The special charity dinner was jointly organized by the Friends of AIT Foundation through the AIT Alumni Association and AIT, was held on 25 September 2013 at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
The charity dinner marks the kick-off of the fundraising event and attracted over four hundred guests including dignitaries from the government, corporate sector, academia, and the media; members of the AIT Hall of Fame; and many notable members of AIT’s alumni in Thailand. The event also received wide sponsorship from leading Thai corporations and businesses and announced that all its proceeds would be presented to the Foundation to support scholarships and development of research at AIT.
The event was highlighted with a talk on the “Global Financial System and Challenges to Thailand” by AIT alumnus Dr. Prasarn Trairatvorakul, Governor of Bank of Thailand. Dr. Prasarn offered a master class assessment of the global financial system and the challenges and opportunities it presents to Thailand. He also remarked about AIT, its impact and how it has played a very important role as an engine of economic growth by contributing to development of the region. The keynote presentation was followed by a question and answer session and a press conference. The BOT chief fielded questions about the Thai economy, the impact of the turbulence in global financial markets, and the possibility of a common ASEAN currency.
The Friends of AIT Foundation, established in 2011 following a donation of one million baht by Her Royal Highness (HRH) Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, had been temporarily halted until the recent announcement from Dr. Subin Pinkayan, Chairperson of the Friends of AIT Foundation, AIT Hall of Fame member, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand; regarding the return of its fundraising drive.
Friends of AIT Foundation is a non-profit organization registered on 13 December 2011. After receiving a donation from HRH Princess Maha Charkri Sirindhorn of Thailand, AIT alumni, former faculty members and AIT partners contributed a total of 16 million Baht combined as seed money to the campaign. The Foundation seeks to allocate scholarships to graduate students for study at AIT. It also aims to support reputed academicians and promote the study and research of engineering, science and technology, and management for the benefit of the Asian region, through AIT.
AIT Consulting representatives attending the dinner included Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director and Ms. Rakdao Pakdisi, Business Development Manager.
