Comments from the Scholarship Students
“There is certain pride I'm sure everyone
feels in being a scholarship student and
knowing that you are serving your
country…at the start, there are few certain
challenges you will face…do not worry. It
comes with time and as you go along, your
skill will gradually improve. I did really
badly in one of my subjects in the first
mock exams but in the second mock, my
mark in that subject just shot up…”
Ms Pimchanok Narenpithak (Maggie)
Current course of study: A-levels
School: D'Overbroeck's College
Scholarship: European Literature/
CHE(Commission of Higher Education)
from A-levels to Master
“I am honoured and very grateful to be a scholarship student
but I do not feel special or superior or anything. To me it
means constantly reminding myself to take what I learn here
and put it in a perspective of my country. .. I am studying the
way of thinking, problem-solving methods and approach, and
not copying western architecture or certain style.
…It is a peace of mind having the OEA here in the UK. Every
staff at the OEA are friendly and help us a great deal. Not just
dealing with our scholarship and monitoring our progress and
things, they also give us insights into living in the UK…”
Ms Nawanwaj Yudhanahas (Orm)
Current course of study: BSc Architecture. Year3
School: Bartlett School of Architecture, University College of
London
Scholarship: Undergraduate to Master degree
CSC , OCSC and Scholarship Management
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) is a committee body appointed by the His Majesty
the King. Its authority and duties are to make proposals and give advice to the Cabinet
concerning policies and standards of managing public human resource as well as to
formulate civil service human resource management policies, rules, regulations and
directives in accordance with the Civil Service Act
According to the Civil Service Act, the CSC is comprised of the Prime Minister or
Deputy Prime Minister designated by the Prime Minister as Chairman, Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Director of the Budget Bureau and SecretaryGeneral of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board as ex
officio commissioners, and no fewer than five but not more than seven commissioners
appointed by the King from persons qualified in human resource management,
administration and management and law whose works are renowned in the relevant fields
and being persons recruited under the rules, procedures and conditions prescribed by CSC
Regulation, and the Secretary-General of the Civil Service Commission shall be a
commissioner and secretary.
The Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) serves as the secretariat
to the CSC and is the operational unit assigned to undertake the CSC functions mentioned
above. The OCSC is headed by a Secretary-General who is in charge of its civil servants
and administration, and is accountable directly to the Prime Minister. Duties of the OCSC
are prescribed in Section 13 of the Act and one of such duties is to carry out acts in
relation to King’s scholarships and government scholarships in
accordance with policies or rules of the CSC.
Royal Thai Scholarship System
in Brief
The Main Objectives of Royal Thai Government Scholarship are as follows;
1. To support the public sector in keeping up with its human resource capability within the
dynamic environment;
2. To ensure the flow of talents to replace retiring government officials
3. To serve as a strategic recruitment tool in bringing talents to the public sector.
The government scholarship program has been
recognized as a key mechanism to recruit highly
competent civil servants and those with special
qualifications needed in civil service. Usually,
around 70-80% of candidates in the final selection
stage are first or second degree honour students.
Comments from the Scholarship Students
“…I really feel honoured to be a scholarship student
and at the same time feel quite a high responsibility
on performing well in my education …I am pushing
my best to achieve as much as possible in hope
of using my knowledge to help other people after my
graduation…
…I think having OEA here is actually helping me a
lot with the advices during different stages in my
education. All the officers are so nice to me and treat
me like someone in their family. Really raise my spirit
up a lot during my living here. Thank you very
much.”
Mr Atipat Patharagulpong (Ming)
Current Course of Study: MSc. Biomedical
Engineering
Place of Study: Imperial College London
Scholarship. : Ministry of Science and Technology
(A-level to PhD)
Office of Educational Affairs: OEA
Office of Educational Affairs (OEA) is a division of the Office of the Civil Service
Commission (OCSC). The evolution of the OEA is indistinguishable from the history of
taking care of Thai students in the UK. This can be dated back as far as 1881 when Prince
Prisdang, a son of King Rama IV, was bestowed by King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn)
the responsibility of taking the first group of 9 students to Europe in 1881, finding the
schools for them and supervising their studies so that none would be "idling or lagging
behind in his work.“ Prince Prisdang therefore became the first de facto person to
superintend Siamese students in the United Kingdom i.e. the Superintendent. Since then
there are 21 Superintendents –a title later changed to Minister (for Education) - taking care
of the Royal Thai government scholarship and privately funded students.
MINISTERS (FOR EDUCATION)
NUMBER
NAME
YEAR
1
MR. JAMES ALGERNON BROWN, M.A. OXON
1904 - 1906
2
COL. C.V. HUME, M.V.O., M.A.
1912
3
MR.A. CECIL CARTON, M.A.
1915 - 1921
4
PHYA BHARATA
1922 - 1925
5
MR. A.E. CARDEW
1926 – 1931
6
PHYA PRICHANUSORN
1949 - 1950
7
PHRA SUVABHAND
1951 - 1955
8
LUANG PRAMODYA
1956 - 1963
9
MR. SNGAT SRIVANIG
1964 - 1972
10
MR. SAMRAN THAWARAYUSM
1973 - 1977
11
MR. SOMSALA JEERAPANDH
1978 - 1981
12
MR. ALAI INGAWANIJ
1981 -1985
13
M.R CHAYATAVAT SRITAVAJ
1985 - 1989
14
MR. SUWAN XANASONGGRAM
1989 - 1993
15
DR. SOMPHOCH NOPHAKOON
1993 - 1997
16
MR. SATHAPORN SAKOLRAK
1997- 1998
17
MRS. CHOMNARD PONGPONRAT
1998 - 2001
18
MR. CHARNVIT KRAIRIKSH
2001 - 2005
19
MRS. SUCHADA RUNGSINAN
2005 - 2008
20
M.L PATCHARAPAKORN DEVAKULA
2008 - 2011
21
DR. PIYAWAT SIVARAKS
2011 - PRESENT
Prince Prisdang was born on Feb 23,
1851 to Prince Jumsai, the fourth
eldest son of King Rama III and went
with King Rama V and other royal
cousins to Singapore for his
education. He did very well and later
was sent to England to study
engineering. He became "the first
known Thai to study and graduate
from a Western University", and won
many distinctions and awards. Even
the Times Magazine reported the
Prince taking the first prizes in so
many fields of studies upon his
graduation at King's College in 1876.
The prince was the core member of
the Young Siam Society.
(M.L.Manich Jumsai, “Prince
Prisdang's Files on His Diplomatic
Activities in Europe 1880-1886)