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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

her personal money to the management that initiated donation from many private sectors.

Thereafter, she granted financial support from the Princess Mother Charitable funds to establish
the Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation under the

patronage of Her Royal Highness in 1999. At present, there were competitions in mathematics,
physics, chemistry, computer, biology, astronomy, geography, junior science, and recently earth

science, and astronomy and astrophysics. This Academic Olympiad Project stimulates interests
for students and teachers nationwide in these fields of science as well as increases public

interests; as a result, it fosters greater potentials for both students and teachers. (Science Society
of Thailand, 1998; Somvichian, 1974)

The King Rama X’s initial royal command: “We will continue, preserve, enhance, and
rule the land justly for the perpetual benefit and happiness of the people.” reflects the king’s

determination to “continue, preserve, and enhance” the policies, royal initiatives, activities,
and royal ethics which previous kings in the Chakri dynasty have continued to practice till

present day. The king continues to rule with his initial royal command for the perpetual and
happiness of the people. (The Crown Property Bureau, 2019)

Since the time when King Rama X was a Crown Prince, he established the Royal
Scholarships from the Crown Prince project in 2009 by donating his personal money and

donation by the others to support any youth with good attributes, both academic and attitude
to have an opportunity in education from secondary school to master degree. Subsequently,

in 2010, upon establishing the Crown Prince Royal Scholarships Foundation (Mor Tor Sor.)
which included the aforementioned project, the Crown Prince became the President.

During the ensuing 15 years (2009-2023), there were 2,411 recipients from the whole country
and the scholarships totalled 798 million Bahts. For the first 8 years, there were 958 recipients

who graduated from universities and 42% of them were in the field of sciences. Approximately
85% of the graduates were employed equally both in the government and private sectors.

Approximately 64% worked in the same region where they received the scholarships and 32%
in the provinces where the scholarships originated. These figures serve the objectives and

philosophy of the foundation well. Every recipient adheres to the Crown Prince’s speech
“good learning, good knowledge, good job, cheerful life, working for the benefit of the nation,

and being happy.” Moreover, when the recipient graduates from a master degree, he will have
a chance to apply for the Golden Jubilee Scholarship from the foundation. And if the recipient

receives a bachelor’s degree, he can apply to work with the government in the office of
the civil service commission, which provided 100 positions to support this royal initiative.

During the period of 2021-2023, there were 3 batches of 10 recipients each–the total of 30

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