In March 1972, at the request of the University and by prior arrangement with the British Council, Dr Francis C Johnson made a survey of the existing English language teaching situation at the University. He came up with several suggestions, the most important of which was that the University should establish a centralised institution offering service (non-specialised) courses to all undergraduates. About two months later, the University endorsed the idea and formed a committee to work out the details that the establishment of such an institution would involve. Meanwhile the University contacted the British Council, requesting a number of experts to assist in the new project. Unfortunately, due to some problems in the negotiations between the United Kingdom government and Thailand's Department of Technical and Economic Co-operation, the project was suspended temporarily. It was not until 1975, therefore, that the English Language Centre Project was launched by the University, with the late Assistant Professor Dr Panninee Sagarik as its director.