Speech of The President of Khon Kaen University for ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary

Dear Colleagues, Staff and Students of Khon Kaen University.

First of all, may I ask all of you to join me in celebrating half a century of unprecedented growth and stability among the members of the ASEAN community. Also, for this commemorative event, we are asked by the Philippines’ chairman to look ahead to the future and face it with courage as one community with a shared identity.

Fifty years ago on August the 8th, 1967 the most momentous multilateral group of nations known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was founded. The 8th of August is now observed as ASEAN Day. Today is the 50th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Thesefounding members were later joined by Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia respectively.

This year is different from other years because it is the year of the golden jubilee and let me assure our younger generation that no one will be left behind in Khon Kaen University’s quest for better education, academic services and cultural preservation for years to come.

Secondly, I wish to report on our ASEAN-GMS endeavors.

On the occasion of the founding day of ASEAN, I wish to report to the university community that Khon Kaen University is now prepared and ready for the next steps of ASEAN world challenges, that is “Partnering for Change Engaging the World” for the ASEAN Community beyond 2017.

It is always been Khon Kaen University’s international policy to become the gateway of the Greater Mekong Sub-region which consists of Continental ASEAN Members plus two Southern provinces of China.

In fact, Khon Kaen University has been working laboriously on the internationalization policy since its establishment and today the university achieved international recognition. The name of Khon Kaen University is now listed among other global class universities.

Khon Kaen University efforts for higher world ranking serves ASEAN community aspirations well because education should be among the many challenges to world affairs engagements.

Historically, KKU was the first university in the northeast region of Thailand to serve the whole region for more than five decades. Today the university will have to serve not only the country but the wider region that the country is a part of.

The university established the Centre for ASEAN Studies on the 9th of June, 2014 in response to the fast phase of ASEAN integration. The Centre has been designed to be a seat of ASEAN learning and to disseminate ASEAN knowledge at the Greater Mekong Sub regional level.

Since its inception, the Centre for ASEAN Studies has worked together with many institutions: public, private and international non-profit organizations.

Thirdly, I would like to mention the advantage of the North Eastern part of Thailand as an education hub.

It is noteworthy to mention that Khon Kaen which is the province at the main gateway to the country's northeastern region has been designated as an information, communications technology and logistics centre to support the development of the region within Thailand and beyond.

Points of connection for Khon Kaen University to the neighboring ASEAN-GMS countries namely Lao PDR and Cambodia (not to mention future rail linkage to the Southern part of the People Republic ofChina) are close by. The university has its other campus in the province of Nong Khai where Vientiane the capital of Lao PDR is less than half an hour away. In less than a two hour drive from Khon Kaen there are roads connecting the boarder province of Mukdahan to Sawannaket of southern Laos and Sisaket to the Western part of Cambodia. This geographical advantage gives the university an opportunity to play an important part in connecting ASEAN-GMS member countries to a global education structure.

Fourthly our commitment to ASEAN-GMS future:

Under my administration, the university will raise more funds for joint research and promote more exchanges of students and scholars within the region. The university will put more emphasis on academic exchanges and scholarships, implementing more Cooperative Studies in ASEAN Countries, joint curriculum development and joint teaching exercises.

It is my hope to see that every member country is connected academically to Khon Kaen University in at least one area of academic cooperation.

Last but not least, may I put the emphasis on ASEAN’s younger generation. I wholeheartedly believe that through ASEAN’s initiatives such as single market and production base, the region will become a highly competitive economic region, will be a region of equitable economic development, and grow into a region fully integrated into the global economy. These achievements will be all for the benefitof the younger generation. My generation can only wish for the motto of ASEAN -- "One Vision, OneIdentity, One Community” will be realized before the next generation will take over these ambitious responsibilities.

May I, on behalf of the entire KKU community, wish for a successful and prosperous ASEAN’s 50th anniversary.

Thank you very much.                                                                                                                                                    Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kittichai Triratanasirichai                                                                                                                President