Few people are better known in Thai society than Prawase Wasi. While Dr Prawase’s
prominent role has been well-documented, at least some part of his initial rise to
prominence is owed to his chosen profession as a medical doctor.5 His prestige was
further solidified through his choice to become an ajaan mor (a teaching doctor at a
university) and kharatchakan (civil servant), two occupations that are among the most
highly respected positions in Thai society. However, the influence he has achieved cannot
be derived from his professional position alone. It has also been derived from his
experiences as a “modern Thai” who pursued advanced graduate study of difficult topics
abroad in haematology at the University of Colorado and human genetics at the University
of London at a time when few Thais did; the progressive concerns he has displayed in his
activities, including his leadership in the political reform process in the 1990s on the
Democracy Development Committee (see Connors 1999, 209); his promotion of the
National Health Assembly; and his work founding many non-governmental organisations
(NGOs); his written work and speaking engagements, too numerous to list, but many of
which draw on foreign ideas or books, which he has tried to introduce into Thai society or
adapt in some meaningful way; his awards such as his Magsaysay Award; his respect for
the monarchy (as a royalist); and his relationships to a wide variety of prestigious
characters from all walks of social life.
Few people are better known in Thai society than Prawase Wasi. While Dr Prawase’sprominent role has been well-documented, at least some part of his initial rise toprominence is owed to his chosen profession as a medical doctor.5 His prestige wasfurther solidified through his choice to become an ajaan mor (a teaching doctor at auniversity) and kharatchakan (civil servant), two occupations that are among the mosthighly respected positions in Thai society. However, the influence he has achieved cannotbe derived from his professional position alone. It has also been derived from hisexperiences as a “modern Thai” who pursued advanced graduate study of difficult topicsabroad in haematology at the University of Colorado and human genetics at the Universityof London at a time when few Thais did; the progressive concerns he has displayed in hisactivities, including his leadership in the political reform process in the 1990s on theDemocracy Development Committee (see Connors 1999, 209); his promotion of theNational Health Assembly; and his work founding many non-governmental organisations(NGOs); his written work and speaking engagements, too numerous to list, but many ofwhich draw on foreign ideas or books, which he has tried to introduce into Thai society oradapt in some meaningful way; his awards such as his Magsaysay Award; his respect forthe monarchy (as a royalist); and his relationships to a wide variety of prestigiouscharacters from all walks of social life.
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