Bangkok--16 Jan--AIT
President of Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Prof. Said Irandoust was honored by the Governor of Bangkok, M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra at the Fifth Save our Planet Conference organized on 5 January 2012. President Irandoust was honored for providing exceptional leadership during the flooding of the institute when it was inundated by three metres of water.
A commemorative plaque was presented by the Governor to the President "in recognition to the exceptional leadership of the President and Team (faculty, students, staff, alumni, partners) of the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok in the face of the 2011 floods which devastated the campus and for the exemplary manner in which the Institute continued its operations in the face of this great adversity.” A press release issued by the event organizer, ASEAN Affairs, stated that AIT continued its operations in spite of the flood and it conducted its operations from various facilities in and outside Bangkok.
Delivering the keynote address, Mom Rajawong Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Governor of Bangkok, remarked that Bangkok is witnessing unplanned infrastructure development, along with an increase in population — both of which are creating a huge issue of sustainable development. The Great Flood of 2011 is an example of difficulty the city faced in organizing operations in the event of a natural disaster. “Bangkok keeps sinking 1 cm every year, and if the sea level goes up 1.3 cm per year, then in 50 years, we will not be able to live in the city any longer, “the Governor added.
The Governor appreciated Mr. Swarup Roy, Founder and Chairman of ASEAN Affairs for organizing the Save Our Planet conference series. Others who participated in the conference included Mrs. Vasana Mututanont, Executive Director, International Affairs Bureau of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), who was the event co-host; Dr. Art-ong Jumsai na Ayudhya, an eminent scientist; Mr. Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Secretary General, National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB); General Lertrat Ratanavanich, Director of PTTEP and former Senator and Chairman of the Thailand’s senate committee on energy; Mr. Nopadej Karnasuta, First Senior Vice President, KASIKORNBANK; Dr. Kriengsak Charoenwongsak, President, Institute of Future Studies For Development; Dr. Seree Supratid, Managing Director of the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park Foundation; Mr. Pannakorn Khodthong, Managing Director speaking on behalf of Count Markus Matuschka de Greiffenclau President, Thai Gorilla Pulp Company; Mr. Tan Passakornnatee, former CEO of Oishi Group and owner of Mai Tan Company.
Photo caption: Photo shows Governor of Bangkok (extreme right) honoring Prof. Said Irandoust (second from right). Also in the photo are Mr. Swarup Roy, Founder and Chairman of ASEAN Affairs (far left), Founder and Chairman of ASEAN Affairs, and Mrs. Vasana Mututanont (second from left), Executive Director, International Affairs, BOI.