Asian Institute of Technology
PROGRAM
Navigating today’s global shifts requires forward-thinking policy. The Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development (FPSD) is proud to launch its inaugural dialogue – building a vital foundation to protect vulnerable populations and secure a sustainable future.
09:00 – 09:15 OPENING CEREMONY
Welcome Remarks: Prof. Pai Chi Li, President, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)
Opening Remarks: Prof. Manukid, Vice President for Academic Research, AIT
FPSD Policy Dialogue Inaugural Address: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen, Dean, Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development, AIT
09:15 – 09:20 Photo Session
09:20 – 09:35 KEYNOTE ADDRESS 1
Connecting ASEAN in an Uncertain World
Honorable Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth
Chairman, Sub-Committee on Mega Projects, National Assembly of Thailand
09:35 – 09:50 KEYNOTE ADDRESS 2
Thailand’s Democratic Governance and Political Stability in Asian Politics: Constitutional Reform, Institutional Power, and Regional Lessons
Senator Dr. Premsak Piayura
Member, Senate of Thailand
09:50 – 10:05 KEYNOTE ADDRESS 3
Higher Education and Innovation in Southeast Asia amid Global Uncertainties: Challenges and Opportunities
Prof. Siddharth Jabade
Vice President for Administration and Development
Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
10:05 – 10:20 KEYNOTE ADDRESS 4
Good Governance for Resilient and Inclusive Policy
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sirisak Laojankham
Dean, College of Public Affairs and Policy
Khon Kaen University, Thailand
10:20 – 10:25 Presentation of Tokens of Appreciation
10:25 – 10:40 COFFEE / TEA BREAK
10:40 – 11:55 PANEL DISCUSSION
ASEAN Collaboration: Policy Responses to Global Uncertainties
Moderated by: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen, Dean, Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development (FPSD), AIT
11:55 – 12:15 Q&A
Distinguished Speakers
Honorable Dr. Surachet Pravinvongvuth
Chairman, Sub-Committee on Mega Projects
National Assembly of Thailand / Thailand House of Representatives
Dr. Surachet is a Thai politician and former academic. He currently serves as a Member of the Thailand House of Representatives, representing the People's Party, the de facto successor to the Move Forward Party. He is also the Chairperson of the Committee on Budgeting Study and Budget Administration Follow-Up.
Dr. Surachet is an accomplished transportation expert, researcher, and Member of Parliament with extensive academic and professional experience both in Thailand and internationally. Demonstrating strong leadership across more than 20 committee roles, he previously served as Head of Traffic System Research and Development at the Expressway Authority of Thailand before earning an Outstanding Lecturer recognition at the Asian Institute of Technology. Leveraging his technical background in public service, Dr. Surachet has been a key legislative voice in shaping national infrastructure policy. Throughout his parliamentary tenure, he has actively advanced modern transport solutions, championing common ticketing systems, affordable flat-fare public transit, decentralized transport management, and comprehensive railway legislation to improve national mobility.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Chulalongkorn University (1999), a Master’s degree in infrastructure planning and management from the Asian Institute of Technology (2001), and a Ph.D. in transportation engineering from Utah State University, USA.
Senator Dr. Premsak Piayura
Member, Senate of Thailand
Dr. Premsak Piayura is a Thai physician, politician, and public administrator from Ban Phai District, Khon Kaen Province. Born on 10 June 1965, he earned his medical degree from Khon Kaen University and later pursued postgraduate studies in political science, Buddhism, and development studies.
He began his national political career as a Member of the House of Representatives for Khon Kaen under the New Aspiration Party and subsequently served as a party-list MP with the Thai Rak Thai Party. Over the course of his political career, he served four terms in Thailand’s House of Representatives, representing the people in the lower house for approximately 12 years. During this period, he also served as an adviser to government ministries and contributed to parliamentary debates on public administration, labour, social welfare, and national development. He later entered local politics and served as Mayor of Ban Phai Municipality. In 2024, Dr. Premsak was selected as a member of the Senate of Thailand, where he has continued to play an active role in parliamentary oversight, public policy debates, economic-crime prevention, social welfare, and regional development.
Prof. Siddharth Jabade
Vice President for Administration and Development
Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Prof. Siddharth K. Jabade is the Vice President for Administration and Development at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, where he leads strategic initiatives in institutional development, innovation-led growth, global partnerships, resource mobilization, and administrative transformation. At AIT, he is helping shape a forward-looking institutional model that positions the university not merely as a center of learning, but as a Knowledge Enterprise—one that integrates applied research, innovation, intellectual property, entrepreneurship, industry partnerships, and development finance to create impact at scale across Asia and beyond.
A distinguished academic leader, institution builder, and innovation strategist, Prof. Jabade brings more than two decades of experience across higher education, technology, intellectual property, commercialization, and public-purpose leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Bombay and is widely recognized for building bridges across academia, industry, government, and society to create meaningful institutional and societal impact.
Before joining AIT in his current leadership role, he served as the Founding Vice Chancellor of Vishwakarma University, Pune, India, where he transformed the university into a globally recognized, innovation-driven institution. Under his leadership, Vishwakarma University received the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2023 for Leadership and Management and earned recognition in the WURI Global Innovation Rankings.
Prof. Jabade has also played a significant role in mobilizing investments for research, technology development, and university–industry partnerships, and has built collaborations with leading institutions such as NTU Singapore, Penn State, SUNY Binghamton, Stanford, KAIST, and Harvard. He also contributed to the establishment of the U.S. National Science Foundationsupported Energy-Smart Electronic Systems Center in collaboration with SUNY.
At the heart of his work is a powerful belief: that universities must evolve from being centers of learning into engines of innovation, leadership, and societal transformation.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sirisak Laojankham
Dean, College of Public Affairs and Policy
Khon Kaen University, Thailand
Asst. Prof. Dr. Sirisak Laochankham is the Dean of the College of Public Affairs and Policy at Khon Kaen University, Thailand. Dr. Sirisak holds a Ph.D. in Public Affairs and Policy from the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University (USA), alongside a Graduate Certificate in Public Management from the University of Missouri-Columbia (USA).
His extensive research and public service focus on public policy, local governance, and digital transformation in the public sector. Dr. Sirisak is highly regarded for bridging academic theory with practical social impact. At the national level, Dr. Sirisak serves as a Sub-committee Member for the Decentralization Action Plan Administration under the Office of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. He is also a sought-after advisor for regional governments, international development agencies, and academic institutions across Southeast Asia, China, and the United States.
Panel Discussants
MODERATOR
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen
Dean
Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development (FPSD)
Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand
Dr. Nguyen is a rural and environmental sociologist and currently serves as the founding Dean of the Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development at AIT. She also founded the “Development, Planning and Management Innovation” academic program, now transformed into “Development Innovation and Sustainability,” and co-founded the “Public Policy” academic program. She also developed the Professional Master’s in “Environment and Sustanable Development.”
Her transdisciplinary research addresses complex and uncertain development challenges, with a strong focus on linking research, policy, and practice. Her interests include rural socio-ecological systems, climate resilience, rural and environmental governance and policy, institutional transformation, environmental inequalities, sustainability education, and institutional innovation for sustainable development. Her work also contributes to evidence-based policy development, policy analysis, governance innovation, and policy dialogue on sustainable development challenges. Her research appears in leading journals including Journal of Rural Studies, Agricultural Systems, Applied Geography, and Environmental Science and Policy, and is ranked among the top 0.6% globally in Sustainable Development by ScholarGPS. She serves on the editorial board of Scientific Reports (Nature), as Associate Editor for Gender, Technology, and Development, and as Guest Editor for Journal of Rural Studies (Elsevier) and Discover Environment (Nature Spinger).
Assoc. Prof. Pham Khanh Nam
Head, Department of Research - Development & Global Engagement
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH);
Director, Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA); and
Director, Environment for Development Vietnam (EfD-Vietnam), VIETNAM
Pham Khanh Nam is an environmental and behavioral economist whose career bridges rigorous research and regional policy across Southeast Asia. He currently heads the Department of Research, Development and Global Engagement at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City (UEH), having previously served as Rector of UEH’s College of Economics, Law and Government.
He directs two of the region’s leading environmental economics institutions: the Economy and Environment Partnership for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA), a research and training network he has helped build across ASEAN member countries, and Environment for Development Vietnam (EfD-Vietnam), part of a global network coordinated with the University of Gothenburg. He also directs the Vietnam – the Netherlands Programme, a long-standing collaboration in graduate economics education.
From 2025 to 2026, he served on the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, appointed by the UN Secretary-General to help reshape how societies measure progress beyond conventional economic indicators - work that speaks directly to resilience and well-being amid global uncertainty. He is a board member of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis and the Asia Association of Environmental and Resource Economics, a Senior Research Fellow of the Environment for Development Initiative, and a member of the scientific committees of Vietnam’s National Foundation for Science and Technology Development (NAFOSTED).
His research spans climate change and environmental economics, health economics, and experimental economics, with published work in journals including the Journal of Public Economics, World Development, and the Journal of Human Resources. Much of it examines how communities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia cope with climate risk, manage natural resources, and respond to policy - evidence he has carried directly into practice. He contributed to Vietnam’s 2020 revision of its Law on Environmental Protection, helping introduce market- based instruments into national policy, and has advised the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, IUCN, and Vietnamese ministries.
He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden (2011), and a Master’s in Development Economics from the Vietnam - the Netherlands Programme.
Prof. Yuheng Li
School of Humanities and Law, Northeastern University;
Deputy Chair, Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering, International Geographical Union, CHINA
Li Yuheng holds a PhD from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, completed postdoctoral research at the Stockholm School of Economics, and is an associate research fellow and master's supervisor at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is also the Secretary-General of the International Geographical Union's Committee on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering ( IGU-AGLE ), the Secretary-General of the Belt and Road Alliance for Poverty Reduction and Development ( ANSO-APRD ), the Vice Chairman of the Land Resources Research Committee of the Chinese Society of Natural Resources, and a member of the Agricultural Geography and Rural Development Committee of the Geographical Society of China.
He has published 75 academic papers , including 40 SCI/SSCI articles in renowned journals such as Nature, Journal of Rural Studies, and Land Use Policy. He has led two National Natural Science Foundation of China projects and participated in 15 projects , including National Key Research and Development Program projects and National Science and Technology Support Program projects. He has received 10 science and technology awards, including the Young Scientist Award from the Geographical Society of China and the Outstanding Science and Technology Award from the Chinese Society of Natural Resources. Currently, he serves as the Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Rural Studies and the Associate Editor-in-Chief of Asian Geographer.
His areas of expertise are in rural geography, rural resilience and rural revitalization, urbanization and urban-rural relations, rural evolution and land use.
Mr. Ramon San Pascual
Former Director, Health Care Without Harm, SOUTHEAST ASIA
Ramon is a strategic facilitator, educator, and technical innovator working at the intersection of planetary health, climate‑smart health systems, and sustainable procurement. He currently serves as a consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), facilitating the development of the Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP) for the Philippines under the Department of Health — a flagship initiative to build climate‑resilient and crisis‑ready health systems.
He previously led Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia (2010–2020) and the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (2012–2015), and has supported Thai Health and GREEN Hub initiatives on climate‑smart health systems.
Ramon holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Washington and has facilitated numerous regional workshops and policy dialogues on disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and sustainable procurement. His work focuses on integrating evidence‑based policy, systems thinking, and community‑centered resilience to help ASEAN build adaptive, sustainable, and crisis‑ready health policies.
Having worked with an extensive network of parliamentarians, health professionals, and community and civil society leaders, Mr. San Pascual has helped form and strengthen coalitions of advocates upholding health and social justice in the Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region.
Dr. Arman Hakim Nasution
Head, Industrial Development and Public Policy Center
ITS Nopember
INDONESIA
Dr. Arman Hakim Nasution is an Associate Professor of Business Management at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Indonesia, offering a highly sought-after blend of academic rigor and executive corporate governance. Holding a Ph.D. in Industrial Management, his expertise anchors strategic innovation, performance measurement, and new product development.
A proven corporate leader, Dr. Arman also served as the President Commissioner of PT Boma Bisma Indra, a major state-owned manufacturing enterprise, and acts on the Risk Committee for PT Barata Indonesia in the period of 2015-2020. To bridge the gap between academia, government, and industry, he has directed the Center of Studies for Industrial Development and Public Policy (CSID-PP) at ITS for over six years and founded the BUMD Transformation Center to modernize regional enterprises.
Internationally, he sits on the Board of Experts for the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) Asia Chapter. Championing sustainable economic growth (SDGs 8 and 9), Dr. Arman’s current pioneering initiatives include developing Circular Economy indexes for Indonesia and engineering an AI-based Digital Learning Platform designed to empower young global entrepreneur.
Dr. Panjadach Singtho
Policy Practitioner, Thailand; and
Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development (FPSD)
Asian Institute of Technology, THAILAND
Dr. Panjadach Singtho is a Lecturer at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, specializing in public policy, governance, science–policy engagement, and sustainable development. He currently serves as an Advisor to the Senate of Thailand on Technology for Economy and Society and as an Academic Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister, providing expertise in public policy, digital governance, and legislative development.
His professional experience spans more than 20 years across government, academia, international organizations, and civil society, including leadership and advisory roles with the National Democratic Institute (NDI), World Animal Protection (WAP), the National Health Commission Office (NHCO), initiatives supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), projects funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Plan International.
His research and policy work focuses on evidence-informed policymaking, stakeholder engagement, public health governance, environmental and wildlife policy, and institutional reform. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, he promotes the translation of scientific evidence into practical policy solutions that strengthen governance, resilience, and sustainable development in Thailand and across the Asia-Pacific region.
