The 17th Kyoto University Southeast Asia Forum held (7 February 2015)

The Kyoto Union Club (KUC), a Kyoto University organization for Thai alumni, held the 17th Kyoto University Southeast Asia Forum entitled "Thailand Energy Solution: Energy from Household and Agricultural Wastes" at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

With support from KU's Center for Southeast Asian Studies, the Southeast Asia Forum has been held since 2007 mainly in Indonesia and Thailand, and also in other countries including Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia, in order to share the university's world-renowned academic achievements with audiences in Southeast Asia. The topic of the each forum is selected by the alumni organization of the host country, and Kyoto University supports each event by sending speakers relevant to the request of the host organization.

The 17th Forum was filled to capacity, attended by about 160 people, most of whom were undergraduate and graduate students of universities in Thailand. Following the opening speech by the president of KUC, Dr Sucharit Koontanakulvong of Chulalongkorn University, Professor Kazuhiro Ueda, KU Vice-President for University Fund Administration and Alumni Affairs delivered a congratulatory address and update on Kyoto University. Various lectures on the potential of renewable energy in Thailand followed, including Professor Emeritus Kouichi Miura (Specially Appointed Professor of the Institute of Advanced Energy), Professor Ohgaki Hideaki (Institute of Advanced Energy), and Associate Professor Masaaki Okamoto (Center for Southeast Asian Studies). Participants showed their appreciation by giving the lecturers their undivided attention.

After the forum, 22 people participated in an exchange meeting with KUC. Reflecting the lively main forum, participants talked about their lives and recent studies in a relaxed and amiable atmosphere.

On the day before the forum, 6 February 2015, about 40 members of the Thailand Hyakumanben Society (President: Krisada Visavateeranon), which mainly consists of Japanese alumni of Kyoto University living in Thailand, held an exchange meeting at the Bangkok Liaison Office of the Center for Southeast Asia Studies. After President Krisada and Professor Ueda, Vice-President of Kyoto University, delivered welcome remarks, Professor Mamoru Shibayama, Director of the Kyoto University ASEAN Center, gave a toast. During the meeting, alumni of the university working actively in all quarters of Thailand exchanged fond memories of their student days and deepened friendship with current University faculty and staff.