Commemoration of
Chiang Mai University's Founder

Chiang Mai University has a wonderful reason to exhibit the life of its founder who would be 100 years old if he were alive this year. The UNESCO honored him as the worlds outstanding leader in 4 specialized fields Education, Culture, Literature, and Mass Communication (The Celebration of Commemoration of Historic Events and Anniversaries of Eminent Personalities). An exhibition takes place between 29 January until 28 February 2003 at the Art Hall, Hor-Silp Pin Mala the Hall was named in his honor when it was erected years ago. M.L (Mohm Luang) Pin Malakul, 24 October 1903 - 5 October 1995, was the only son of M.R. Pia Malakul, the Permanent Secretary of Education Ministry, during King Rama VIs reign. His father had the royal rank of Mohm Rajwong, M.R., through the descendent line of King Rama II. M.L. Pin finished his secondary school level when he was only 10 years old while other children were 13-15 years old in the same class. His father took him to King Vajiravuth , Rama VI for advice and further royal sponsorship at the Palace School -- now Vajiravuth College. Later, the king personally granted him a scholarship to further his studies for B.A. and M.A. degrees at Oxford University during 1921-1931.

M.L. Pin came back from England and served the Ministry of Education for a short time and was transferred to be a lecturer at Chulalongkorn Universitys Faculty of Art and Science in 1932. During his 6 years at the university, he developed Secondary School Teaching Program and founded Triam Udom Pre-University School (65 years old this year). It is equivalent to senior high school in America.

During the second world war, 1942-1946, M.L. Pin came back to head the Education Ministrys Department of Ordinary Education as the Director-General with his own determination that Thailand must have high schools in every province before the end of 1957. During those years at the Ministry of Education, he was quickly promoted to Permanent Secretary in 1946. He set up the new department, i.e. Training Teachers Department at the Ministry as well as Teacher Training Schools at various provinces. Meanwhile, for higher education, M.L. Pin developed and founded Teacher Colleges at Pratoomwan and Prasanmitr campuses that later became the Education Colleges, equivalent to universities at that time. He also introduced the demonstration schools for teaching trainees. He served the ministry as the Permanent Secretary for over 11 years.

The nations military government was comfortable to appoint him as the Minister of Education Ministry, in 1957, He was valued as a man with high education, good vision, and a pioneer for better future. Even though the government was undemocratic, they kept him on the job almost 12 years. He looked after the standard level of education as well as higher education. It was in the decade of 60s that higher education quickly began to spread out of Bangkok into regional provinces.

A class of Chiang Mai Medical School in Bangkok was set up in 1959 with the grant of USOM agency, even before the budget of 1961-1964 to build a new university was approved by the cabinet in the following year. This class was associated with the new Faculty of Medical Science under the University of Medicine or present-day Mahidol University. M.L. Pin, his foreign and Thai advisors plus working committee members worked hard on the groundwork, expenses, planning, location, landscape, buildings, facilities, and manpower from the night of 27 July 1961 The Prime Minister attended the ground work ceremony, 16 June 1962. Later the same Prime Minister officiated at the ground breaking ceremony of the main campus on 2 October 1963. After 3 years of red-tape, most facilities were ready and Chiang Mai University was officially opened in 1964, firstly with 4 established faculties Medicine, Science, Social Science, and Humanities. The first graduation was only for the medical doct ors in 1966, and 2003 marked the 37th graduation ceremony of the university. Unofficially, the university now has 3 important campuses: j Suan Dork Area on Suthep Road is a Medical Complex that covers all medical sciences, including the hospital facility Maharaj Hospital k Main Campus is located between Suthep and Huay Kaew Roads, 2 kilometers west of the medical complex. The main campus accommodates the large number of faculties. l Mae-Hia Campus situated on the irrigation canal, 5 kilometers south of the main campus. This is an Agricultural Research and Training Center along with 2 faculties in the agriculture field.

Forty years old, Chiang Mai University is regarded as a unique academic institution that grew from 4 to 17 faculties at the present time. It also has 19 institutes or offices of research and service along with 13 organizations that serve both inside and outside the university. All three campuses currently employ more than 10,000 personnel Professors, lecturers, staff, and workers. The university has conferred the degrees of Bachelor, Master, and Doctor of Philosophy since 1964 to more than 80,000 graduates. It is a tremendous investment to run a college or university anywhere in the world. Therefore, Chiang Mai Universitys product of human resource is a big asset for the northern region as well as the nation. These graduates are counted on to serve their people and country.

As for his achievement in literature, under various pen names, M.L. Pin wrote a large number of different stories classified as Stage Plays - 61; Stories - 26; Education - 59; Travelling Documentary - 8; and Miscellaneous - 52. M.L. Pin was the front leader among the pioneers, including the foreign advisers, who made a dream come true Chiang Mai University must be the first regional university in the country outside the capital of Bangkok. Thus, on February the University Council of Chiang Mai University officially honors the founder, M.L. Pin Malakul, who worked hard to achieve his goal to see his Thai children have education and experience to lead them to a beneficial future.