Kasetsart University


Kasetsart University is a public research university in Bangkok, Thailand. It was Thailand's first agricultural university and Thailand's third oldest university. It was established on 2 February 1943 to promote subjects related to agricultural science. Since then, Kasetsart University has expanded its subject areas to cover life sciences, science, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. Kasetsart University's main campus is in Bangkhen, northern Bangkok, with several other campuses throughout Thailand. It is one of the largest university in Thailand.

History

In 1902, King Chulalongkorn attempted to promote the country's silk, silverware, and weaving industries. He hired Dr Kametaro Toyama, from the University of Tokyo, to train Siamese students in Japanese silk and weaving crafts. In 1904, the School of Sericulture was founded at Tambon Thung Saladaeng, Bangkok by Prince Benbadhanabongse, the Director of the Department of Sericulture of the Ministry of Agriculture. The school was renamed the School of Agriculture in 1906.
In 1908, the School of the Ministry of Agriculture was founded at Windsor Palace as the Ministry of Agriculture merged three schools, the School of Surveying, the School of Irrigation, and the School of Agriculture. Thailand's first tertiary-level agriculture curriculum began to offer courses in 1909.
In 1917, Phraya Thepsartsatit and Chaophraya Thammasakmontri of the Ministry of Education founded the first primary school of agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture, named the Primary School Agriculture Teacher Training School in Tambon Horwang. It moved to Tambon Phra Prathon, Nakhon Pathom Province in 1918.
In 1931, Prince Sithiporn Kridakara and Chaophraya Thammasakmontri together expanded the school regionally. In the central region, a campus was located in Saraburi Province, in the northern region in Chiang Mai Province, in the northeastern region in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, and in the southern region in Songkhla Province.
In 1935, the Primary School Agriculture Teacher Training School in each part of the country was closed and merged following the agricultural education policy in that time. Luang Ingkhasikasikan, Luang Suwan Vajokkasikij, and Phra Chuangkasetsinlapakan together proposed to maintain the Mae Jo School at Chiang Mai Province only and renamed it Secondary-level Agriculture Technical School before it was elevated to the College of Agriculture, under the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The Ministry of Agriculture established the Central Agriculture Station or "Kaset Klang", in Bang Khen District, Bangkok. It caused the College of Agriculture to move to Bang Khen District in 1938 and the government office at Chiang Mai Province became Kasetsart Preparatory School to prepare students to study at the College of Agriculture in Bang Khen.
In 1943, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram promoted the College of Agriculture and established Kasetsart University as a department of the Ministry of Agriculture. The university consisted of four faculties: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and cooperatives.
In 1966, Mom Luang Xujati Kambhu, the Fifth President of Kasetsart University, judged the Bang Khen campus too confined and unable to support the education in agricultural sciences called for by the National Social and Economics Development Plan. The Kamphaeng Saen campus was established on 12 November 1979 as a result.
The university further expanded by establishing Sriracha campus, Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province campus, Suphan Buri campus, Krabi campus and Lopburi campus. The university already established Si Racha campus in 1989 and the Chalermphrakiat Sakon Nakhon Province campus on 15 August 1996.
On 18 July 2015, the Kasetsart University Act B.E. 2558 transformed it from a public university to a national university.

Symbols

Phra Phirun

Kasetsart University's symbol is Phra Phirun, the god of rain mounted on a Nāga with encircled by lotus petals and then by the words "มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์ พ.ศ. ๒๔๘๖" in the Thai version and "KASETSART UNIVERSITY 1943" in the English version.

Nontri tree

The nontri tree has been a symbol of Kasetsart University since 1963. The king and queen planted nine nontri trees in the front of Kasetsart University's main auditorium on 29 November 1963 which became historic day for Nisit Kasetsart.
The nontri is a tree in the family Fabaceae. It is a long-lived evergreen with grey-brown bark with upright branches. The leaves are bipinnate compound and the flowers are yellow, produced in large compound racemes. Its fruit is a pod containing seeds.

Organization

Bangkhen

Kasetsart University occupies 846 rai in Chatuchak District, Bangkok.

Kamphaeng Saen Campus

The Kamphaeng Saen Campus is the first and largest branch of Kasetsart University established in 1979. The campus is situated in Kamphaeng Saen District, Nakhon Pathom Province with the area of 7,951.75 rai.
The Sriracha Campus was established in 1988, and occupies an area of 199 rai in the Si Racha District of Chonburi Province.
The Chalermphakiat Sakon Nakhon Province Campus was established in 1996 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Accession to the Throne. The campus occupies the area of 4,488 rai in Mueang District of Sakon Nakhon Province.

Rankings

The QS World University Rankings 2020 ranked Kasetsart University 127th in Asia and 801-1000th in the world. In addition, the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020, the university was ranked 51-100th in Agriculture & Forestry, 251-300th in Environmental Studies, 351-400th in Engineering - Chemical, 401-450th in Chemistry, and 451-500th in Biological Sciences and Engineering - Mechanical and Aeronautical & Manufacturing. Kasetsart was ranked 29th in Agriculture and Forestry worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2017. It was ranked in the 651-700 tranche in the QS World University Rankings 2015–2016.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2017–2018 ranked Kasetsart University in the 800-1000 tier in the world and 251-300th in the BRICS and Emerging Economies.

Research

The Institute of Food Research and Product Development, is a science and food technology research institute, with the mandate to provide information and services to society as well as research in support of governmental policies to resolve the country's economic problems related to agricultural products.
Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute, is an agricultural and agro-industrial product research institute, established on 29 July 1991 to research and develop quality standards in non-food innovation.
Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute administers and coordinates research projects and research efforts.
Kasetsart University Institute for Advanced Studies consists of four research centers: the Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food; the Center for Advanced Studies in Tropical Natural Resources; the Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology for Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries; and the Center for Advanced Studies In Industrial Technology. They are responsible for carrying out targeted research initiatives.
Housed at Kasetsart University's Kamphaeng Saen Campus, the center is a provider of silkworm eggs and know-how to Thai farmers.

International programs

Undergraduate programs

Postgraduate programs

Student organizations

The university has given honorary degrees to heads of state and other dignitaries:
Some of Kasetsart University's partner institutions:
The Bangkhen campus hosts the most diverse avifauna of any campus in Bangkok. The following species of bird can usually be found on campus all year round: little cormorant, Javan pond-heron, little egret, black-crowned night heron, Asian openbill, white-breasted waterhen, bronze-winged jacana, rock pigeon, spotted dove, zebra dove, red collared dove, pink-necked green pigeon, plaintive cuckoo, common koel, greater coucal, Indian roller, coppersmith barbet, Asian palm-swift, house swift, small minivet, common iora, streak-eared bulbul, yellow-vented bulbul, sooty-headed bulbul, large-billed crow, oriental magpie-robin, pied fantail, black-collared starling, Asian pied starling, common myna, white-vented myna, plain prinia, common tailorbird, brown-throated sunbird, olive-backed sunbird, scarlet-backed flowerpecker, white-rumped munia, scaly-breasted munia, Eurasian tree sparrow, house sparrow, Java sparrow. Common winter visitors: Chinese pond-heron, intermediate egret, barn swallow, red-rumped swallow, blue-tailed bee-eater, red-breasted flycatcher, ashy drongo, brown shrike, black-naped oriole. Species which are seen there less often : lesser whistling duck, cattle egret, great white egret, purple heron, black-winged stilt, red-wattled lapwing, common kingfisher, black-capped kingfisher, stork-billed kingfisher, hoopoe, collared scops-owl, black drongo, green-billed malkoha, edible-nest swiftlet, Asian golden weaver. Less common winter visitors or passage migrants: Eurasian kestrel, dark-sided flycatcher, verditer flycatcher.