His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, the father of King Rama VIII and King Rama IX, is honoured as the Father of Modern Medicine in Thailand.
In 1991, on the 100th anniversary of his birthday, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla was named by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the great personalities of the world in the field of culture. In 1951, the Thai government officially designated September 24th as Mahidol Day—the memorial date of the Prince’s passing. Every year since, commemorative services are held September 24th around the nation. It is a particularly important day for the medical fraternity to devote itself; just as the Prince sacrificed himself for the well-being of the nation by developing medical education in Thailand.