Mr.Anand and Kenan
Institute Asia "The private sector must play a major role in the new
development relationship with the United States" Anand Panyarachun at
the inaugural Phillips Initiative Address at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill in 1995
Mr.
Anand Panyarachun, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, became the first chairman
of the Kenan Institute Asia in 1994. At the press conference to announce his chairmanship
on December 6, he endorsed the work of the Institute in addressing issues of importance
to Thailand's and Asia's development through partnership with the U.S. This partnership
model aims provides a valuable alternative to the traditional donor-recipient
relationship by supporting mutually beneficial ventures that advance regional
development. The Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia)
was formally established as an independent, non-government, Thai non-profit foundation
with an endowment provided by the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust and Fund,
Thailand's Department of Technical and Economic Cooperation (DTEC), and the U.S.
Agency for International Development (USAID). As
the founding chairman, Khun Anand has played a pivotal role in shaping the institute
and in developing programs that act in practical ways to create strong linkages
between Asia and the U.S. based on true development needs and mutual benefit.
Projects typically develop cooperation among universities, government, and the
private sector. In its initial years, Khun
Anand, a former Thai ambassador to the United States, led the way in creating
partnerships between Thai and U.S. companies, government agencies, and organizations.
The focus was initially on the areas of environment and public health under the
U.S.-Thai Development Partnership program (USTDP). KIAsia played a vital role
in addressing important environmental issues during years of economic prosperity
in Thailand. When the economic crisis hit Thailand in 1997, KIAsia promptly found
ways to support Thailand, working first with the private sector. In early1998,
the American Corporations for Thailand (ACT) program was launched under the co-chairmanship
of Khun Anand and Dr. Henry Kissinger, with donations totaling more than $1.1
million from U.S. companies to support Thai training institutions and retraining
programs for the unemployed. In the Year
2000, KIAsia took on larger development tasks with funding support from USAID
under the regional program, Accelerating Economic Recovery in Asia program. In
a unique experiment, control of the AERA program in Thailand rests with a majority
Thai Steering Committee chaired by Khun Anand. The AERA program through several
key projects is designed to help Thailand towards economic recovery, reform and
sustainable growth. Key activities include a business consulting service for SMEs,
training programs for the banking sector, assistance for Thai organizations supporting
good governance, labor standard development, and human resource development through
IT. Most recently, KIAsia has set up an office in Hanoi and begun environmental
and business support programs in Vietnam. Today,
under the chairmanship of Mr. Anand Panyarachun, KIAsia continues to expand its
activities in providing assistance to Thailand and Asia. For
further information on the Kenan Institute Asia, please visit its website at www.kiasia.org.
Pictures: Picture
1: Mr. Anand seen with the Kenan Institute Asia's Board of Trustees
at the KIAsia Annual Reception Picture
2: The American Corporations for Thailand donors brief Mr. Anand Panyarachun
and Dr. Henry Kissinger, ACT co-chairmen, on ACT's second year results. Picture
3: Mr. Anand taken picture with alumni of the Kenan-Flagler Business
School (KFBS), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at a KFBS alumni reception
organized by the Kenan Institute Asia.
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Timeline: |
October 1993 |
The signing of an Memorandum of Understanding between Thai Deputy Prime Minister
Amnuay Viravan and U.S. Vice President Al Gore for a three-year U.S. - Thai partnership
program | February
4, 1994 | the Partnership
program officially launched by the then Minister of the Prime Minister's office,
Dr. Chinnawoot soonthornsima |
1994 | The Kenan Institute
Asia (KIAsia) established at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. The
first partnership grant is awarded under the U.S.-Thailand Development Partnership
(USTD) program | December
6, 1994 | KIAsia Press Conference
to announce the acceptance of the Institute's chairmanship of Mr. Anand Panyarachun
| 1996
| Kenan Foundation Asia
is registered as a Thai non-profit development foundation and holds its first
Board of Trustees meeting. | 1998
| American Corporation for
Thailand is established under the co-chairmanship of Mr. Anand Panyarachun and
Dr. Henry Kissinger | 1999
| KIAsia named as managers
of the Thailand portion of the U.S. government program "Accelerating Economic
Recovery in Asia" and Mr. Anand Panyarachun named chairman of the AERA Steering
Committee | 2000
| KIAsia implements the
first year of the AERA program and receives commitment from USAID to continue
the program through 2002 | | | ![](Swarthmore College_files/spacer.gif) |
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