Director of SEAMEO Secretariat

Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen

8 February 1984 - 7 February 1987
Reappointment by 18th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Penang, 1983 for a second term of three years.

30 July, 2008 Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen of Thailand was appointed to the post of Director-Designate of the SEAMEO Secretariat otherwise known as the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Secretariat in Bangkok on November 10, 1980. He assumed the Directorship after the completion of the term of office of Mr Tan Seng Chye of Malaysia on February 8, 1981.

He was born on August 25, 1926, in Petchaburi, Thailand.  His early schooling was in his home province and he later earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from Thammasat University, Bangkok, in 1949.  He went to Georgetown University (1951-1952) and then to the American University in Washington, D C (1952-1953) where he obtained his PhD in 1954.   Professor Dr Adul is a well-known scholar and university administrator.

He had received various awards and decorations from foreign governments as well as from his own.

Royal Decorations from Thailand:

• The Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand, Highest Class, 1974
• The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, First Class, 1969
• The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao, Second Class, 1973
• The Dushdi Mala Medal for Eminence in Arts and Sciences, 1974
• The Most Exalted Order of White Elephant, Special Class, 1986

His career included being ILO Affairs Officer (1949-1951) and as Legal Affairs Officer (1954-1955) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand.

At Thammasat University, Professor Dr Adul was Director of Research, Institute of Public Administration (1956-1958), Secretary-General of the University (1959-1964) and Dean, Faculty of Liberal Arts (1962-1974).

He was Professor of Social Planning (1966-1969) in the UN Asian Institute for Economic Development and Planning and later returned to Thammasat University in 1970 to become its Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, and onward as Acting Rector, 1973-1974.  He was Rector of Silpakorn University from 1975-1979.

He was appointed a member of the National Legislative Assembly of 1973-1974 and served again as a member in the appointive National Legislative Assembly of 1977-1978.  He had also served as member of the Constitutional Drafting Committee in 1977 and then in the Constitution Scrutiny Committee in 1978.

Professor Dr Adul had been a member of the National Environment Board since its inception, having earlier served as Chairman of the Committee on the Preparation of National Environmental Protection Bill.  He also chaired the following national committees:

• Committee on Land Use and Natural Resources, National Environmental Board from 1975
• Committee on the Preparation of the Master Plan and Land Use for the Restoration of the Old City of Bangkok from 1978
• Committee on Site Planning of Government Offices for Greater Bangkok and the Major Provincial Cities from July 1980.
• Committee on Disciplinary Actions and Appeals, National University Service Commission, from 1976

Professor Dr Adul had published papers on demography, Thai society and culture, and international law and relations.

References: 

• SEAMEO Quarterly Vol. 3 No. 4 October-December 1980, Page 9
• SEAMEO Quarterly Vol. 4 No. 1 January - March 1981, p. 15, Paragraph 2

Appointment of the next SEAMEO Secretariat Director for the period from 8 February 1984 to 7 February 1987 (Ref 18th SEAMEC In-Camera Session, 26 January 1983)

The Council reappoints Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen as SEAMEO Secretariat Director for a second term of three years effective from 8 February 1984 to 7 February 1987 and reaffirms the principle of rotation which entitles Indonesia to nominate the next SEAMEO Secretariat Director.

Elaborating on the above-mentioned Council resolution, H E Dr Adoed Joesoef, President of the Council and Chairman of the Meeting, expressed on behalf of the Council its appreciation of Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen's performance of work as SEAMEO Secretariat Director which His Excellency said had been most effective and efficient.  

H E Datuk Dr Sulaiman Daud, Head of the Malaysian Delegation, endorsed the statement made by the President of the Council, and on behalf of the Council extended congratulations to the SEAMEO Secretariat Director.

Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen in reply expressed appreciation of the confidence and trust given to him, and stated that if he had been able to perform his duties well it was because of the cooperation and assistance extended to him by Ministers of Education of the Member Countries and the officials representing the governments of the Associate Members and donor countries.  This cooperation and assistance, he stated, was the outcome of international recognition of the good work SEAMEO is doing in the interest of peace and prosperity for the region.  He concluded by saying that in accepting the privilege of serving the Organization as SEAMEO Secretariat Director for another term of three years he would continue to do his utmost for the Organization with the hope to receive the continued support from the Member Countries, Associate Members, donor countries, Centres and Projects and SEAMEO Secretariat staff.

References: SEAMEO Quarterly Vol. 6 No. 1 January-March 1983, p. 10

French decoration for SEAMEO Secretariat Director

Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen was awarded a much coveted French decoration, the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Palmes academiques (the highest classes of the Order) - for enlightened leadership as Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Secretariat (SEAMEO Secretariat), of which the upshot is the much closer relationship between France and SEAMEO.

References: SEAMEO Quarterly Vol. 7 No. 1 January – March 1984, p. 13

Australian Grant

Australia, on 17 January 1983, signed a donation for A$3 million to help SEAMEO carry out its programmes and activities over a three-year period beginning 1983.

Seated foreground Mr Lamb (right), Professor Dr Adul, while looking on from the back, left to right, Mr Wee Choon Siang, Assistant Director (Programme), Miss Prapaporn Agamanon, Assistant Director (Finance), respectively of SEAMEO Secretariat, and Mr T K Haines, Attaché (Development), Australian Embassy, Bangkok.

Reference: SEAMEO Quarterly Vol 5, No 4, October –December 1982, p. 14