On August 3-5,2023, the PMCAF delegation led by Dr. Krissanapong Kirtikara, the Chairman
of the Foundation visit the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to meet with the Princess Maha Chakri Award Recipients from Timor-Leste.
On August 3, Dr. Krissanapong Kirtikara, the Chairman of the PMCAF, and the PMCAF committees, together with Mr. Sakollawat Thongcharoen, Charge d’ Affaires, Royal Thai Embassy, Dili, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Education to meet with H.E. Drs. Dulce de Jesus Soares, Minister of Education. After that the group visited the Royal Thai Embassy in Dili to discuss on the cooperation and provide information about the upcoming Fifth Princess Maha Chakri Award Ceremony, which will take place on October 17, 2023, and other related activities. The PMCAF delegation also met with the media to seek their collaboration in supporting the Princess Maha Chakri Award recipients in Timor-Leste.
Dr. Krissanapong Kirtikara stated that the Princess Maha Chakri Award is a prestigious award that recognizes the value of teachers and enable them to play an instrumental role in
the educational development in each country. Receiving the award is considered as a step towards expanding knowledge and being an exemplary model for other teachers in each country. It also functions as a mechanism to develop PMCA teachers’ networks via the collaboration of the Royal Thai Embassy and the Ministry of Education, as well as various sectors to support the PMCA recipients work in various activities under the “Friends of Thailand” concept.
Moreover, the PMCAF delegation have plans to visit with Princess Maha Chakri Award recipients of 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 to follow-up with them on the ongoing projects
and explore possibilities future collaboration. On August 4, the PMCAF delegation will visit
Ms. Filomena da Costa, the 2023 PMCA recipient at Saint Miguel Arcanjo School in Maubise.
On August 5, they will visit Mr. Vicente Marcal da Silva, the 2021 Princess Maha Chakri Award recipient at Tirilolo School and Buruma School in Baucau.
The Princess Maha Chakri Award is an international award that was established to honor HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is the educator Princess of Thailand and recognize outstanding teachers whose dedication have changed their students’ lives and contributed to education in the ASEAN and Timor-Leste. The Princess Maha Chakri Award is given every two years to one recipient from each of the eleven participating countries. The Fifth Princess Maha Chakri Award ceremony will take place on October 17, 2023 in Thailand.