PSU hosts the international academic seminar “Suvarnabhumi in Southern Thailand”
Prince of Songkla University, through the Suvarnabhumi Institute Initiative, organized an international academic seminar titled “Suvarnabhumi in Southern Thailand: Landscapes, Networks, and Cultural Memory – Perspectives from the Southern Knowledge Hub” from April 7–8, 2026. The seminar was conducted online via Zoom Cloud Meeting, with the main venue at PSU.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor Dr. Sanit Aksornkoae, Chairman of the University Council, while Assistant Professor Dr. Niwat Keawpradub, President of PSU, delivered the report. The event was attended by university executives and distinguished speakers from various countries.
The seminar aimed to serve as a platform for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange on Suvarnabhumi studies, expanding academic perspectives in archaeology, history, linguistics, ancient technologies, and cultural heritage. It also sought to strengthen both national and international academic networks, contributing to the advancement of research on the Thai-Malay Peninsula toward global standards.
The President highlighted PSU’s strategic geographical position across its five campuses, located along historically significant cultural and trade routes. He emphasized the university’s commitment to positioning itself as a Southern Knowledge Hub, developing strong academic foundations and transforming cultural capital into sustainable value for the nation.
The Chairman of the University Council noted that Suvarnabhumi studies today are not merely about revisiting the past, but about positioning Thailand on the global stage. He underscored the importance of southern Thailand as a historical crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations, and the value of interdisciplinary approaches in understanding the past to inform the future.
Key activities included panel discussions on “Suvarnabhumi and the Future of Thailand,” special lectures on archaeological evidence, and an international panel featuring scholars from Thailand, France, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia, and the United States. These sessions explored ancient trade networks, cultural interactions, and technological developments in the ancient world.
On April 8, additional sessions in Thai addressed topics such as ancient technologies in Suvarnabhumi and the continuation of cultural heritage, along with a concluding discussion on the development direction of the Suvarnabhumi Institute and its role in integrating knowledge for the development of southern Thailand.
This seminar reflects PSU’s role as a higher education institution that transforms foundational cultural knowledge into area-based development, policy innovation, and creative economy initiatives, while strengthening international academic collaboration in a tangible and impactful manner.