On 29 October 2025, Nontri Company Limited made a generous donation in support of AIT’s Structural Engineering (STE) Laboratory. The donation agreement was signed between Dr. Nonthachart Kulprapha, Engineering Director of Nontri Company Limited, and Prof. Siddharth K. Jabade, Vice President for Administration and Development at AIT. Dr. Nonthachart, an AIT alumnus, earned his Master’s degree in 2001 and Ph.D. in 2012 in Structural Engineering.
Prof. Siddharth K. Jabade, Vice President for Administration and Development, expressed his gratitude to Nontri Company Limited for their generous support and commitment to advancing education and research. He noted that the contribution will significantly enhance AIT’s capacity to foster innovation and develop solutions to real-world engineering challenges. This partnership reflects a shared vision between the private sector and academia in promoting excellence and sustainable development in Thailand and beyond. This is the beginning of our relationship and we look forward to continuing our partnerships.
Mr. Sanjeev Jayasinghe, Executive Director of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs, warmly welcomed Dr. Nonthachart Kulprapha, noting that it is always a pleasure to have AIT alumni return to campus and contribute to the Institute’s growth. He expressed his gratitude to Dr. Chaitanya Krishna for his initiative in making this donation possible, and as mentioned by Dr. Anawat Chotesuwan, this donation will support the procurement of a fibre optic interrogator, equipped with data logging capabilities, which is being developed with new sensors for the application of structural health monitoring, which works by sensing changes in surface stress.
Dr. Chaitanya Krishna, Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering, shared that Dr. Nonthachart Kulprapha, a former student in the program, has collaborated on several research projects with AIT. They are currently developing a new instrument that is not yet available on the market, marking the first step in a series of initiatives that will create significant value for research and education. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Nonthachart for his generous support and noted that alumni contributions, like his, are invaluable to the Structural Engineering Laboratory and looks forward to continuing this productive collaboration.
Dr. Nonthachart Kulprapha, Engineering Director of Nontri Company Limited, expressed his honor in making this donation to AIT, which is intended to support the ongoing research he is conducting in collaboration with the Structural Engineering Laboratory. He shared that their research focuses on developing an optic sensor system that can be applied to earthquake monitoring, warming systems for dams, and various innovative engineering structures that will benefit not only AIT but also the wider community in Thailand and beyond.
Mr. Thammachart Kulprapha, Managing Director of Nontri Company Limited, expressed his delight to be a part of this donation agreement ceremony. He stated that the initial use of this optic sensor comes from the aerospace industry because it can measure very high frequencies, and now it is used for structural applications. He highlighted that the company needs a good knowledge partner like AIT to develop good technology that benefits mankind. He also added that this is just the first step of our long-term mutually beneficial collaboration, and in future, the company hopes to support more.
The ceremony was also attended by Mr. Thammachart Kulprapha, Managing Director of Nontri Company Limited; Dr. Chaitanya Krishna, Assistant Professor; Dr. Anawat Chotesuwan, Senior Laboratory Supervisor in the Structural Engineering, SET; Mr. Bhaskaran Jacob, Senior Advancement Officer; Ms. Lucena D. Talaid, Senior Alumni Affairs Officer in the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs (OAAA).
