Category: News

The Thai Government has selected Khon Kaen province as one of 7 prototype cities for the Smart City project, together with Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Bangkok. The project includes sub-projects, such as, Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Environment, and Smart Governance. Khon Kaen Province is now focusing its attention on Smart Living and Smart Mobility.   Associate Professor Cholatip Pongskul, Department of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, has represented “Khon Kaen Smart Living in Khon Kaen Smart City project.  He says Khon Kaen Smart Living project has 3 main areas including Preventive Healthcare Service, Smart Ambulance, and Health Information Exchange. DEPA (Digital Economy Promotion Agency) Thailand and other government agency confirms the importance of smart living and is now working with Khon Kaen Municipality in the areas of Preventive Healthcare Services and Health Information Exchange.  The transformation will create a citizen health data hub from various sources and process them to predict the state of health for each person. The growing numbers of elderly in Thai society is creating new challenges for the healthcare sector.  Some elderly people live alone and are susceptible to many injuries and illness. The Preventive Healthcare Service is creating monitoring project to track specific patient’s living habits and wellbeing so doctors can track their state of health and respond promptly to any accident that might happen to them.   The Smart Ambulance is a new system that will increase ambulance dispatch efficiency and allow paramedics to do simple diagnosis and relay information back to the hospital in advance of the patient’s arrival. This prototype project is currently being tested at Srinagarind Hospital.  When the project is completed and   implemented country wide, it is anticipated Thai citizen’s health status will increase while health personnel’s workload will decrease.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, and Associate Professor Songsak Kiatchoosakun, Director of Srinagarind Hospital, attended the “Shine Light on Cholangiocarcinoma” campaign event on February 11, 2021. Also attending were medical staff and researchers from the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation of Thailand, Cholangiocarcinoma Excellence Center, Srinagarind Hospital, and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University.

Associate Professor Narong Khuntikeo, Director of the Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center said that “12 February of every year is a designated World Cholangiocarcinoma Day”. Cholangiocarcinoma associated organizations around the world come out to promote the danger of Cholangiocarcinoma to the public. The event aims to prevent possible damage from Cholangiocarcinoma which kills more than 20,000 people in the northeast of Thailand each year. This causes a massive cost to the Thai workforce and heavily affects the economy and development of the country. The solution to the problem requires the combined help from citizens, government and private sectors. The solution involves making sure raw fish meals are clean and parasite free, adequate sanitary systems, improvement in education and basic knowledge of the disease, and efficient screening and treatment for Cholangiocarcinoma. . The Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center continues working with others to get rid Thailand of Cholangiocarcinoma and prevent the loss of our loved ones to this disease.”

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

On February 8, 2021, Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University, hosted the ceremony to mark the start of the construction of the Medical Hub project. Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean, the Faculty of Medicine, Associate Professor Songsak Kiatchoosakun, Director of Srinagarind Hospital, as well as former deans of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor Pisake Lumbiganon, Professor Polasak Jeeravipoolvarn, Associate Professor Suchat Areemit, Associate Professor Sompron Pothinam and other staff from the Faculty of Medicine and Srinagarind Hospital, also participated.

The Medical Hub construction budget is over 4,000 Million Baht. When completed the Medical Hub will increase Srinagarind Hospital’s service area by 120,000 square meters. There will be 600 more beds, 25 more operation rooms, 117 ICU rooms as well as 400 units for patients’ relatives housing and parking capacity for 1,000 cars. The construction of the Medical Hub will not only expand Srinagarind Hospital’s clinical services, but also increase MDKKU’s training capacity for an extra 150 doctors each year. It will also expand research and innovation opportunities. The  Medical Hub will not only benefit northeastern Thailand, but surrounding regions as well.

The Medical Hub formal construction start date was   September 15, 2020, when the construction contract was signed   between Khon Kaen University and Christiani & Nielsen (Thai) Public Company Limited.   Representatives from each side were Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University and Mr. Khushroo Kali Wadia, Managing Director and Executive Director of Christiani & Nielsen Thailand Public Co. Ltd.  A contract was also signed with Arun Chaiseri Consulting Engineers Company Limited to supervise the construction with Dr Piyawat Chaisayree as their representative.   Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dr Narongchai Akrasanee, President of the Khon Kaen University Council were also present as witnesses.

Following  the construction plan signing ceremony, on December 25, 2020, a meeting was held to discuss  construction progress on  the phase 1 construction plan, involving a right for construction area, the deconstruction of public road, and landscape transformation.   In attendance were Associate Professor Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, President of Khon Kaen University,  Associate Professor Arwut Yimtae, Vice President for Infrastructure and Environment, Khon Kaen University,  Associate Professor Piyawat Foytong, Assistant to the President for Infrastructure and Environment, Khon Kaen University, Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean, the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, as well as the board committee in charge of the construction of the medical hub, and representatives from architect firm Nungroisip Ltd. and ATT Consultant Ltd.

Much preparatory planning had led to this day, the formal construction starts for Khon Kaen University’s Medical Hub.   The Medical hub construction has now begun and is estimated to finish and be ready for use in 2024. It will significantly enhance  the Faculty of Medicine’s mission to pursue excellence in academic education,  research, and clinical services  for people in Greater Mekong subregion as well as nearby regions.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

All are invited to join Global Health Conversation Series by USF Health on the topic “The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Workers Globally” Present by Professor Barbara Smith, College of Nursing, University of South Florida. The session starts on Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at 9:00 am – 10:00 am EDT

To register click here https://usf.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Vacv9OLANor3oy

The Faculty of Medicine heartily congratulates its newly promoted professors. On January 20, 2021, the Office of the Prime Minister announced the list of 50 new professors across Thailand, 6 of whom are in our Faculty. They are:

1. Professor Thawalwong  Ratanasiri             Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
2. Professor Suppasin  Soontrapa                   Department of Orthopedics
3. Professor Kwanchanok  Yimtae                  Department of Otorhinolaryngology
4. Professor Polpun  Boonmak                        Department of Anesthesiology
5. Professor Amporn  Chamsuwan                 Department of Forensic Medicine
6. Professor Benjamas  Prathanee                 Department of Otorhinolaryngology

All are invited to join Global Health Conversation Series by USF Health on the topic “The Merging of Two Crisis: The Impact of Covid-19 on the Global Refugee Crisis”. The Lecturer for this session is Dr. Minal Ahson. Dr. Minal Ahson is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of South Florida. She is a Med-Peds Hospitalist on The COVID-19 respond team at the Global Emerging Disease Institute at Tampa General Hospital. She has extensive experience working on humanitarian medical response around the world, with a particular focus on refugee communities in Jordan and Bangladesh. She has also directed and taught course on refugee health and humanitarian medicine at USF Morsani College of Medicine, Georgetown School of Medicine, and UC Berkeley.

The session start: Wednesday, February 10, 2021. 9:00 am – 10:00 am EDT

To register click here https://usf.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6FH3pxq2xh7WfRQ

In November 2021, the UK will be hosting the 26th annual session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, or “COP26”, in Glasgow. At the summit, delegates including heads of state, climate experts, and negotiators will come together to agree on coordinated action to tackle climate change.

In leading up to COP26, the British Council has launched the Trilateral Research Initiative to provide an opportunity to

• Establish new research networks and collaborations in the field of climate research between the UK, Japan, and one or more ASEAN countries or territories which are eligible for Overseas Development Assistance (ODA);
• Develop and implement research projects which contribute to solving the existing climate change-related problems;
• Stimulate innovative research ideas and encourage sustainable collaborations between the research partners beyond the initial funding;
• Foster an interdisciplinary approach to climate research by bringing together early career researchers from different fields to collaborate on finding solutions to climate challenges.

Those interested can look up for more information and register at

https://www.britishcouncil.org/education/ihe/opportunities/cop26-trilateral-research-initiative

Deadline: Open until Sun 29 Jan 2021, 17.00 hrs UK time.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

All are welcome to join online events in the New Year with the next digital workshop taking place on 27th January 2021 at 9am GMT / 5pm SGT. Host by the Imperial College, School of Medicine and Lee Kong Chain, School of Medicine and brought to you by Paul Gagnon, Smriti Pathak and Preman Rajalingam, Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: a practical guide is a 90-minute workshop that will enable participants to:

Identify key elements specific to understanding artificial intelligence in medical education

Describe an approach to designing AI enabled learning and assessment activities

Outline common strategies and challenges when planning and evaluating AI projects

Register your free place here

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z_aRan7vRm-IJtxj_tocGg

More information about the conference will be available early in the New Year so keep an eye out for emails and check back on the website, www.transformmeded.org

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

On December 3, 2020, International Relations Office, of the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, hosted a seminar on “Procedure for the Employment of Foreigner” at Lecture Room 1, Pre-clinical Sciences Building 2, 2^nd floor, the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University.

The purpose of this event was to enhance Khon Kaen University Staff’s knowledge about the processes for employing foreigners. The seminar covered foreign employee law, regulation, acts and national policy and how to avoid any violation during foreigner employment process.

Associate Professor Wimonrat Sriraj, Associate Dean for the Research and International Relations Affairs presided over the seminar and gave an opening speech. Invited speakers were Police Captain Tatsana Chaisang, Sub-Inspector of Immigration, Khon Kaen Province who spoke on “Visa Application Process for Foreign Employee”, Miss Darunee Chaidej, Labour Specialist, professional level, and Mr. Bancha Kanunthong, Labour Specialist, from the Department of Employment of Khon Kaen Province, who shared their experience on “Application Procedures for foreign employee Work Permit”.

The seminar was a great success with 50 participants in the auditorium and another 20 participating online.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Officer

Research and International Relations Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University