A little learning goes a long way…
Cherdkiat Atthakor
How do you reach the furthest behind, meaningfully? What do you give them that willallow them to change their own trajectory in life, to impact their immediate surroundings, andto advance their societies, their countries? You give them access to quality education.
Time and again, this has been the single, most effective game-changer in the lives of somany people who were born without other means to get ahead in life. Education continues tobe, in fact, a social ladder when it comes to overcoming systems of privilege andinequality. For those who struggle on the margins of our societies, it opens doors.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has opened that door for so many
underprivileged children in Thailand, engaging with the agencies responsible to improve theentire system of education in the country. Her sole desire has been to make quality education
accessible to all, and in particular, the most disadvantaged. In Thailand, this has meant accessto quality education for children living in the remote and rural areas of the country. It has alsomeant reaching those living in the mountainous areas where accessibility is close to impossible,
and those living along areas bordering our neighbouring countries.

The Lions Mahachak 9 Border Patrol Police School, Mae Taeng District, Chiangmai province in thenorth of Thailand, under the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board (ORDPB)
Credit: Office of the Royal Development Projects Board (ORDPB) website

Since her youth, Her Royal Highness has been a firm believer in the power ofknowledge. She herself, has been devoted to studying and applying a variety of knowledge
gained to improve people’s lives in Thailand. Her Royal Highness has focused on advocating“education for all” through advancing collaboration among all stakeholders, both ingovernment and the private sector, with the ultimate goal of creating a network of knowledgesharing, technical support, and resource mobilization, not only in Thailand, but worldwide.
Embracing her vision, government and academic institutions began to follow her
example in the pursuit of academic excellence and a better life for the country’s future
generations. In 1979, that vision materialized with The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Foundation, which began providing concrete support to needy students in schools, vocationalcolleges and universities. Then, in 1983, Her Royal Highness expanded these efforts to starta project to provide better access to quality education for children living in the rural outreachesof the country.

It was through activities under this project that teachers, especially border patrol policeteachers, were trained on specific teaching methods under specific conditions targeted towards
achieving concrete learning outcomes for these children. This project later included aparticular focus and training on improving education for stateless and minority children.
Through her work, the more disadvantaged children she impacted, the more Her RoyalHighness began to recognize and give equal importance to other factors shaping children’sdevelopment. This included providing good nutrition and combatting iodine deficiency
through lunch projects, providing access to technology for schools in rural areas, andimproving the quality of teachers through awards and scholarships.
In 1990, Her Royal Highness initiated the Deficiency Disorder Control Project. In
cooperation with UNICEF and salt producing companies in Thailand, the Iodine Deficiency
Disorder rate in primary school children in Thailand has continuously been kept at under 5percent.
In 1995, Her Royal Highness initiated the IT for Rural Schools Program, as part of her
comprehensive IT project for education, to address inequality by providing access tocomputers and IT equipment to member schools. Through this program, teachers and students
in rural, remote areas of Thailand were able to experience and develop their skills in the useof technology.

Online learning
Credit: The Information Technology Foundation under the Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn website

Her Royal Highness’ dedication and contributions in the field of education over theyears then inspired the Teacher’s Council of Thailand, Ministry of Education, to establish thePrincess Maha Chakri Award in her honour in 2015. The Award is given once every two years
to 11 outstanding teachers from ASEAN Member States and Timor Leste, honouring dedicatedteachers, promoting the teaching profession, and strengthening international relations in thefield of education.

Credit: Princess Maha Chakri Award website

Her Royal Highness’ work has also been recognized by the international communityand several international organizations. One is UNICEF, which has presented her with theLife-Time Achievement Award for her significant role and unwavering commitment inimproving the lives of children in Thailand, especially those in remote and disadvantaged areas.
In 1991, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was awarded theprestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. Established in 1957, the Ramon
Magsaysay Award was and is considered Asia’s highest honour, the region’s equivalent to theNobel Prize.

It was at the Magsaysay Award ceremony, that Her Royal Highness shared with theaudience a glimpse into the inspiration behind her work:“It is the duty, and also the highest aspiration of a Thai to take part in any work aimed
at the development and prosperity of our beloved country, Thailand, and to help our lessfortunate neighbour have a better life.”
Indeed, the well-being and quality of people’s lives cannot be improved by one person
alone. It takes collective and consistent effort, and it takes time. In fact, it takes all of us, todo our part in contributing to societal well-being, for the future of our children and generations
to come. In the world we live in today, no one is untouched by the global economic recession,poverty, crime and unemployment, and other societal ills. A quality education is what will
best prepare people for an ever-changing environment, and equip them to handle the fast-paced,dynamic and unpredictable circumstances of our world.
I, for one, am also a firm believer in the power of knowledge, and that a little learning
goes a long way for everyone, especially for those furthest behind, to whom we owe our best
efforts to raise up.

* * * * *Mr. Cherdkiat Atthakor is Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who oversees
the Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs that organizes training for Thai
diplomats throughout their career. He has a wide range of experience in foreign affairs,
previously serving as the Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador of Thailand
to Kenya, as well as the Deputy Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs,
the Department of ASEAN Affairs, and the Department of International Organizations.