IN 2016, AIT JOINS UNESCO CELEBRATE 100TH BIRTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING CHAIR OF AIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 6 January 2016 This year of 2016, UNESCO will officially celebrate the 100th birth-year anniversary of Dr. Puey Ungphakorn (1916-1993). The recognition was proposed by UNESCO’s Executive Board and adopted by its General Conference on November 2, 2015. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn was appointed the first Chairman of the AIT Board of Trustees from 1968 to 1973. He was one of Thailand's foremost economists and educators. He had always believed that "education and the economy” complement each other and are symbiotic. Dr. Puey also served as Governor of the Bank of Thailand from 1957 to 1971. He was Dean of the Economics Faculty at Thammasat University in 1964 and later became Rector of the same University from 1975 to 1976. Dr. Puey passed away in London, UK, on 28 July 1999, at the age of 83. Dr. Puey played instrumental role in the establishment of the AIT from previously the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering in 1967, especially in securing the present campus land of AIT. Based on the cabinet resolution on 3 October and 12 December 1967, Dr. Puey was authorized to survey and identify a piece of land suitable to build AIT's new campus as committed by the Royal Thai Government. Dr Puey, as AIT’s Chairman of the Board and at the time Dean of the Faculty of Economics of Thammasat University (TU), wanted AIT, his planned Asian Institute for Economic Development and Planning (AIEDP) and a second campus of TU to be together. He thus decided to choose the Rangsit land which is a state land earmarked for Ministry of Industry, over another smaller piece of land at Nakorn Pathom Province. The Cabinet made a decision to let Ministry of Industry take over TU land of 689 Rai at Bangchan in Minburi, and allow AIT, AIEDP (never materialized) and TU to share the 2400 Rai instead. On 2 February 1968, the 3 parties agreed to let TU transfer the land deed from the Ministry of Industry, while AIT and AIEDP would be leasees, because a non-Thai entity cannot be a legal holder of state land.

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“Some critics believed the Pote
Sarasin and the USA dream was
simply an experiment that could
not succeed and the new school
would become a part of
Chulalongkorn University. There
was no precedent for such an
institute anywhere in the world.”
“Some critics believed the Pote
Sarasin and the USA dream was
simply an experiment that could
not succeed and the new school
would become a part of
Chulalongkorn University. There
was no precedent for such an
institute anywhere in the world.” 6

7. Dr Thanat Khoman
(RTG Foreign Min)
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8. Dr. Puey Ungphakorn was elected by AIT’s Board of Trustees to be its
First Board Chair in the Board Meeting on 9th November 1966.
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11. Dr. Puey was instrumental in securing the present campus land from RTG.
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Per the Cabinet resolution on 3
October and 12 December
1967 to allocate the Rangsit
land (2,400 rai) to be shared by
AIT**, AIEDP* and TU, since
only TU can hold state land,
the 3 parties agreed to ask TU
to hold the Rangsit land, while
AIT and AIEDP would lease
their portions from TU at
nominal rent.
* Asian Institute for Economic & Development
Planning (AIEDP) has not materialized as planned.
** AIT and AIEDP being non-governmental
organizations have no right to hold state land.
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15. On February 14, 1973, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej opened the new AIT
campus in Klong Luang District, Pathumthani Province. 15
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16. Their Majesties were guided by the Board Chair Puey Ungphakorn and
President Milton E. Bender to view the new facilities of the new AIT campus. 16
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23. สวทช
200 ไร่.
มธ. 1,400 ไร่
เอไอที 834 ไร่
ผังบริเวณ ปัจจุบัน
มธ-เอไอที-สวทช
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