A Seventh-day Adventist educator in Thailand has been honored by a national organization for her work in the community. Dr. Siriporn Tanitpoonwinai, president of Adventist Mission College in Thailand, was honored as Outstanding Citizen of the Year at an award ceremony in Bangkok last month.

The award has been presented annually for the last 10 years by the Foundation for Thai Society, in partnership with the Association of Newspapers in Thailand.

“The distinction of being named as an Outstanding Citizen of the Year is a significant honor for Dr. Siriporn, for the Adventist Church in Thailand, and for the Adventist College she leads,” said Dr. Gilbert Valentine, vice president for academic affairs at Mission College.

The award was presented by Professor Kaseem Watanachai, former Minister of Education, Privy Councillor and educational advisor to Thailand’s monarch, His Majesty King Bumiphol IV.

Siriporn, whose specialty field is nursing education, was honored for her community service and her work in higher education in Thailand. She served for many years as director of nursing services at Adventist hospitals in Thailand and was appointed president of Mission College in 1994.

Since 1997 she has been president of the newly expanded International Mission College, the senior education institution for the Adventist Church in Southeast Asia.

Siriporn has been very active in public life, serving on the executive committee of the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions of Thailand, and as chair of the Committee on Quality Assurance. She is a consultant to the World Health Organization and the Vietnamese Government for nurse education reform in Vietnam.