
General Conference in Beirut
in 1948, where Thailand was an observer, and represented Thailand as the country filed for membership in 1949 and was accepted as the fifty-fifth member state. He served as director and coordinator for the Seminar on Rural Adult Education in Mysore, India
, that year, and regularly represented Thailand in subsequent UNESCO meetings.
He was elected to two terms on the UNESCO Executive Board from 1952 to 1956, during which he supported and helped advance UNESCO's programmes for promotion of universal compulsory education in Asian countries. His representation also lead to cooperative projects between the UNESCO and Thailand, including the Thailand UNESCO Rulral Teacher Education Project and the Thailand UNESCO Fundamental Education Center at Ubon Ratchathani Province, among others. Even after his term ended as permanent secretary, ML Pin was still involved in UNESCO activities in Thailand. He facilitated the establishment of UNESCO's regional office in Bangkok, which opened in 1961, and was among the founders of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization.
executed a coup and installed Pote Sarasin
as prime minister. ML Pin subsequently received "an offer he could not refuse" to join his cabinet as Minister of Education and of Culture. ML Pin was also included in the following cabinets of Thanom Kittikachorn
and Sarit himself, with Sarit holding power as Thailand's strongman
leader until his death, after which he was succeeded by Thanom. Sarit pushed for a revival of the monarchy's importance, which was aided by ML Pin's royalist ideals, and school textbooks were revised to feature the monarchy prominently. ML Pin served as Minister of Education until 1969, when general elections were held and the Prime Minister reshuffled cabinet, replacing the six most senior members. (The post of Minister of Culture was terminated in 1958.)
As Minister of Education, ML Pin established the Regional Education Development Project including Higher Education, which aimed to study the needs and limitations of education systems in the provinces. Spanning over two years, results of the project included the improvement of cooperation between government officials and Muslim
locals in the four southernmost provinces, recognition of the need for children living near the Malay and Cambodia
n borders to be able to learn the Thai language before starting school, and the experimental development of a curriculum based on learners' needs and interests at Suranaree School
.
As part of the project, ML Pin made preparations for the founding of Chiang Mai University
, planning the campus and beginning construction, but the authority over the project was ultimately transferred to the Office of the Educational Council. He served three terms as President of Silpakorn University
from 1965 to 1971, during which he founded the university's Sanam Chandra Palace Campus. There he intended to established a collegiate university
system following that used at Oxford, as advised when he was Permanent Secretary of Education by Prime Minister Pibulsonggram, and Thap Kaew College was opened in 1968. However, the college system turned out to be unsuccessful, lacking support from both the student body and the government, and was dissolved.
At Thap Kaew, ML Pin also arranged for the construction of the Sound Library, a remotely-accessible on-demand audio collection. King Bhumibol Adulyadej
donated recordings of his speeches to the library, and later remote access via radio from Bangkok was developed, but the library was not maintained after ML Pin's presidency ended and thus fell into disuse.
As minister, ML Pin also oversaw the construction of the Bangkok Planetarium
, which opened in 1964, and of the new National Library
building at Tha Vasukri, and the revival of the King's Scholarship
, among other things. After his ministerial term ended in 1969, he served two terms as member of the Senate and another as a member of the National Legislation Assembly.
, among others.
The group's work continued, and the Fine Arts Department established it into an official committee, with ML Pin as chairman, to make preparations for the 100th anniversary of the King's birth, which would be recognised by UNESCO. ML Pin lobbied for the construction of Vajiravudhanusorn Hall, a museum displaying the King's works and duties, at the National Library. The hall was opened in 1981, despite budget problems during construction, which ML Pin had to sell part of the property on Damrongrak Road to help fund.
The committee also conducted research on the Wild Tiger Corps, and determined the location in Photharam District
, Ratchaburi Province
, of Ban Rai, where King Vajiravudh often set up camp with them. ML Pin initiated the construction there of a statue of the King in Wild Tiger Corps uniform, which was unveiled in 1988, and the surrounding area was developed into Khai Luang Ban Rai scout camp, which also contains a medical station and kindergarten.
He was also a member of the Committee for the Renovation of Sanam Chandra Palace, but did not live to see the restoration completed.
ML Pin Malakul died on 5 October 1995, at the age of ninety-one.
in Literature by the National Culture Commission in 1987 for his diverse contributions to the domain of Thai literature. He received the ASEAN Award in 1992 "for his outstanding achievements and contributions to literature". UNESCO celebrated the centenary of his birth in 2003, recognizing the value and impact of his contributions to the development of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia, and to the literary arts and the safeguarding and conservation of historical monuments and sites. On the occasion, Darakarn Building, the headquarters of UNESCO in Bangkok, was rededicated as the Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary
Building, and Room 57, Building 1 at Triam Udom Suksa School, ML Pin's former office, was set up as an archive of his original works.
ML Pin received various decorations and medals, including the Orders of Chula Chom Klao
, the White Elephant
, the Crown of Thailand and Ramkeerati
, and the Dushdi Mala,, Border Service, Chakrabarti Mala, Royal Cypher, Red Cross Commendation and Red Cross Awards Medals. Foreign decorations he received include the West German Federal Cross of Merit
, Belgian Order of Leopold, Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure
, South Korean Order of Diplomatic Service Merit and Republic of China Order of the Brilliant Star.
He received honorary degree
s from Chulalongkorn
, Indiana
, Silpakorn
, Srinakharinwirot
, Chiang Mai
and Ramkhamhaeng
Universities. He also served as Fellow and Honorary Fellow in Literature of the Royal Institute of Thailand
and Honorary Member of the Education Society of Thailand. He was awarded the Elder Teacher's Pin and named Exceptional Contributor to National Education by the Teacher's Council of Thailand, and received the Golden Phra Kiao
for outstanding contributions to the Thai language from Chulalongkorn University.
Honorific
An honorific is a word or expression with connotations conveying esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term is used not quite correctly to refer to an honorary title...
hereditary title
Hereditary Title
Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families....
denoting a royal bloodline; the subject's personal name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
was Pin Malakul. See Thai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, .It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not...
for details. was a Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
educator and writer. His contributions to education in Thailand
Education in Thailand
Education in Thailand is provided mainly by the Thai government through the Ministry of Education from pre-school to senior high school. A free basic education of twelve years is guaranteed by the constitution, and a minimum of nine years' school attendance is mandatory.Formal education consists of...
include the establishment of various institutions of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, the introduction of fixed class schedules, and the implementation of teacher-training programmes. In his career he served as Director-General of the Department of General Education, later becoming Permanent Secretary, and Minister, of Education. He was also a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. His writings earned him the title of National Artist
Thailand National Artist
The National Artist is a title given annually by the Office of the National Culture Commission of Thailand, recognizing notable Thai artists in literature, fine arts, visual arts, applied arts and performing arts .Since 1985, the honors have been presented on...
in 1987, and the 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by the UNESCO in 2003 as recognition of his contribution to the advancement of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
Early life and education
Mom Luang Pin Malakul (hereafter referred to as ML Pin) was born on 24 October 1903 to Mom Rajawongse Pia (MR Pia)Mom rajawongse also denotes a royal bloodline; see Thai royal and noble titlesThai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, .It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not...
. Pia Malakul was also known by his nobility title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
as Chao Phraya Phrasadej Surendradhibodi. and Thanpuying Sa-ngiam Malakul.Thanpuying is a Thai title equivalent to dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
. Sa-ngiam was her given name
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
. He was the sixth of thirteen children (although the fourth, and the only son, to survive past birth). His father, a nobleman and great-grandson of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai
Buddha Loetla Nabhalai
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Isarasundhorn Phra Buddha Loetla Nabhalai , or Rama II , was the second monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1809-1824. In 1809, Isarasundhorn succeeded his father Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, the founder of Chakri dynasty, as Buddha Loetla Nabhalai...
, had served as King Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
's guardian during the King's overseas studies and held posts including Ambassador to the United Kingdom. MR Pia's work was instrumental in the establishment of higher education in Thailand (then known as Siam) and he later became the third Minister of Public Instruction under King Vajiravudh
Vajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
.
ML Pin recalled in his autobiography that although his mother was a kind and loving figure, his father was rather strict and acted more like a teacher than a father, and that he was often fearful of him. A loyal servant of the crown, MR Pia introduced ML Pin to King Vajiravudh when he was seven years old. Another often-recounted story from his childhood is that of how, before having learned to count, when his mother asked him to gather half a bunch of betel
Betel
The Betel is the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family, which includes pepper and Kava. It is valued both as a mild stimulant and for its medicinal properties...
leaves for her, ML Pin set down to picking up one leaf with each hand at a time, separating them equally into two piles.
At the age of four, ML Pin began receiving preliminary education from teachers who came to teach at the family home on Damrongrak Road, next to Varadis Palace
Varadis Palace
Varadis Palace is the former residence of Prince Damrong in Bangkok, Thailand. The palace was built in 1911 by German architect Karl Döhring. In 1996 the building was renovated and converted into a museum and library.-External links:*...
. He enrolled at Suankularb Wittayalai School
Suankularb Wittayalai School
Suankularb Wittayalai School is an all-boys secondary school for grades 7th through 12th in Thailand. Founded by King Chulalongkorn in 1882, Suankularb is the oldest public secondary school in the country...
(then known as Wat Ratchaburana School) shortly before turning seven in 1910, and after half a year his examination results placed him at Mathayom 1 level. In 1914 he was accepted into the Royal Pages School (now Vajiravudh College
Vajiravudh College
Vajiravudh College is an all-boys boarding school in Dusit, Thailand.The school was established by Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua - King Rama VI who is also known as King Vajiravudh. it was originally named the "Royal Pages College"...
). Half a year later, King Vajiravudh named him one of eight Royal Page Students in the King's personal service. Although he did not attend regular classes at the school afterwards, he passed exams at Mathayom 5 level (grade 11) at the end of the school year.
As a Royal Page Student, ML Pin's duties included various tasks in the royal household as well as accompanying the King in his various activities. The Royal Page Students were involved in plays and sports games held in court and also in activities of the King's scouting-related paramilitary movement, the Wild Tiger Corps
Wild Tiger Corps
The Wild Tiger Corps was a national paramilitary corps founded in Thailand in 1911 by King Rama VI. Inspired by the British Volunteer Force, the unit was intended to maintain civil order....
. ML Pin also became an editor of the Dusit Samit Magazine, part of the King's Dusit Thani
Dusit Thani
Dusit Thani was a miniature city and micronation project created by King Vajiravudh of Siam to explore aspects of democracy. See ดุสิตธานี at the Thai Wikipedia.Dusit Thani may also refer to:* Dusit Thani Group, a hospitality company based in Thailand...
miniature city/micronation
Micronation
Micronations, sometimes also referred to as model countries and new country projects, are entities that claim to be independent nations or states but which are not recognized by world governments or major international organizations...
project. One memorable task appointed to him by the King was to determine the day of week King Naresuan
Naresuan
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat or Somdet Phra Sanphet II was the King of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1590 until his death in 1605. Naresuan was one of Siam's most revered monarchs as he was known for his campaigns to free Siam from Burmese rule...
left Ayutthaya for his famous elephant duel, a problem ML Pin was unable to solve at the time, but became the inspiration for his later development of the "Everlasting Calendar". He lived in the royal court most of the time and received a salary of twenty to thirty baht.
Life in Europe
In 1922, when ML Pin was eighteen years old, the Ministry of Public Instruction, in accordance with the King's wishes, granted him a government scholarship for a tertiary education in ancient Eastern languages in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He departed abroad the MS Jutlandia on 23 January 1922 and arrived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 7 March.
During his first two years, ML Pin studied Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
and lived with Mr and Mrs L J Marshall of 23 Portland Place in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, from whom he also received additional instruction in mathematics, English and French. Such was his talent in mathematics that Mr Marshall, who was head of Mathematics and Surveying at Brighton Technical College
City College Brighton & Hove
City College Brighton & Hove is a large general further education college in Brighton and Hove. Its main campus is at Pelham Street, Brighton. It was formerly known as Brighton College of Technology and before that Brighton Technical College....
, wrote to the Superintendent of Siamese Government Students recommending that ML Pin major in mathematics instead and saying that his skills would undoubtedly warrant a university scholarship for mathematical studies. This, however, did not suit the requirements of the Ministry of Public Instruction, and so ML Pin did not continue his mathematics education. Nevertheless, his interest in the field did not waver, and he continued to produce works on the subject. Among these are his publication in 1927 in Samaggi Sara, the journal of Samaggi Samagom
Samaggi Samagom
Samaggi Samagom , The Thai Association in the UK, was established in 1901 by King Rama VI of Thailand. Set out to unite and reinforce harmonious relationships amongst Thai people in the United Kingdom by organising various events and activities...
(the Thai Association in the UK), of a formula which he called the "Everlasting Calendar", upon which he later based the development of a set of slide rule
Slide rule
The slide rule, also known colloquially as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but is not normally used for addition or subtraction.Slide rules come in a...
s which could be used to calculate the day of week for any given date, and his publication of Miscellaneous Problems, a collection of various mathematical problems he had worked on, later in 1960.
In England ML Pin formed close friendships with fellow Thai students Prince Dulbhakara Worawan, Visuddhi Krairiksh and Phanom Thephasdin, the first of which with whom he had been friends since their time as Royal Page Students. He also developed a taste for opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, on which he recalled spending quite a disproportionate amount of his scholarship's allowance, eventually building a collection of 317 records
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
.
ML Pin was accepted into Brasenose College of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 1924, where he studied in the Honour School of Oriental Studies for four years. He graduated with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree on 28 June 1928. He then enrolled in a one-year course in education also at Oxford, according to the wishes of the Ministry of Public Instruction. He practice-taught at The Latymer School
The Latymer School
The Latymer School is a selective, mixed grammar school in Edmonton, north London, England.- Examination procedures :Approximately 180 pupils are admitted to Year 7 annually. Places are awarded on the basis of competitive examination, though 20 are reserved for students with exceptional musical...
during the school year, but fell ill during the winter and again near the end of the school year late in the spring of 1929, which adversely affected his studies. He was later awarded the Oxbridge MA degree on 15 October 1931.
After finishing his studies, ML Pin accompanied Princess Kalyanga Sombati Kitiyakara on a one-month trip in Europe. Upon return to London, he attended the First World Conference on Adult Education on behalf of Siam, but during the same time his health deteriorated further, and he was diagnosed with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Accordingly, his return trip to Siam had to be postponed in order for him to recover in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. There he spent almost two years in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
and later Klosters
Klosters
Klosters-Serneus is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.Its well-known ski resort lies from Zurich, the nearest international airport. Transfer time is about 1.5 hours. Klosters is from Davos...
, until September 1931 when he attended the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
annual conference before returning to Siam via a Nippon Yusen
Nippon Yusen
Japan-based or NYK Line, is one of the largest shipping companies in the world. It is a core Mitsubishi company. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo.-1870-1900:...
ship departing from Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He finally arrived in Siam on 23 October 1931, after spending over nine years abroad.
Marriage
ML Pin married Miss Dussadeemala Krairiksh,Later known as Thanpuying Dussadee Malakul Na Ayutthaya. daughter of Chao Phraya Mahithon and Thanpuying Klip, on 7 March 1932. They lived at the Krairiksh family home before building a house on the Damrongrak Road property, and finally settled at Soi Chaiyot on Sukhumvit RoadSukhumvit Road
Sukhumvit Road , or Thailand Route 3 , is a major road in Thailand, and a major surface road of Bangkok and other cities it winds through. It follows a coastal route from Bangkok to Trat and is just over in length....
in 1938. They had no children.
Early years
Upon ML Pin's return from Europe in 1931, Public Instruction Minister Prince Dhani Nivat appointed him as a government official under Krom Vichakan, a department of the ministry. He also served the Prince in a somewhat unofficial capacity, assisting the Prince's work and observing the ministry's various goings-on. Under the Prince's directions, ML Pin became an instructor in Mathematics, Thai and English at Chulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
, in addition to the various duties he performed for the ministry. In 1934, he became head of the university's teacher-preparation programme and Headmaster of the Horwang Secondary School of Chulalongkorn University, which served as the country's first demonstration (teacher training) school. He began developing projects for the school, although few of them were realised at the time. One such project was the creation of the country's first school workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
.
In 1938, Plaek Pibulsonggram
Plaek Pibulsonggram
Field Marshal Plaek Pibunsongkhram , often known as Phibun Songkhram or simply Phibun in English, was Prime Minister and virtual military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.- Early years :...
, as President of Chulalongkorn University, assigned ML Pin the duty of overseeing the establishment of Chulalongkorn's University Preparatory School according to the National Education Plan of BE 2479 (1936 CE). Although given a tight timeframe of only three months, the new school was created on the location of Horwang School, and gradually absorbed the older school, the entire staff merging within a few years. ML Pin became the first director of the school, which was the country's first coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al, and is now known as Triam Udom Suksa School
Triam Udom Suksa School
Triam Udom Suksa School is a state school located in downtown Bangkok, Thailand. It admits upper-secondary students and has the largest yearly enrolment in the country...
and widely regarded as one of the best schools in the country. During his term as director, which lasted until 1944, he developed and implemented a fixed class schedule system, along with a mechanical timetable
School timetable
A school timetable is a table for coordinating these four elements:*Students*Teachers*Rooms*Time slots Other factors include the subject of the class, and the type of classrooms available ....
used to assign teaching periods, which is still in use today.
As World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
reached Thailand in December 1941, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese troops raided and occupied the school, forcing teachers and students to evacuate and relocate to temporary locations around Bangkok, and later to various other provinces. At one point, ML Pin disguised himself as a janitor to smuggle important documents and cash out of the school.
In 1942, not long after the invasion, Prime Minister Pibulsonggram assumed the post of Education Minister himself, and appointed ML Pin as Director-General of the Department of General Education. Although resources were limited due to the war, ML Pin was able to manage the budget and personnel to allow a countrywide 12 baht salary for rural local schoolteachers. During his term, every province was provided with at least one upper-secondary school. He also became involved in frequent school migrations due to both the war and changing policy.
One issue with which ML Pin was deeply concerned was that of the country's teacher-training system, an issue he stressed during an audience with King Ananda Mahidol after the war in 1946, and would later address during his term as Permanent Secretary of Education.
As Permanent Secretary of Education
ML Pin became Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education in 1946. In this capacity, he oversaw the founding in 1949 of the Higher Teacher Training School at Prasanmit, now Srinakharinwirot UniversitySrinakharinwirot University
Srinakharinwirot University is a government sponsored university located in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was founded in 1949. It was named by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is the leading Thai university in the field of Education and Fine Arts...
, and the drafting of the first national education plan.
Administration-wise, Krom Vichakan (or the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Development) was re-created in 1952 and the Department of Teacher Education was created in 1954, along with the expansion of the Higher Teacher Training School to become the College of Education, of which ML Pin served as president until 1956. He later oversaw the creation of the College's Prasanmit Primary Demonstration School.
ML Pin also pioneered the field of distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
via the "Educational Radio" broadcasting station, which was set up at Thung Maha Mek Technical College in 1954. Despite obstacles and limited support, the programme proved successful and continually developed, and is now under the authority of the Centre for Educational Technology.
As permanent secretary, ML Pin acted as the head delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
for Thailand to the third UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
General Conference in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
in 1948, where Thailand was an observer, and represented Thailand as the country filed for membership in 1949 and was accepted as the fifty-fifth member state. He served as director and coordinator for the Seminar on Rural Adult Education in Mysore, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, that year, and regularly represented Thailand in subsequent UNESCO meetings.
He was elected to two terms on the UNESCO Executive Board from 1952 to 1956, during which he supported and helped advance UNESCO's programmes for promotion of universal compulsory education in Asian countries. His representation also lead to cooperative projects between the UNESCO and Thailand, including the Thailand UNESCO Rulral Teacher Education Project and the Thailand UNESCO Fundamental Education Center at Ubon Ratchathani Province, among others. Even after his term ended as permanent secretary, ML Pin was still involved in UNESCO activities in Thailand. He facilitated the establishment of UNESCO's regional office in Bangkok, which opened in 1961, and was among the founders of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization.
As Minister of Education
In 1957 Army Commander Sarit DhanarajataSarit Dhanarajata
Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat , was a Thai career soldier who staged a coup in 1957, thereafter serving as Thailand's Prime Minister until his death in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Lao-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself a northeasterner...
executed a coup and installed Pote Sarasin
Pote Sarasin
Pote Sarasin was a Thai diplomat and politician. He served as foreign minister from 1949 to 1951 and then served as ambassador to the United States. In September 1957 when Sarit Thanarat seized power in a military coup, he appointed Pote to be the acting prime minister. He resigned in December 1957...
as prime minister. ML Pin subsequently received "an offer he could not refuse" to join his cabinet as Minister of Education and of Culture. ML Pin was also included in the following cabinets of Thanom Kittikachorn
Thanom Kittikachorn
Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was a military dictator of Thailand. A staunch anti-Communist, Thanom oversaw a decade of military rule in Thailand from 1963 to 1973, until public protests which exploded into violence forced him to step down...
and Sarit himself, with Sarit holding power as Thailand's strongman
Strongman (politics)
A strongman is a political leader who rules by force and runs an authoritarian regime. The term is often used interchangeably with "dictator," but differs from a "warlord".A strongman is not necessarily always a formal head of government, however...
leader until his death, after which he was succeeded by Thanom. Sarit pushed for a revival of the monarchy's importance, which was aided by ML Pin's royalist ideals, and school textbooks were revised to feature the monarchy prominently. ML Pin served as Minister of Education until 1969, when general elections were held and the Prime Minister reshuffled cabinet, replacing the six most senior members. (The post of Minister of Culture was terminated in 1958.)
As Minister of Education, ML Pin established the Regional Education Development Project including Higher Education, which aimed to study the needs and limitations of education systems in the provinces. Spanning over two years, results of the project included the improvement of cooperation between government officials and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
locals in the four southernmost provinces, recognition of the need for children living near the Malay and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n borders to be able to learn the Thai language before starting school, and the experimental development of a curriculum based on learners' needs and interests at Suranaree School
Suranaree School
Suranaree Wittaya School is a school in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. It is "Nakhon Ratchasima's top school" according to The Nation newspaper. It is also oversubscribed, and in March 2007, saw 500 applicants for 480 places at the school...
.
As part of the project, ML Pin made preparations for the founding of Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964 with a strong emphasis on engineering, science, and agriculture. Its instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education offered through resident instruction...
, planning the campus and beginning construction, but the authority over the project was ultimately transferred to the Office of the Educational Council. He served three terms as President of Silpakorn University
Silpakorn University
Silpakorn University is a well-known public university in Thailand. The university was founded in Bangkok in 1943 by Italian-born art professor Corrado Feroci, who took the Thai name Silpa Bhirasri when he became a Thai citizen. It is the leading Thai university in the fine arts and archaeology,...
from 1965 to 1971, during which he founded the university's Sanam Chandra Palace Campus. There he intended to established a collegiate university
Collegiate university
A collegiate university is a university in which governing authority and functions are divided between a central administration and a number of constituent colleges...
system following that used at Oxford, as advised when he was Permanent Secretary of Education by Prime Minister Pibulsonggram, and Thap Kaew College was opened in 1968. However, the college system turned out to be unsuccessful, lacking support from both the student body and the government, and was dissolved.
At Thap Kaew, ML Pin also arranged for the construction of the Sound Library, a remotely-accessible on-demand audio collection. King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
donated recordings of his speeches to the library, and later remote access via radio from Bangkok was developed, but the library was not maintained after ML Pin's presidency ended and thus fell into disuse.
As minister, ML Pin also oversaw the construction of the Bangkok Planetarium
Bangkok Planetarium
The Bangkok Planetarium is the oldest planetarium in Thailand. It is located on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok as part of the Science Center for Education, which is operated by the Department of Non-Formal Education of the Ministry of Education....
, which opened in 1964, and of the new National Library
National Library of Thailand
The National Library of Thailand is the legal deposit and copyright library for Thailand. It was created in 1905, after the merger of the three pre-existing royal libraries...
building at Tha Vasukri, and the revival of the King's Scholarship
King's Scholarship (Thailand)
The King's Scholarship is a prestigious merit-based scholarship for overseas undergraduate studies awarded to upper-secondary school graduates in Thailand. The qualifying examinations are organized by the Office of the Civil Service Commission, and are extremely competitive; a total of nine...
, among other things. After his ministerial term ended in 1969, he served two terms as member of the Senate and another as a member of the National Legislation Assembly.
Later life
ML Pin spent much of his retirement working on various tributes to King Vajiravudh, who had died while ML Pin was studying in England. In 1970 he began working with a few others with the intent to secure and catalogue the King's various literary works, some of which by then were at risk of disappearing from knowledge. He and the group made records of Dusit Thani, obtaining old photographs and other documentation, and organised a "guided tour" of Dusit Thani of old in November that year, which was presented to Princess BejaratanaBejaratana
Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda Sirisobhabannavadi of Thailand was the only daughter of the late King Vajiravudh of Thailand...
, among others.
The group's work continued, and the Fine Arts Department established it into an official committee, with ML Pin as chairman, to make preparations for the 100th anniversary of the King's birth, which would be recognised by UNESCO. ML Pin lobbied for the construction of Vajiravudhanusorn Hall, a museum displaying the King's works and duties, at the National Library. The hall was opened in 1981, despite budget problems during construction, which ML Pin had to sell part of the property on Damrongrak Road to help fund.
The committee also conducted research on the Wild Tiger Corps, and determined the location in Photharam District
Amphoe Photharam
Photharam is a district in the northern part of Ratchaburi Province, central Thailand.-History:Photharam was a district of Mueang Ratchaburi in the 19th century already. In 1836 the district office was relocated from the mouth of Bang Tanod canal to the east bank of the Mae Klong river opposite...
, Ratchaburi Province
Ratchaburi Province
Ratchaburi is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom,Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi...
, of Ban Rai, where King Vajiravudh often set up camp with them. ML Pin initiated the construction there of a statue of the King in Wild Tiger Corps uniform, which was unveiled in 1988, and the surrounding area was developed into Khai Luang Ban Rai scout camp, which also contains a medical station and kindergarten.
He was also a member of the Committee for the Renovation of Sanam Chandra Palace, but did not live to see the restoration completed.
ML Pin Malakul died on 5 October 1995, at the age of ninety-one.
Literary works
During his years as Royal Page Student, ML Pin closely served King Vajiravudh and became learned in Thai literature. He was a prolific writer and produced a great number of literary works, including 25 compilations of poetic works, 57 works on education, 58 plays, 8 travel writings, and 56 other works. Among these are the following works in English:- Writings on education
- Seminar on Rural Adult Education
- Education during the Time when H.H. Prince Dhani Was Minister of Public Instruction
- Plays
- School in the Village
- Somsak in Trouble
- Others
- Miscellaneous Problems (1960)
- Miscellaneous Problems or An Autobiography of a Would-be Mathematician (1972)
- The New Republic
- Dramatic Achievement of King Rama VI
- King Vajiravudh: Thailand's Prolific Writer
Awards and recognition
ML Pin was awarded the title of National ArtistThailand National Artist
The National Artist is a title given annually by the Office of the National Culture Commission of Thailand, recognizing notable Thai artists in literature, fine arts, visual arts, applied arts and performing arts .Since 1985, the honors have been presented on...
in Literature by the National Culture Commission in 1987 for his diverse contributions to the domain of Thai literature. He received the ASEAN Award in 1992 "for his outstanding achievements and contributions to literature". UNESCO celebrated the centenary of his birth in 2003, recognizing the value and impact of his contributions to the development of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia, and to the literary arts and the safeguarding and conservation of historical monuments and sites. On the occasion, Darakarn Building, the headquarters of UNESCO in Bangkok, was rededicated as the Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary
Building, and Room 57, Building 1 at Triam Udom Suksa School, ML Pin's former office, was set up as an archive of his original works.
ML Pin received various decorations and medals, including the Orders of Chula Chom Klao
Order of Chula Chom Klao
The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao was established in 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam to commemorate the 90th Jubilee of the Chakri Dynasty, and bears his Name...
, the White Elephant
Order of the White Elephant
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant is the most awarded order of Thailand. It was established in 1861 by King Rama IV of the Kingdom of Siam.The Order consists of eight classes:...
, the Crown of Thailand and Ramkeerati
Order of Ramkeerati
The Order of Symbolic Propitiousness Ramkeerati - Boy Scout Citation Medal - was established on 26 November 1987 by King Rama IX of Thailand to be bestowed onto those who have rendered constant service and support to Boy Scout activities for at least five consecutive years.Recipients must have...
, and the Dushdi Mala,, Border Service, Chakrabarti Mala, Royal Cypher, Red Cross Commendation and Red Cross Awards Medals. Foreign decorations he received include the West German Federal Cross of Merit
Bundesverdienstkreuz
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
, Belgian Order of Leopold, Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure
Order of the Sacred Treasure
The is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
, South Korean Order of Diplomatic Service Merit and Republic of China Order of the Brilliant Star.
He received honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s from Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
, Indiana
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, Silpakorn
Silpakorn University
Silpakorn University is a well-known public university in Thailand. The university was founded in Bangkok in 1943 by Italian-born art professor Corrado Feroci, who took the Thai name Silpa Bhirasri when he became a Thai citizen. It is the leading Thai university in the fine arts and archaeology,...
, Srinakharinwirot
Srinakharinwirot University
Srinakharinwirot University is a government sponsored university located in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was founded in 1949. It was named by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is the leading Thai university in the field of Education and Fine Arts...
, Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai University is a public research university in northern Thailand founded in 1964 with a strong emphasis on engineering, science, and agriculture. Its instructional mission includes undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education offered through resident instruction...
and Ramkhamhaeng
Ramkhamhaeng University
Ramkhamhaeng University is one of two open universities in Thailand. The university was named in honor of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great of Sukhothai, who traditionally is credited for creating the Thai alphabet....
Universities. He also served as Fellow and Honorary Fellow in Literature of the Royal Institute of Thailand
The Royal Institute of Thailand
The Royal Institute of Thailand , or RIT in brief, is a Thai public agency called otherwise but having the status equivalent to an independent Department which is not subsidiary to any other agency but comes under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister of Thailand.The...
and Honorary Member of the Education Society of Thailand. He was awarded the Elder Teacher's Pin and named Exceptional Contributor to National Education by the Teacher's Council of Thailand, and received the Golden Phra Kiao
Phra Kiao
Phra Kiao , the Thai equivalent of the coronet, is a headgear traditionally worn by young princes and princesses. King Chulalongkorn adopted it as his personal emblem, as it coincided with the literal translation of his name....
for outstanding contributions to the Thai language from Chulalongkorn University.