Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Thai Studies Presented the Outstanding Thai Heritage Conservation Agency Award 2023

The Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, received the Outstanding Thai Heritage Conservation Agency Award for the year 2023 from the Thai Heritage Conservation Day Steering Committee, Fine Arts Department, on Thai Heritage Conservation Day, April 2, 2023, which is also the anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s birthday. The award is given to individuals and organizations that have accumulated work in the field of Thai arts and culture and the conservation of Thai heritage. This year, there were 26 recipients of awards in the individual category and only 1 agency category, the Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University. In addition to this, Prof. Dr. Sunait Chutintaranond, Director of the Multicultural Studies and Social Innovation Center, Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, was awarded Outstanding Thai Heritage Conservation Individual 2023.  

Assoc. Prof. Rittirong Jiwakanon, Director of Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Thai Studies, explained how the Institute has been working on Thai heritage conservation for more than 40 years, accumulated by the works of past professors and culminating in an established reputation that the Institute of Thai Studies is the hub of comprehensive information on arts and culture. Presently, the Institute has become more involved in collaborating with agencies related to arts and culture, boasting that it not only preserves knowledge but also applies it to be more widely used. The Institute’s current work is the survey and data collection of Wat Arun Ratchawararam, a collaboration between researchers of the Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, the Fine Arts Department, and the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, to derive information and knowledge of the areas in Wat Arun that are closed off from the public in the form of VR. This project will contribute greatly to the country’s tourism industry as well.  

Roles and Mission of the Institute of Thai Studies  

The Institute of Thai Studies aims to enhance the roles of the Institute to make them more comprehensive. The Institute is blessed with very good cultural capital in terms of data and knowledge, especially in the areas of arts and culture, Thai dance, language, literature, and traditions, all of which is the result of the researchers’ works on the field. The goal is to conduct research that meets the needs of society, and which can be disseminated to the public. 

In addition, the Institute of Thai Studies has also collaborated with various ministries to help devise policies, such as cooperation with the Ministry of Culture in developing the Thai fabric industry and the registration of intangible cultural heritage with UNESCO. At the same time, the Institute’s research network contributes to its efforts, especially academic conferences, allowing researchers and scholars to collaborate and constantly lending support to each other. The Institute also publishes academic journals in both Thai and English. The Institute of Thai Studies is the only English journal on Thai Studies in Thailand that is known globally.  

Platforms by which to Access the Institute of Thai Studies 

Assoc. Prof. Rittirong said that the Institute of Thai Studies can be accessed on several platforms, including:  

• Facebook: a channel for news, knowledge on Thai studies, and news on conferences about Thai studies 
• Website: a collection of academic articles on Thai studies both in Thai and English, including e-book versions of rare books  
• YouTube: a channel where visitors can view all past conferences held by the Institute of Thai Studies 
• Academic journals: a platform for researchers to exchange knowledge.   

Future Plans of the Institute of Thai Studies  

“We are trying to push the Institute of Thai Studies into international platforms, especially regarding Thai studies that are of interest to people around the world, as well as creating a federation to promote cooperation among researchers in Asia.  

In addition, the Institute is in the process of establishing the International Buddhist Studies Association. Our efforts to engage more with society are done through communicating a simplified version of our research to the public and showing them how the field of Thai Studies can be integrated with other sciences or fields of study,” concluded the Director of the Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University. 

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