Kasetsart University

History

In 1902, King Chulalongkorn promoted the country's silk, silverware, and weaving industries. He hired Dr Kametaro Toyama from the University of Tokyo, to train Siamese students in the silk and weaving crafts of Japanese culture. In 1904, the School of Sericulture has 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 has founded at Windsor Palace as the Ministry of Agriculture merged three schools, the School of Surveying (founded in 1882), the School of Irrigation (founded in 1905), 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 (today's Mae Jo University) 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 (today's Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Business Administration).

In 1966, M.L. 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 Si Racha 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 (2015) transformed it from a public university to a national university.

Phra Phirun

Kasetsart University symbol is a Phra Phirun, the god of rain mounted on a Nāga with encircled by lotus petals and then by the words “มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์ พ.ศ. ๒๔๘๖” for Thai version and “KASETSART UNIVERSITY 1943” for 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 Fabaceae family. 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.

Bang Khen (main campus)

Kasetsart University occupies 846 rai (135 hectares) in Bangkok.

Kamphaeng Saen campus

Kamphaeng Saen campus is the first and largest branch of Kasetsart University.

Si Racha campus

The Si Racha Campus was established in 1988, and occupies an area of 199 rai (32 hectares) in Si Racha District of Chon Buri Province.

Chalermphrakiat Sakhon Nakhon Province campus

Affiliated institute

Institute of Food Research and Product Development

The Institute of Food Research and Product Development or IFRPD, a science and food technology research institute, with mandate to providing information and services to the society as well as research following the government policy to resolve the country's economic problems related to agricultural products.

Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute

Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute or KAPI, a agricultural and agro-industrial product research institute, established on July 29, 1991 to perform research and develop the quality standards to be an excellent academic in non-food innovation.

Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute

Kasetsart University Research and Development Institute or KURDI has a status to administrate and coordinate research projects and research information management of the researchers.

Kasetsart University Institute for Advanced Studies

Kasetsart University Institute for Advanced Studies or KUIAS consists of four advanced research center, which is responsible for carrying out a targeted research initiatives:

Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food

The Center for Advanced Studies for Agriculture and Food or CASAF arising from the collaboration of various education branch to support the develop of advanced research. The center consists of five sub-centers; Center for Advanced Food Technology (CAFT), Center for International Standard Food Safety (CISF), Plant Breeding and New Life Science Application Center (PB-NLSAC), Biomass and Biofuel Center (BMBC) and Integrative Research Center for Animal Science, Aquaculture and Animal Health (ASA-AH).

Center for Advanced Studies in Tropical Natural Resources

A center of excellence in advanced research and apply with the local knowledge for sustainable natural resources management.

Center for Advanced Studies in Nanotechnology for Chemical, Food and Agricultural Industries

The center focused on the design of materials in nanometer scale. These materials can be applied in the chemical industry, food and agriculture processes.

Center for Advanced Studies In Industrial Technology

The center aims to support in publications, inventions and intellectual properties.

Center for Excellence in Silk

Housed at Kasetsart University's Kamphaeng Saen campus, the center is a provider of silkworm eggs and know-how to Thai farmers.

Student organizations

Honorary degrees

The university has given honorary degrees to heads of state and other dignitaries:

Notable alumni