17 November 2023:  At Meeting room, 1st floor, Royal Library Building, Wang Srapathum, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously granted a royal audience to Prof. Dr. Pairash Thajchayapong, the Member of the Executive Board and Secretary General of the Information Technology Foundation under the Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (PSIT), members of PSIT executive committee, and researchers who will be traveling to study and do research in the Antarctica in 2023, before departing.

     PSIT has carried out the polar research project under the royal initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who envisioned that Thai researchers participate in polar science research studies to develop the country’s progress in polar science to be on par with international ones.  Two memoranda of understanding on cooperation in polar science research were established, one between Thai agencies and the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) and the other between Thai agencies and the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC).  The objective is to establish cooperation in research about the polar regions in various areas that are beneficial to the planning and preparation to sufficiently support and alleviate the effects of climate change and global warming.  Until present, there are 28 Thai scientists and researchers traveling to study and do research in the North and South Pole (15 in the South Pole area and 13 in the North Pole area).

     In 2023, PSIT, in collaboration with the Polar Science Consortium of Thailand, has selected two Thai researchers who will travel to conduct research studies with the 37th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition or CHINARE37 during January – March. 2024.  These two researchers are: (1) Associate Professor Dr. Pasicha Chaikaew, Lecturer, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University and (2) Dr. Komkiew Pinpimai, researcher at the Water Resources Research Institute Chulalongkorn University.  Both will do research work at the Great Wall Research Station in the Antarctic. 

     In addition, PSIT, together with the National Astronomical Research Institute (NARIT) (Public Organization) and Chiang Mai University, has carried out the IceCube cooperation project under the initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.  The partners have developed collaboration with the Wisconsin Ice Cube Astrophysics Center (WIPAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on the IceCube Neutrino Observatory project.

     In 2023, WIPAC has selected Lieutenant Dr. Chana Sinsabwarodom, an instructor at the Faculty of Engineering, Chiang Mai University to participate in ice drilling work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (ICNO), South Pole, Antarctic in the season 2023 – 2024.  Dr. Chana will depart from Thailand in early December 2023.

     In one other related project, Ms. Ajcharaporn Phakwan, a cosmic ray and solar energetic particles researcher at Mahidol University will join a research team at the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) in a project to observe cosmic ray variations across different latitudes, from New Zealand to South Korea.   The project received approval from KOPRI to use a mobile atmospheric neutron detector called “ChangVan” which is carried on the icebreaker “RV Araon” traveling from New Zealand to collect research data in Antarctica (Jang Bogo Station) during December 2023 to March 2024, to study the rate of change of cosmic rays at various latitudes.  Ms. Ajcharaporn will depart from Thailand on 26 December 2023.

     PSIT has requested royal permission to bring researchers who will travel to perform research work in the Antarctic in the year 2023, totaling altogether 4 people, along with executives and researchers from Chulalongkorn University, Chiang Mai University and NARIT to have an audience with H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to receive royal blessings before departing.  Names and affiliations of these researchers are as follows:

Researchers who will participate in research with the 37^th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition at the Great Wall Station

     (1) Associate Professor Dr. Pasicha Chaikaew, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University
     (2) Dr. Komkiew Pinpimai, researcher at the Water Resources Research Institute Chulalongkorn University

Researchers will carry out ice drilling work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory (ICNO)

1. Lieutenant Dr. Chana Sinsabwarodom, Faculty of Engineering Chiang Mai University

Researchers who will bring the container with ChangVan on the icebreaker “RV Araon” traveling from New Zealand to collect research data in Antarctica (Jang Bogo Research Station)

1. Miss Atcharaporn Phakwan, Research Assistant, Science and Technology Project on Radioactivity in Space