On September 10, 2019, six students from the Faculty of Public Health visited Ban Hua Thanon in Pra Lap Sub-District of Khon Kaen province. Students spent the morning hearing from Village Headman Krittaphas Prungsripanya at the village’s “Zero Waste” education center. The students also walked through the village, visiting households to see demonstrations of composting, solid waste separation, and gardening.

This semi-urban village is well known for its “Zero Waste” program. The program has uniquely addressed the solid waste problem in the community through a multi-faceted approach, offering incentives to reduce waste generation, recycle used goods, and increase the value of waste products.

Currently, the village recognizes that they have 100% participation from the 300+ households in the village. From the 800 kg/day generated in 2013, solid waste has been reduced to around 300 kg/day now. And, of that amount, nearly 70% is organic, which is composted into fertilizer or used as animal feed. Another 60 to 70 kg/day is recycled, leaving only about 40 kg/day of solid waste that is collected weekly by the municipality and sent to the landfill.

Students participated in this site visit as part of the course, Public Health Management in Thailand, organized by Ajaan Anthony Kuster. This course analyzes the health system of Thailand in a very broad sense. In addition to healthcare delivery and financing, students are encouraged to consider the role of social determinants of health.

Mr. Kyaw Htin Latt, CEO of Chindwin Technological University and team from Myanmar visit Khon Kaen University during 25-27 August 2019. The CTU team put in a courtesy visit to KKU President and visit the Faculty of Public Health, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Education, MBA, KKBS, International College, and KKU library and DAMASAC. The aim of the visit is discussing on academic collaborations.

The Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University hosts the meeting of the Council on Public Health Education Institute of Thailand on 22 August 2019. Assoc. Prof. Chanchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University on behalf of Khon Kaen University gives a welcome speech to all participants from public health institute throughout Thailand. Then Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wittaya Yusook, Chair of the Council on Public Health Education Institute of Thailand open the meeting and follow the agenda of the meeting. Moreover, the participants congratulate to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wongsa Laohasiriwong, on the occasion of being the new dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University.

Welcome new Dean of the Faculty of Public Health

After the second term of Assistant Professor Dr. Somsak Pitaksanurat, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Associate Professor Dr. Wongsa Laohasiriwong is nominated to be the new Dean of the Faculty of Public Health. The term will be 4 years start from the 8 August 2019.

On February 21, 2018, Asst. Prof. Dr. Anootnara T. Kuster, Anthony C. Kuster, and representatives from the international exchange organization, CIEE, presented a cash donation to the Beung E-Tau and Bahn Tha Gae villages in Sila Sub-District, Mueang District, Khon Kaen Province.

This community experienced severe flooding in October and November 2017. During that time, international exchange students from the Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, were completing homestays as part of the Community Public Health and Public Health Field Practicum courses.

As part of their coursework, students organized Community Cleanup Days on December 4 and 5, 2017. They painted walls, bought new tables, and planted vegetables and flowers for the community.

Additionally, students organized an online fundraising campaign to help the community recover. This online fundraiser collected more than USD 200 (THB 6700) in donations.

The community received these donations on February 21, 2018. They plan to use the donations to purchase equipment that can be used communally at the community center and support the growing homestay business in the community, which has been supported by Khon Kaen University. Community representatives expressed gratitude to Khon Kaen University, the Faculty of Public Health, and the students for their kindness and support.

On the 25^th of September, 2015, the administrative team from Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Public Health traveled to Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Vietnam to join the celebration for the 10^th Anniversary of the Faculty of Public Health there. Asst. Prof. Somsak Pitaksanurat, Dean of Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Public Health and three colleagues--Prof. Supannee Pronthet, Assoc. Prof. Wongsa Laohasiriwong, and Asst. Prof. Pattara Saenchaisuriya--received certificates in recognition of their great contributions to develop the Faculty of Public Health specialty at Hue University over the past 10 years.

On 26-27 September, the administrative team was joined by many lecturers and students from Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Public Health to participate in the 7^th International Conference on Public Health among Greater Mekong Sub-Regional Countries. In addition, a group of exchange students from Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Public Health spent a week from 24 September to 2 October at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy as part of a cultural exchange. The trip was highlighted by a performance of a Thai cultural show at the gala dinner on 26 September.