Kriengsak Chareonwongsak

Dr. Kriengsak is a Thai scholar, visionary, and politician. He is notedWho|date=April 2008 for promoting development that is sustainable, democratic, and ennobling for every person within Thai society. Dr. Kriengsak established the first future studies research institute in Southeast Asia, served as a Member of Parliament (MP), was on the executive Board for the Democrat Party, and has published prolifically on popular and scholarly topics.

Early life

Kriengsak Chareonwongsak was born on September 9, 1955, in Bangkok, Thailand. As a child, Kriengsak spent his free time translating books into Braille for blind children, helping slum dwellers, and visiting a nearby orphanage. Later, during his teenage years, he persuaded his father’s business associates to finance working holidays during which Chareonwongsak and schoolmates, under the supervision of a teacher, built three room school houses in rural villages previously having no school.

Education

After finishing high school at the New Berlin High School in Wisconsin on a one year American Field Service (AFS) scholarship, he completed a Bachelor of Economics (first class honours and top of class) and PhD in Economics, both on scholarship at Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.

He has completed a Master of Public Administration degree at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and post doctoral studies at University of Oxford.

Vision for Change

Since his youth, Dr. Kriengsak has worked to achieve real, sustainable change within Thai society. All his activities, whether as an academic, a politician, or a social advocate have been motivated by his vision to see Thailand rise from its current status as a developing nation to that of a contributing player in the global arena in the future. The theses of most of his writings centre on promoting national development as well as building strong and whole people who can reproduce their strength and wholeness at the corporate, societal, national and even global levels.

To this end, Dr. Kriengsak established Thailand’s first institution dedicated to future studies in 1994. Institute of Future Studies for Development (IFD) [http://www.ifd.or.th] , a non-profit academic research organization, aims to stimulate a long-term vision for the holistic development of Thai society, especially in the fields of Human Resource Development and National Development. IFD is known for its multi-disciplinary research across a broad spectrum of academic fields as well as its emphasis on sustainable solutions to offset future problems in every sector of Thai society. IFD, under the leadership of Dr. Chareonwongsak, has provoked other significant changes in Thailand’s banking, finance, governance, and education infrastructures.

Although IFD activities focus on research, it is also known for its work in organizing and hosting seminars, talk-shows, symposiums, and forums among Thailand’s intellectuals and policy-makers and for publishing its findings widely in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and other mass media formats.

Prominence Within Thai Society

Dr. Kriengsak’s many involvements and roles within Thai society have popularized him and his writings, many which have attained best seller status within Thailand.

He has served in numerous governmental and non-governmental capacities. Some of his more prominent public roles include active participation and leadership on the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC) [http://www5.nesac.go.th] , where he served as Chair of the Education, Religion, Arts and Culture Commission and Vice Chair of the Economic, Commerce and Industry Commission.

In 2005, he was invited to run as a party list Member of Parliament in the upcoming elections for the Democrat Party. Shortly thereafter, elected to executive board of the party and he was invited to be the Deputy Head of the Democrat Economics Team. However, in 2007, he resigned from the Democrat Party due disagreement with the party leader over party malpractices.

Voice at the International Level

Dr. Kriengsak is recognized internationallyFact|date=April 2008 as a scholar on the Thai economy and society as well as an emerging leader of his nation. He has represented Thailand on numerous occasions, including
* The Third Annual Asian Liberty Forum(2006, Malaysia).
* The Regional Seminar for Parliaments from South-East Asia and the Asia-Pacific Region (2006, Thailand).
* The Bertelsmann Stiftung Global Policy Council (2006, Germany).
* The Smart Partnership International Dialogue (2003, Swaziland), among others.

Other high profile meetings where Dr. Kriengsak has represented Thailand include
* The Non-Aligned Movement’s Business Forum (Malaysia).
* Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management Research Conference (USA).
* International Business and Economics Research Conference (USA).
* World Future Society Annual Conference (USA).
* The Sixth International Research Symposium on Public Management (IRSPM VI) (Scotland).
* The 31st ARTDO International Management & HRD Conference (Malaysia).
* Creating an ASEAN Community - Key Issues in Building Community.
* 2nd ASEAN Leadership Forum, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March, 2005.
* Index of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Study looking at Measuring the level of Thailand’s Corporate Social Responsibility, the 3rd International Society of Business, Economics, and Ethics (ISBEE)World Congress
* The International Society of Business, Economics, and Ethics, Australia, July, 2004.
* Strengthening Strategic Partnerships-Deepening Relationship with Key Partners-US,China,India and Japan.
* The ASEAN Leadership Forum “Leadership Challenges in 21st Century Southeast Asia: Regional Integration, Competitiveness & Community Building”,Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute [http://www.asli.com.my/] (ASLI)

and the ASEAN Business Forum (ABF)in association with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies [http://www.iseas.edu.sg/] ( ISEAS ) in Singapore,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, March, 2004
* Cultural Prerequisites for Development, Bertelsmann Foundation 25th Anniversary Symposium: Transforming Our World Building Democracy,Bertelsmann Foundation [http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0A000F14-33B65779/bst_engl/hs.xsl/269.htm] , Germany, March, 2002.
* Human Security in Development and Crisis: How to Capture It in Regional Institutional Arrangements? And How Can the Asia Leaders' Forum Promote it?,the 1999 Asia Leaders' Forum on Asia Leaders Forum-Human Security in Development and Crisis, Sydney, Australia, April, 1999.
* Impact Assessment of Thailand’s Promotion of Strategic Export Industries : A Computable General Equilibrium Model (CGE) Approach, EcoMod 2004 International Conference on Policy Modeling, EcoMod co-organized with the CEPII, Paris, France, July, 2004.

* Applying a Futures Studies Approach to Policy Analysis : A Case for Building Scenarios, Twenty-Second Annual APPAM Research Conference, The Association for Public Policy Analysis & Managemant (APPAM) [http://www.appam.org/home.asp] , Seattle, USA, 2000

Current Activities

Dr. Kriengsak is Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s Center for Business and Government [http://www.hks.harvard.edu] as well as Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (Harvard). He is involved at Oxford University as Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute and Fellow at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship [http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/skoll] , Said Business School. In 2004, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the Democrat Party and served until the dissolution of the parliament. He is Chair and President of the Political Leaders for SocialEnterprise, USA, as well as Chair of the Social Entrepreneurship Institute [http://www.politicallse.org/index.php?components=content&id_contentategory_main=1&id_content_topic_main=1] , Thailand. At Harvard University, he serves as a member of the Thai Studies Committee. He is also an adjunct research professor at Regent University, USA.

Writings and Other Media

Although an Economist by training, Dr. Kriengsak also addresses issues in numerous fields including educational administration, business, politics/governance, policy formation, organization restructuring, theories of change, environment, future studies, and most recently social enterprise. He has published more than 170 books and numerous articles, presented over 300 academic papers, 4000 newspaper & magazine articles and is well known to the Thai public via frequent radio and television appearances.

elected Bibliography

Books in English

* Insights into Thailand’s Post-Crisis Economy
* Reflections on The Economy: An Economist’s View of Thailand’s Recent Past
* Critiquing Thaksin’s Policies
* Moving Thailand Forward

Articles in English Available Online

* aseanaffairs.com [http://www.aseanaffairs.com/store/1772737/page/1338457 Will Vietnam’s growth affect Thailand’s economy?]
* Bangkok Post. [http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=62377 Broadcast live draft.] January 28, 2007
* kriengsak.com [http://griengsak.com/index.php?components=content&id_content_category_main=23&id_content_topic_main=41&id_content_management_main=389&topic_display_lang=en Kriengsak pushes Government on Skytrain Projects]

Academic Papers in English Available Online

* [http://www.cap-info.de/triangle/download/Asia.PDF The Future Society of Asia ]
* Globalization and Technology: How will they change society? Technology in Society 24 (3), 191-206.
* [http://www.ppdoconference.org/session_papers/session3/C.Kriengsak-Happiness%20and%20economic%20Development.pdf Happiness and Economic Development Targets in Thailand.]
* [http://www.ecomod.net/conferences/ecomod2004/ecomod2004_papers/97.pdf Impact Assessment of Thailand’s Promotion of Strategic Export Industries: A Computable General Equilibrium Model (CGE) Approach by Kriengsak Chareonwongsak and Akrathood Paul Chareonwongsak]
* [http://www.parliament.go.th/ipuseminar/en/broadcast.php Regional Seminar on Security Sector Reform in the National and Regional Contexts. General introduction: The new thinking and the need for a comprehensive security approach.]
* Reshaping Universities for the Future (2000). Foresight, 2 (1), 113-123.

External links

* [http://www.ifd.or.th Institute of Future Studies for Development Education]
* [http://www.kriengsak.com Website]
* [http://www.pbs.org/ newshour/bb/business/jan-june07/globalization-06-01.html Interview on Free Trade issues with other Harvard Colleague]
* [http://www.politicallse.org/medias/File/Kriengsaks_Cv_for_Final.pdf Extended CV]