Thailand’s academic community laments the passing of the esteemed author and thinker. Professor Dr. Nidhi Eoseewong, who taught history at Chiang Mai University, made a considerable impact on historical research. On August 7, 2023, at the age of 83, he passed away from lung cancer following a protracted struggle and was buried in his hometown.
Nidhi’s family honored his request for simplicity in the planning of his final journey by donating his body to the Chiang Mai University Faculty of Medicine for research. On August 10, a ceremony was held at Wat U-Mong in Chiang Mai in his honor. This was attended by close friends and coworkers.Dr. Nidhi was born on May 23, 1940, in Chiang Mai to a Thai-Chinese family with Lao ancestry. He frequently referred to himself as “Jek Pon Lao,” signifying his Chinese ancestry and Lao culture. [The term “Jek” is slang for a Chinese ancestor.]
He attended Assumption College Sriracha in Chonburi Province and graduated from Chulalongkorn University with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history. He afterwards sought a PhD at the University of Michigan in the US and finished it in 1976. He eventually went back to Chiang Mai University to teach history, retiring in 2000 but continuing to be involved in the academic world.
Nidhi also made a contribution to society by writing for the daily Matichon and frequently voicing his ideas and beliefs.During periods of political instability, he also had a significant impact. After the 2006 coup, he voiced his opposition to the 2007 constitutional proposal. Additionally, he participated in the 2010 Red Shirts demonstrations and worked on a reform committee to deal with justice and inequality issues in the years that followed.
2014 saw Nidhi deliver a keynote address at Matichon on “The clock and Thai culture” in the midst of yet another political crisis.
The clock serves as a constant reminder that no matter how far we turn it back, to the past that satisfies us, the clock has never stopped; it continues to tick forward, toward a destination we may not want to reach.
As an admirer of clocks, the reason clocks appeal to me so much is that they speak the truth to certain Thais who still read ancient books: no matter how much you turn culture backwards, the clock always manages to advance to the destination you don’t want to go.On May 20, 2023, during his last interview with Matichon TV, Dr. Nidhi made some observations about how Thai politics had changed following the triumph of the Move Forward Party. He exhorted Move Forward to keep their commitments and match their activities to the demands of the populace.
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SOURCE: http://khaosodenglish.com
