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.

On Wednesday, 26 August 2015, Professor Dr. Stephen Legg, Director of the Center for Ergonomics and Occupational Safety and Health at Massey University in New Zealand met Associate Professor Dr.  Kittichai Triratanasirichai, the President of KhonKaen University, to establish an MOU between KhonKaen University and Massey University. The MOU will allow the Faculty of Public Health to initiate and take steps to advance academic and research activities between the two institutions.

Dr. Legg was invited by the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, to speak on the topic of “Ergonomics and application to health research and occupational safety and health” at the Faculty of Public Healthfrom 25-26 August 2015. He also had an opportunity to meet staff and discusspotential academic collaboration with the Faculty’s administrative team.

The Student Club of the Faculty of Public Health joined hands with the Student Development Division of The Faculty of Public Health in organizing 200 students to compete in the 33^rd Public Health Relations Academics and Sports Competition Event. This event is held under the name Maprao Games at Burapha University Chonburi from the 30^th of January until the 1^st of February 2015. Under the event, there is an academic conference with research presentations by students in public health and an international sports competition is held in 5 categories; football, volleyball, basketball, takraw and petanque. This year the Faculty of Public Health Khon Kaen University won 3 awards; third place in petanque for the women team and the second prize for the cheerleaders’ performance and second prize for the cheerleaders.

The academic conference and sports competition in public health relations is cooperation between the National Public Health Student Confederation of Thailand from 16 public health institutions all over the country. These institutions have formed a network which organizes sports competitions every year to build relations in the network, good health and to create sportsmanship among athletes. This year is the first time that the sports competition is held at the same time as an academic conference. The conference is held so that students of different institutions can exchange academic knowledge in public health. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chulaporn Sota, Associate Dean for Student Development and Arts and Culture of the Faculty of Public Health and the student development committee traveled to Chonburi to oversee students closely.

The host of the competition is the Faculty of Public Health of Burapha University. The academic conference was appropriate and the sports competition amazing. Before the opening ceremony of the sports competition, a flag ceremony was held in which the flag was handed to the Faculty of Public Health of Khon Kaen University which will host next year’s event; the 34^th Public Health Relations Sports Competition.