Director of SEAMEO Secretariat 

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Secretariat (SEAMEO Secretariat) is the executive arm of the Council.  One of its main functions is to execute the instructions and decisions of the Council as contained in the Council resolutions.   The SEAMEO Secretariat is located in Bangkok, Thailand. 

It is headed by a Director who is appointed by the Council and who is the chief administrative officer and legal representative of the Organization.  He is supported by a professional staff recruited from member countries, and a general service staff recruited from its host country, Thailand.

The term of directorship was three years up to 1998.  As a result of the Study of SEAMEO's Structure, Functions and Management System, approved by 32nd SEAMEO Council Conference,1997 and the Result of Consultation with Member Countries (MC-35/IC/WP/2); the post of Director is a minimum of three plus one years. However, the three plus one formula is not an automatic element to the appointment of the Secretariat Director.

The new Director shall report to the SEAMEO Secretariat as Director Designate three month prior to the date of appointment for proper turning over of responsibilities, orientation on the job, and other relevant matters.

In practice, the post of the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat is rotated among Member Countries, but it is the Council who will make the final selection.  The rotation has been in the following order:  Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia, as shown in the table below. Singapore, which has been a member since the setting up of the Organization, and Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam nationals have not taken up the Director's post as yet.

SEAMEO Secretariat  Director		Appointment		Country
	Dato’ Dr Haji Ahamad bin Sipon Appointment approved by referandum and confirmed by the 42nd SEAMEO Council Conference (IC), 2007, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (Ref. KP(HA 008.3 Jld.2(44) dated 13 February 2007)	1 January 2008	31 December 2010	Malaysia
Director Designate		1 October 2007	31 December 2007
	Prof Dr Edilberto de Jesus Appointment approved by referendum (Ref 12.408.1/1734/04 dated 11 October 2004)	1 January 2005	31 December 2007	Philippines
Director Designate		18 October 2004	31 December 2004
	Dr Arief Sukadi Sadiman Appointment by 36th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, 2001	1 June 2001	31 May 2004	Indonesia
The 39th SEAMEO Council Conference 2004 approved the extension of Dr Arief S Sadiman’s appointment as SEAMEO Secretariat Director up to 31 December 2004. (MC-39/IC/WP/5)		1 June 2004	31 December 2004
Director Designate		22 Mar 2001	31 May 2001
	Dr.Suparak Racha-Intra Appointment by 32nd SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Manila, Philippines, 1997	1 June 1997	31 May 2000	Thailand
The 35th SEAMEO Council Conference In-Camera Session took note of and confirmed the Result of the Consultation on the "three plus one year" term of incumbency of Dr Suparak Racha-Intra. (MC-35/IC/WP/2)		1 June 2000	31 May 2001
Director Designate		1 May 1997	31 May 1997
	Dr Ashari bin Che Mat Appointment by 29th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1994 [Did not complete term because of his new appointment.]	29 August 1994	31 May 1997	Malaysia
Director Designate		1 August 1994	28 August 1994
	Dr Ruben C Umaly Appointment by 26th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Manila, Philippines, 1991.	29 August 1991	28 August 1994	Philippines
Director Designate		3 June 1991	28 August 1991
	Professor Dr Jakub Isman* Appointment by referendum to finish Professor Dr Ida Bagus Oka's term.	29 August 1988	28 August 1991	Indonesia
* Appointment by 24th SEAMEC, Melaka, Malaysia, 1989 for three years starting 29 August 1988.
	Professor Dr Ida Bagus Oka Appointment by 21st SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Brunei Darussalam, 1986. [Did not complete term because of his appointment as Governor of Bali.]	8 February 1987	28 August 1988	Indonesia
Director Designate		8 November 1986	7 February 1987
	Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen* Reappointment by 18th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Penang, Malaysia, 1983 for a second term of three years.	8 February 1984	7 February 1987	Thailand
* The Council reaffirmed the principle of rotation which enable Indonesia to nominate the next SEAMES Director (MC-18/IC/1983).
	Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen* Agreement of the Council Members for the appointment of Dr Adul was made by referendum. (Ref RSD/80/23 dated 15 July 1980).	8 February 1981	7 February 1984	Thailand
* Following the withdrawal of the candidature of Mrs Tai Yu-lin of Singapore, the Council agreed that a suitable candidate from Thailand be nominated for the appointment of Director, SEAMES (MC-15/IC/1980).  Ministry of Education, Thailand officially nominated Professor Dr Adul Wichiencharoen for the appointment of SEAMES Director (Ref 0206/13303 dated 1 May 1980).
Director Designate		10 Nov 1980	7 February 1981
	Mr Tan Seng Chye* Appointment by 12th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Jakarta, Indonesia, 1977	8 February 1978	7 February 1981	Malaysia
* Only one nomination was received from Malaysia.  Both Singapore and Laos indicated that they would not make any nomination (Ref. 0035/1977 dated 12 January 1977).
Director Designate		7 November 1977	7 February 1978
	Dr Vitaliano Bernardino* Appointment by 9th SEAMEC (IC), Bangkok, 1974	8 February 1975	7 February 1978	Philippines
* Following the withdrawal of the candidature of Dr Pan Sothi of the Khmer Republic (MC-9/IC/1974). No nomination was received from Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Viet Nam (Ref.2534/2516 dated 2 November 1973).
Director Designate		7 November 1974	7 February 1975
	Dr Soedjono P Pusponegoro Appointment by 6th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Saigon, Vietnam, 1971	8 February 1972	7 February 1975	Indonesia
Director Designate		7November 1971	7 February 1972
	General Netr Khemayodhin Appointment for another year by 6th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Saigon, Vietnam,1971	8 February 1971	7 February 1972	Thailand
	General Netr Khemayodhin Appointment by 5th SEAMEC (IC) Conference, Kuala Lumpur, 1970 to fill the remainder of the term of Professor Sukich Nimmanheminda.	20 January 1970	7 February 1971	Thailand
	Dr Soemantri Hardjoprakoso, Acting Director&Assistant Director	17 March 1969	19 January 1970	Indonesia
	Professor Sukich Nimmanheminda Appointment by 3rd SEAMEC, Singapore 1968.	8 February 1968	16 March 1969	Thailand
Did not complete term because of his appointment as Minister of Education, Thailand
Director Designate		8 February 1968	7 May 1968
	Dr Kaw Swasdi-Panich, Interim Director Appointment mentioned in 2nd SEAMEC, Manila,1966.	December 1965	January 1968	Thailand