Doctor of Philosophy Program in Economics
(International Program)

Through Professor Puey Ungpakorn’s initiative and, our program was founded in 1969 with the aid of the Rockefeller Foundation. For the first four years, the teaching staff mainly consisted of visiting professors recruited by the Rockefeller Foundation from American universities.

The first group of Thai staff members was appointed in 1973; this number has been increasing ever since. From only five in 1973, it now totals about 40. Since 1975, the program has also hosted visiting professors from Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, Germany, and the USA.

At its inception, the enrollment at the Masters of Economics. English program was set at 20 Thai students annually. When the program extended admission to foreign applicants in 1972, class size expanded to 25. Beginning in 1979, additional scholarships were provided by the Ford Foundation under the New International Economic Order Program, and the class size has increased to 30 students annually. Foreign students increased are welcomed from Bangladesh, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Belgium, and the United States. After the program’s success, the Faculty initiated a Ph.D. program in Economics, also with English as the teaching medium. The program is open to current master students of the Faculty and qualified graduates from elsewhere. Recognition of credits earned from other master programs is possible.

The programs have trained hundreds of Thai and foreign students, many of whom now hold prominent positions in business, academic, and international organizations.