Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn represented His Majesty the King in conferring degrees upon graduates of Mae Fah Luang University for the Academic Year 2024. The ceremony was held at the Mae Fah Luang University Auditorium on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
Upon arrival at the university and prior to the commencement ceremony, Her Royal Highness proceeded to the monument of Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother, where she laid a floral tribute and lit candles and incense in homage, in remembrance of the royal benevolence of the Princess Mother, whose vision inspired the founding of Mae Fah Luang University.
During the ceremony, Her Royal Highness conferred honorary doctoral degrees upon distinguished individuals. Two recipients were present to receive their degrees in person — Professor Chaiyos Hemaratchata and Professor Clinical Emeritus Dr. Udom Kachinthorn. On this occasion, Her Royal Highness also presented the "Golden Tung" Award — the university's highest honour in arts and culture — to Mr. Nakorn Phongnoi, Director of the Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park, in recognition of his outstanding and sustained contributions to the preservation and revitalisation of Lanna arts and culture.
Her Royal Highness then conferred degrees upon a total of 2,806 graduates, including 174 international students from 23 countries worldwide, and six graduates with disabilities.
In her royal address to the graduates, Her Royal Highness emphasised that steadfast in truth is an essential virtue that graduates should cultivate and uphold. She further noted that knowledge and ability can bring genuine benefit to oneself, one's family, society, and the nation only when grounded in honesty and integrity, and cautioned that falsehood and distortion cause not only personal harm but grave damage to society as a whole.
Upon the conclusion of the ceremony, as Her Royal Highness departed the auditorium, students performed the song "Tai Saeng Phra Metta Niran" (Under the Eternal Light of Royal Grace) in tribute and gratitude for the royal benevolence. The performance featured lyrics in five languages — Thai, Pgaz K'Nyau (Karen), Tai Yai (Shan), Burmese, and Poe Karen — accompanied by musicians from diverse ethnic communities performing traditional instruments distinctive to their cultures, including the ‘teh-na’ of the Pgaz K'Nyau, the ‘sue-baw’ of the Lisu, the ‘toi-yor-horn’ of the Tai Yai, as well as traditional Lanna instruments — a vivid reflection of the multicultural identity of Mae Fah Luang University as a higher education institution of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Following the Commencement Ceremony, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously viewed an exhibition of Buddhist artworks and community enterprise (One Tambon One Product: OTOP) products at the Vanchai Sirichana Building. On this occasion, Professor Dr. Vanchai Sirichana, Chairperson of the Mae Fah Luang University Council, reported to Her Royal Highness on the university's mission in preserving arts and culture. He specifically highlighted the short-course programme in Buddhist Art, established through a collaboration between National Artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, founder of Wat Rong Khun, Phra Maha Vuttichai Wachiramatee of the Chern Tawan International Meditation Center, and Mae Fah Luang University. The programme is open to individuals of all ages and backgrounds, with particular emphasis on providing Buddhist monks the opportunity to study free of charge.
Since its inception in 2021, the programme has completed five cohorts with a total of 241 participants, including 55 monks. To date, graduates have produced 421 works of Buddhist art in both traditional and contemporary styles, and have contributed to the restoration of 28 religious sites.
The exhibition featured outstanding works by students and instructors, alongside demonstration of ‘Pit Thong Lai Kham Lanna’ — the traditional application of gold leaf over stenciled lacquerwork. Mr. Songdej Thipthong, a programme instructor, explained to Her Royal Highness the Lanna Lai Kham technique, in which intricately cut stencil patterns are applied to black lacquer surfaces and inlaid with gold leaf, a craft handed down through ancient Lanna wisdom.
Currently, Mae Fah Luang University offers 77 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programmes across 15 Schools. Since the establishment, the University has produced 45,954 graduates who are now building careers both in Thailand and internationally. By maintaining a policy of using English as the main medium of instruction, promoting Chinese language proficiency, and fostering “internationalisation at home”, MFU ensure its graduates have been equipped with the global competencies necessary to drive national development while serving as responsible global citizens.
