Prince Mahidol Award 2011

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will represent His Majesty the King in presenting the prestigious Prince Mahidol Award 2011 to two American doctors and an Australian paediatrician on 25 January.

The Director-General of the Department of Information and Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, together with Secretary-General of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under Royal Patronage Clin. Prof. Supat Vanichakarn and President of Thailand Post Anusara Jitmitrapharb, gave a press conference on the 2011 Prince Mahidol Award Presentation Ceremony, scheduled on 25 January 2012 at 8pm at the Chakri Throne Hall.

A winner of the 2011 award in the field of medicine is Prof. Aaron T. Beck, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry from the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. He discovered the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to treat depression patients. The other winner in the same category is Dr. David T. Wong, Adjunctive Professor from the Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Wong has found fluoxetine which effectively cures depression with small side effects.

In the field of public health, Dr. Ruth F. Bishop, Professorial Fellow from the Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, won the award for 2011. In 1973, the doctor discovered that the cause of diarrhea in children younger than six years old was “Rotavirus.” Her discovery has led to the development of vaccines against diarrhea in small children nowadays.

At the press conference, Ms Anusara said that Thailand Post has created stamps on the occasion of the 120th birthday anniversary of HRH Prince Mahidol of Songkla the Prince Father in recognition of his exemplary contribution as “The Father of Modern Medicine” in Thailand. The stamps have been sold since 1 January. Thailand Post has also issued special sets of personalized stamps or “I Stamp” for the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation to commemorate its 20 years of establishment.