The Thammasat University Council conferred upon Mr. Susumu Yoda, Counselor and Former President of Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), Japan, an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Energy Technology for the 1999 academic year. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presented the degree to Mr. Susumu Yoda in the TU Graduation Ceremony at Tha-Prachan campus on July 28, 2000. To celebrate this occasion, SIIT held a “Congratulations Dinner” for Mr. Yoda at Siam City Hotel in Bangkok on July 27, 2000 and a “Thank You Dinner” was hosted by Mr. Yoda at the Central Grand Plaza Hotel in Bangkok, on July 31, 2000.

Mr. Susumu Yoda joined Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc. in April 1954 after graduating from the Department of Economics, Yokohama National University. He held a number of administrative and management positions and was appointed the Executive Vice President of Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc. in 1989. He was president of CRIEPI from 1991- 1999.

While Mr. Yoda was president of CRIEPI he stressed the importance of international cooperation in the field of energy and environmental technology. During 1993 – 1999, he sponsored 7 Trilemma symposiums, which dealt with the three conflicting issues of sustainable economic development, preservation of environment, and stable supply of energy and food. His greatest contribution was made through his book “Trilemma” which has been translated into English and is being translated into Chinese and Thai. Translation and publication of the English version is sponsored by the National Research Council of Thailand.

Mr. Yoda’s concern about energy, the environment and economics in Asia has been expressed on many occasions in the form of symposiums, seminars, and publications. His contributions to Asia and Thailand include enhancing international cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, promoting technology exchange, donation of experimental equipment, dispatching senior research engineers to teach at educational institutes, including SIIT, to support higher education and technology transfer.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over the Thammasat University Graduation Ceremony at Thammasat University, Tha-Prachan campus, on July 28, 2000. In this ceremony, 231 SIIT students received a Bachelor’s Degree (206 in Engineering and 25 in Science) and 3 graduates from SIIT graduate programs received a Master’s Degree in Engineering. Five of the bachelor’s degree graduates received first-class honors and 12 received second-class honors.

Civil Eng.
Electrical Eng.
Industrial Eng.
Information Tech.
Mechanical Eng.

Program	Bachelor's Degree					Master's Degree*
	1997	1998	1999			1998	1999	Total
			Total	1st Class Honors	2nd Class Honors
Civil Engineering	43	53	62	-	2	3	2	5
Electrical Engineering	48	49	61	1	3	-	1	1
Industrial Engineering	48	62	56	2	5	-	-	-
Mechanical Engineering	9	32	27	1	2	-	-	-
Information Technology	-	16	25	1	-	-	-	-
Total	148	212	231	5	12	3	3	6

* SIIT started the graduate programs in 1996.

Mr. Akio Toyoda (5th from left), the Director of Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan, led the delegation from Toyota and Associate Professor Dr. Naris Chaiyasoot (6th from left),  the Rector of Thammasat University (TU), led the delegation rom SIIT/TU at the ceremony.

In accordance with the strong wish of Mr. Yukiyasu Togo, declared in his will, his family donated 2 million Yen (approx. 760,000 baht) to SIIT as a social contribution to Thailand. This fund and the interest earned will be used to grant scholarships to needy students from provincial schools under the “White Elephant Program” of SIIT. Mr. Akio Toyoda, the Director of Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan, presented the fund to SIIT at a ceremony held on September 11, 2000.

Mr. Yukiyasu Togo was the former Chairman of the Board of Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. Mr. Togo first became associated with Toyota in the late 1950s as a successful rally driver of a Toyota Crown. He joined Toyota Motor Sales, Co. Ltd., in June 1961 and held a number of sales-related positions until 1971 when he was given his first overseas assignment as executive vice president of Toyota Thailand Co. In 1976, he joined Toyota Canada, Inc. and, in April 1980 became president.

Mr.Togo was also a leader in the community and corporate philanthropy. In 1992, he received an honorary doctorate from California State University of Dominquez Hills. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Japan American Society of Southern California; the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center; the Japanese Business Association of Southern California and the World Affairs Council of Los Angeles. He was also the president of the Japan American Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles and served as a former member of the Board of Directors for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology is sincerely grateful for Mr. Togo’s very magnanimous bequest to further enhance educational opportunities for the students of Thailand. The Institute would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for his kindness.

Congratulations on Receiving the Royal Decoration !

On the 11th July 2000, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej graciously conferred the 3rd class of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand on Prof. Dr. Okitsugu Fujiwara, a Japanese governmental personnel who works under a Japanese international cooperation scheme.

Prof. Fujiwara is an Associated Faculty member of the Asian Institute of Technology and the Chief Advisor of JICA Thammasat University Project. He plays an important role in helping develop Thai higher education and also conducts outstanding research work in different fields, which have significantly contributed to the social and economic development of Thailand, from which Thailand has very much gained and benefited.

Prof. Fujiwara has been a member of the Academic Review Committee of SIIT since 1995 and has frequently represented the Chairman of Japan-Thailand Trade and Economic Committee, Keidanren, Japan, at the SIIT Board of Trustees meetings. On the 11th September, SIIT hosted a dinner to congratulate him on receiving the Royal Decoration and to express gratitude for the consistent advice, support, and contribution he has given to the Institute.

Mr. Dispong Wathayaporn, who graduated from the Electrical Engineering Program of SIIT in the year 2000, received a scholarship from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, to continue his study in the Department of Electrical and Communications Engineering.

A graduate of the Industrial Engineering Program of SIIT, Ms. Jirapha Liangsiri, received a scholarship from the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education to study for a Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Management at Linköpings University, Sweden.

Toyota Thailand Foundation has supported the Sirindhorn Technology Scholarship Fund by donating a scholarship of 130,000 baht per year to SIIT for 4 years since the 1997 academic year. On August 25, 2000, Ms. Rattana Supapetiporn represented the Toyota Thailand Foundation to present the fourth scholarship of 130,000 baht to the Director of SIIT, Prof. Dr. Prida Wibulswas.

The Sirindhorn Technology Scholarship Fund was founded on the occasion when Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, to inaugurate the name and the main building of the Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, on October 2, 1997. The fund is used to provide scholarships and loans without interest to needy SIIT students with satisfactory academic performance.

The Siam Cement Public Co., Ltd. annually provides a number of scholarships to students with good academic potential. This year, on August 22, the company presented scholarships to 8 SIIT fourth-year students who ranked first and second in the Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering programs. The student who ranked first received a scholarship of 30,000 baht and the second received 20,000 baht.

The scholarship recipients are: (top row, from left) Mr. Yodtao Yodying, Mr. Smith Taweelerdniti, Mr. Jeerasak Pitakarnnop, and Mr. Chayanin Tangwiriyasakul; (bottom row from left) Mr. Phanuphan Piboonsak, Ms. Kanyaporn Skutalakul, Ms. Joseline Arumika Jerome, and Mr. Saratchai Ongprasert.

Mr. Chumpol Nalamlieng, President of the Siam Cement Public Co., Ltd., presents the scholarship to Mr. Chayanin Tangwiriyasakul.

SIIT Student Receives Good Conduct Awards On 19 May 2000, Mr. Sirisak Wongsura, a second-year student of the Electrical Engineering Program, received a good conduct award from The Buddhist Association of Thailand under Royal Patronage. He also received from Thammasat University (TU) a good conduct award which was presented to him by the Rector of TU, Associate Professor Dr. Naris Chaiyasoot, in the “Waikru” ceremony held at Rangsit Campus, on 6 July 2000.

New Faculty Members of SIIT Dr. Mongkut Piantanakulchai joined the Civil Engineering Program and Dr. Kritchalach Thitikamol joined the Information Technology Program of SIIT in September 2000 as full-time lecturers.
Dr. Mongkut Piantanakulchai received his Ph.D. Degree in Transportation from Tohoku University, Japan. His research areas include Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of transportation and infrastructure, transport and the environment, Input-Output modeling, and applied economic modeling for transport.	Dr. Kritchalach Thitikamol holds a Ph.D. Degree in Computer Science from University of Maryland, College Park, MD, U.S.A. His research interests include distributed systems, parallel processing, computer architectures, and compilers.

Study Visit to Research Center and Water/Wastewater Treatment Facilities

On August 11, 2000, the Environmental Technology Program arranged a study visit to a research center and water/wastewater treatment facilities around Pathum Thani province, namely the Environmental Research and Training Center of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, the Pathum Thani Water Company Limited, and the Carlsberg Brewery-Wang Noi. The study visit was part of the educational activities of the courses on Environmental Chemistry Laboratory and Water and Wastewater Analysis. Twenty-two students participated in this study visit and they were accompanied by two faculty members, Asst. Prof. Dr. Suwanchai Nitisoravut and Asst. Prof. Dr. Pichaya Rachdawong, and staff of the Environmental Technology Program.
 

The students are listening to a presentation on the investigation of chlorinated organic solvent contamination in soil and groundwater.

The students gather at the wastewater treatment plant of the  Environmental Research and Training Center to learn how the innovative activated sludge functions and the proper maintenance of the discharge sump.

On August 11, 2000, a group of 50 senior undergraduate students and one graduate student of the Industrial Engineering Program visited the Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant in Samut Prakarn. They were accompanied by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pisal Yenradee, Asst. Prof. Dr. Patamaporn Sripadungtham, Asst. Prof. Dr. Navee Chiadamrong, Asst. Prof. Dr. Sornkrit Rungroekrit, Asst. Prof. Dr. San Myint, and 3 teaching assistants. This plant assembles the Mercedes-Benz C, E, and S class models. The students were given a tour of the assembly process, from the storage warehouse for parts, the welding and paint-shop, until the final assembly and test-driving. This study visit enhanced the students’ understanding of production planning and control method, topics which have been studied in their class.

Alumni Association of Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology On September 13, 2000, the SIIT Executive Committee, led by the Director, Professor Dr. Prida Wibulswas, met SIIT alumni at a luncheon meeting held at Sol Twin Hotel to discuss the formation of the Alumni Association of Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (ASIIT). A reunion party is planned on October 28, 2000, at Thammasat University, Rangsit campus.

Special Lecture On September 22, 2000, Mr. Kitti Kittirutsuntorn from Symbol Technologies, California, gave a presentation on “Wireless Local Network for Home Appliances” to SIIT faculty members and graduate students.  Some faculty members from other universities also attended this special lecture.

Two faculty members, Mr. Heikki Saarelainan (4th from left) and Mr. Markku Jantunen (5th from left), from Helsinki Polytechnic, Finland, visited SIIT on August 29, 2000, to discuss student/faculty exchange between the two institutes. Participating in the discussion were (from left) Asst. Prof. Dr. Suwan Runggeratigul, Asst. Prof. Dr. Ekawit Nantajeewarawat, Professor Dr. Sawasd Tantaratana, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Banlue Srisuchinwong.

University of Melbourne, Australia

On September 28, 2000, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hector M. Malano, Director of International Development Technologies Centre, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Melbourne, visited Professor Dr. Prida Wibulswas, Director of SIIT, to discuss further collaborative arrangements.  Asst. Prof. Dr. Pichaya Rachdawong also participated in the discussion.  Dr. H. M. Malano was accompanied by Professor Thamrong Prempridi, SIIT associate faculty member.