Page 106 - A Life Well-Lived Is a Beautiful Memory

A Glimpse

of Excellence:

My Brief Meeting

with Professor

Bhanupong

Nidhiprabha

Juthathip Jongwanich
23 February 2024

I officially met Ajarn (Professor) Bhanupong when I was studying for my Ph.D. at the
Australian National University (ANU) in the late 2000s. If my memory serves me correctly, he
was doing a project together with my supervisor. The project focused on the implications of food
safety (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) on agriculture and the food industry in Thailand, Australia,
and India. Academically, he has been excellent, particularly in the areas of Macroeconomics,

International Macroeconomics, and International Economics. This was what I heard from my
supervisor (Prof. Prema-chandra Athukorala) and his colleagues at ANU. I confirmed his academic
excellence when I had a chance to read his book titled ‘Thailand’s Macroeconomic Miracle,’

which he co-authored with Peter G. Warr during my Ph.D. studies. I have cited his book many
times when writing about the Thai economy and/or economic development in Thailand.
After graduating, I did not meet him, as I worked in the Philippines (ADB) for three years
before joining the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand in 2010. Although AIT is
located next to Thammasat, probably due to many duties in AIT, I have not had any chances to

meet him. I met him in 2017 when I joined Thammasat, but due to several duties, we only met
occasionally at the faculty. His new book titled ‘Macroeconomic Policy for Emerging Markets:
Lessons from Thailand’ was published by Routledge and is excellent academically. Another thing

that I can confirm about his academic excellence was when I joined the Asian Economic Paper
(AEP) meeting in Seoul in 2022. Although he might have felt uncomfortable due to his illness
(I guessed), he participated very well in the meeting, serving as a session chair and discussant,
raising useful concerns to presenters. This was the last time I met him before he passed away. His
friends and colleagues at AEP still appreciate his contributions, both as an author, a discussant,

and a session chair at AEP meetings over several years.

106 A Life Well-Lived Is a Beautiful Memory