On 3 March 2025, Asst. Prof. Dr. Matchima Naradisorn, President of Mae Fah Luang University, along with Prof. Dr. Sujitra Wongkasemjit, Vice President, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont, Advisor to the President, welcomed a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) led by Mr. Paisan Ruapanichkit, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Chulvat Narinthrangura, Director-General of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), to discuss the Thai-Myanmar Development Cooperation Project in the field of public health, particularly focusing on border health issues.
The discussion aimed to explore ways to advance the Thai-Myanmar Development Cooperation Project in the public health sector, with a specific focus on assisting vulnerable populations along the Thai-Myanmar border. Mae Fah Luang University, recognised for its expertise in this area, offers a Master of Public Health Programme in Border Health Management, equipping professionals to address health challenges in cross-border settings.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Health, and Deans and lecturers from MFU’s School Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Health Science to explore potential areas of cooperation.
Mr. Paisan Ruapanichkit praised MFU’s specialized programmes, which effectively address regional healthcare challenges. On this occasion, MFU’s President proposed expanding collaboration, under public health cooperation plans with Lao PDR and Myanmar, to include: short-term training programmes to enhance the capacity of medical personnel and cross-border medical services, and patient transfer agreements with the MFU Medical Center Hospital.
Between 2017 and 2024, TICA and MFU co-organised five Annual International Training Courses (AITC), benefiting 107 scholarship recipients. More recently, MFU, TICA and the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) co-organised the “Bridging the Gap in Cross-Border Health Populations” programme at MFU, which provided scholarships to 12 participants from: Bhutan (3), Cambodia (3), Lao PDR (1), Myanmar (3), and Sri Lanka (2) focusing on building cross-border health knowledge.
Following the discussions, the MFA delegation met with several student groups, including: students enrolled in MFU’s Master of Public Health Programme in Border Health Management, Myanmar students, and TICA-MFU scholarship recipients from Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, and the Philippines, who are pursuing a Master of Science Programme in Innovative Food Science and Technology. The discussion centered on their reasons for pursuing their studies, student life, and their post-graduation plans.
As the university striving for well-being and sustainable future, this partnership marks a major milestone in improving healthcare along the Thai-Myanmar border, enhancing the quality of life for vulnerable populations while reinforcing regional cooperation in public health.
