Many Countries Helping Development of Thailand

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30057, 15 February 1963, Page 11

Many Countries Helping Development of Thailand

New Zealand's cootribution of assistance to Thailand was one which was not only deeply appreciated by the Thai people themselves, but which was also an achievement in which New Zealand could take considerable pride, said the principal of Lincoln College (Dr. M. M. Burns) on his return to New Zealand yesterday. For the last six weeks Dr. Burns has been investigating the suitability of establishing an institution for agricultural education at Khonkhaen in north-eastern Thailand. The investigation was made for the New Zealand Government at the request of the Thai Government. "The north-east area of Thailand represents about one-third of the country, comprising the Korat plateau, which slopes gently towards the Mekong river—the border between this part of Thailand and Laos. This area is the least developed of the major areas in the country, and because of this, and the great political significance attached to it. the Thad Government is embarking on an ambitious programme of development in the north-east, covering agriculture, power, reading, industry, and education,” said Dr. Bums.

‘‘ln this programme, the Thai Government has sought guidance and assistance from international agencies and from friendly countries,” said Dr. Burns. ‘‘At present, there are everywhere signs of massive support for the programme. The United States is heavily engaged on building the’ 'Friendship Highway’ from Korat to Nongkai as well as a whole series of educational research projects: Australia is providing assistance for the development of secondary highways and maintenance training workshops, and Canada and New Zealand are assisting with survey and development work for dam projects.” Denmark was associated with the establishment of an artificial insemination centre for the improvement of livestock, and Western Germany was about to establish the second Thai-German technical training centre in Thailand at Khon khaen, said Dr. Bums. “It can be seen that this is a truly international effort of assistance.” These other countries were not only represented in north-east Thailand, for their

work was going on throughout the country. Included in the over-all Government programme for the northeast was a proposal for the establishment of an advanced regional training centre to cover initially the needs of higher education in agriculture and engineering, said Dr. Burns. “At the request of the Thai Government, Professor C. F Bentley, of the University of Alberta, and representing the F.A.0., and Mr D. F. Rohner, of Zurich, representing U.N.E.5.C.0., surveyed the needs in these two fields, and recently submitted a report to the Government recommending the establishment of this centre. It may subsequently be extended to become the university of the north-east,” said Dr. Burns. “There is no doubt that there is a need for this training, because at the present time the university facilities in Thailand are inadequate to meet the needs,” said Dr. Burns. “A university in the north-east would mean that students would tend to remain in that area rather than go to Bangkok.” As the examiner for the first class of agricultural students to graduate from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, he was very pleased to see that a most satisfactory standard had been achieved, said Dr. Burns. He was impressed by the way the faculty x/as being developed as a training centre for scientists to serve agriculture in the federation. Many Thai students who had been trained at New Zealand universities now held high posts, and their work was a credit to themselves and their New Zealand training, said Dr. Burns.