Dr. Mechai Viravaidya

The following is the official curriculum vitae of the founder and principal officer of PDA. It has been taken directly from the C.V. supplied by the PDA office.

Present Positions:	Founder(1974) and Board Chairman, Population and Community Development Association Bangkok, THAILAND Senator
Past Positions:	Minister of the Prime Minister's Office, Thailand, 1991 - 1992, responsible for Tourism, Information, Sports, Economic Cooperation, Zoological Gardens, Aids Prevention Coordination. Deputy Minister of Industry, 1985 - 1986. Senator, National Assembly, Thailand, 1987 - 1991. Cabinet Spokesman, 1986 - 1988. Visiting Scholar, Harvard Institute for International Development, Harvard University, 1988 - 1989. Governor, Provincial Waterworks Authority of Thailand, 1982-1985. Research Associate, Center for Population and Family Health, Columbia University, 1979 - 1981. Senior Economist, Economic Cooperation Center for the Asian and Pacific Region (ECOCEN), 1971 - 1973. Economist, National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), Development Evaluation Division, 1965 - 1971. Adviser to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1997
National Affiliations:	National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), Chancellor / Chairman of Council - Suranaree University of Technology, Trustee. Webster University Council, Trustee National State Enterprise Evaluation Committee, Member. Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), Trustee. Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), Trustee. National Aids Prevention Committee, Member. Narcotics Control Foundation, Member. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Chairman. Foundation for International Education, Chairman. Melbourne University Alumni (Thailand), President. Adviser to the Governor of Bangkok.
State Enterprises	Telephone Organization of Thailand (TOT), Chairman Petroleum Authority of Thailand Exploration and Production public Co. ltd. (PTTEP), Chairman National Science Museum Organization, Member
International Affiliations:	Population and Development International (PDI), Bethesda, MD, USA. President. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines, Trustee. Population Services International, Inc., Washington DC, USA, Trustee.
Past National: Affiliations	Tourism Authority of Thailand, Chairman. National Public Information Committee, Chairman. National Sports Authority, Chairman. Cultural Promotion Fund Committee, Chairman. Advisory Committee on AIDS to the Prime Minister, Chairman. Mahidol University, Trustee. Ramkhamhaeng University, Trustee. Silpakorn University, Trustee. National Environmental Board, Director. National Cultural Commission, Director. National Family Planning Board, Director Narcotics Control Board, Director National Research Council of Thailand on Social Sciences, Director National Rural Development Committee (NRDC), Director.
Past International Affiliations :	The Population Council, New York, NY, USA, Trustee. John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, World Population Program Advisory Committee, Chicago, USA. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Gland, Switzerland, Trustee. Global Commission on AIDS, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, Member. The International Jury for the J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize, Washington DC, USA, Director.
Awards :	1997 United Nations Population Award (UNPA) in recognition of most outstanding contribution to the awareness of population questions and to their solutions The Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in recognition for mounting creative public campaigns in Thailand to promote family planning, rural development and AIDS prevention (1994). International Health Award for Outstanding Leadership (1990), presented by the National Council for International Health USA in recognition of work in health, population and development in Thailand, and for setting a standard for innovative and creative leadership for the international health community. Friend of Family Planning Award (1990), presented by the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association - USA, for commitment to the promotion of family planning services in Thailand. Hugh Moore Award (1989), presented by the Population Action International USA, for innovation and vision in the population field. Margaret Sanger Award (1985), presented by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to honour significant contributions to the worldwide family planning movement. Silver Shell Outstanding Citizen Award (1982), Presented by the Public Relations Association of Thailand for achieving major attitudinal changes in society. United Nations Gold Peace Medal and the Paul G. Hoffman Award (1981), for achievements in the advancement of family planning and integrated health and community well-being at the grassroots level in Thailand.
Honorary Degrees:	Honorary Doctorate of Community Development (1997), Khon Kaen University, Thailand Honorary Doctorate of Laws (1993), The University of Melbourne, Australia. Honorary Doctorate of Population and Development (1992), the National Institute Development Administration (NIDA), Thailand. Honorary Doctorate of Science in Health Education (1991), Srinakharinwirot University, Prasarnmit, Thailand. Honorary Doctorate of Medicine (1989), Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Honorary Doctorate of Information Science (1989), Ramkamhaeng University, Thailand, Honorary Doctorate of Social Sciences (1983), Mahidol University, Thailand. Fellow (HONORIS CAUSA) of the Australasian Faculty, Public Health Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. (1995)
Decorations:	Honorary Officer in the General Division (AO) of the Order of Australia.(1995) The Commander's Cross of the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany.(1994) Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant. (1991) Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand. (1989) Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant. (1986) Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand. (1985)
Education:	Geelong Grammar School, Victoria, Australia. Bachelor of Commerce, Melbourne University, Australia, 1964.
Corporate Affiliations:	Eastern Water Resources Development and Management Co., Ltd., Chairman. Lam Soon (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Chairman Business Day Newspaper, Chairman. Swedish Motors Corporation Public Co., Ltd., Director Thai Chrysler Automotive Limited, Director Mobil Oil (Thailand), Director Capital Nomura Securities, Director Motivation Asia (Thailand) Ltd., Director Cabbages and Condom Restaurants, Founder Tasman Institute Pty Ltd. & Tasman Economic Research Ltd. Melbourne, Australia, Director.
Mailing Address:	Population and Community Development Association 8 Sukhumvit Soi 12, Bangkok 10110, Thailand, Tel. : (662) 229 4611 , Fax. : (662) 229 4632

This page forms part of the Home Pages of the Population and Community Development Association (PDA) Thailand. The site has been created by Cliff Ogleby with the assistance of many of the PDA staff and volunteers.