Suwichan Phatthanaphraiwan PhD

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN GEO-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT, SRINAKHARINWIROT UNIVERSITY

Industry : The Arts

Assistant Professor Dr Suwichan, a co-founder of the Ethnic Wisdom Foundation in Chiang Mai, is a pioneering advocate for cultural preservation and education. As a member of the indigenous Pgaz k’Nyau (Karen) community, he is the first individual from his community to earn a PhD and professorship in Thailand. Currently teaching geo-cultural management at Bodhivijjalaya College, Srinakharinwirot University, Dr. Suwichan, or Khru Chi, also founded the Karen Ecomuseum in Tak, and helped integrate Karen culture into the curriculum of a school in Mae Chaem. He has achieved international recognition for promoting Sgaw Karen culture through the traditional Tenaku harp, which serves as a powerful tool to challenge social prejudices, advocate for nonviolence, and address cultural and ideological biases on various platforms. Honoured with the Ostana Prize in 2021 for his use of the mother tongue in songs and music, Khru Chi has also played a crucial role in the 2010 cabinet resolution aimed at restoring the Karen way of life. His future plans include writing a book on developing special cultural zones for ethnic communities and creating a curriculum for communicators to reduce ethnic bias.