NRCT and APN Jointly Present the Mitra Award for Outstanding Research at the 27th IGM-SPG Meeting
10 July 2026
July 9, 2026 — The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), as co-host with the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), organized the Mitra Award ceremony to honor outstanding research from the 27th Joint Intergovernmental Meeting and Scientific Planning Group (IGM-SPG). The event was held at the Jubilee Prestige Hotel Ratchadaphisek, Bangkok, to promote high-quality research, build collaborative networks, and strengthen relations among member countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
On this occasion, Dr. Wiparat De-ong, Executive Director of NRCT, congratulated the researchers who presented their work and thanked the executives and international delegates for their participation. She emphasized that this meeting serves as a vital platform, providing member countries with the opportunity to exchange knowledge, experiences, and insights on tackling global change challenges. It also drives cooperation in science, research, and innovation for the sustainable development of the region. Furthermore, 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of APN, reflecting the network's significant role over the past three decades in enhancing scientific capacity, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and various agencies across the region.
The event featured the presentation of the Mitra Award for Global Change Research, a prestigious APN accolade recognizing early-career professionals with outstanding global change research presented during the 11th Early Career Professional Poster Session. This year, nine early-career researchers from Thailand qualified to participate in the competition. The awards and certificates were honorably presented to the winners and presenters by Dr. Wiparat De-ong, Executive Director of NRCT, together with Dr. Toshiyuki Yamasaki, Director of the APN Secretariat, Dr. Linda Anne Stevenson, APN Programme Director, and Dr. Monthip Sriratana, APN National Focal Point for Thailand.
The results for the Mitra Award for Global Change Research are as follows:
-
Winner: Dr. Worradorn Phairuang from Chiang Mai University, for the research titled "Ultrafine particles (PM0.1) and climate-related urban health vulnerability during biomass-burning haze episodes in Upper Southeast Asia."
-
1st Runner-up: Ms. Suwaphat Skunareemit from the Land Development Department, for the research titled "Integrating Soil Health Indicators and Remote Sensing for Sustainable Soil Health Assessment: A Case Study of the Huai Krasiew Sub-watershed."
-
2nd Runner-up: Dr. Detchphol Chitwatkulsiri from Kasetsart University, for the research titled "Enhancing Climate - Resilient Urban Flood Early Warning through Image - Based Monitoring and Hydrodynamic Model Updating for Disaster Risk Reduction."
Following the award ceremony, the Mitra Award recipients presented their winning research to the attendees. This showcased the potential of early-career researchers in generating knowledge and innovation to address global change challenges, while also highlighting APN's continuous role in supporting capacity development for the region's early-career professionals.
