TWO SCIENTISTS from the United Kingdom and Canada have won this year’s Prince Mahidol Award for their breakthroughs in antibody humanisation and stroke prevention.
The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital and the Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Sir Gregory Paul Winter from Trinity College at Cambridge University and Dr Vladimir Hachinski from Canada’s Western Ontario University were this year’s winners.
Dr Prasit Watanapa, dean of Siriraj Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine, congratulated the winners, saying their dedication and breakthroughs would help improve medical technology and healthcare not just in their own countries but also globally.
“The award was initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej to mark his father Prince Mahidol Adulyadej’s 100th anniversary in 1992. The aim is to award people or organisations that have done excellent work on medical science and healthcare for the benefit of humanity,” Prasit said.
“This year, we gladly announce that Sir Gregory Paul Winter, a prominent researcher on antibody humanisation, and Dr Vladimir Hachinski, a world leader on stroke and vascular dementia treatment and prevention, were nominated for this year’s award, as their work has successfully progressed better healthcare for mankind,” he added.
Siriraj Medical School’s Neurology Division professor Dr Yongchai Nilanont said that Thailand would also profit from the medical breakthroughs.
“Their work also inspires us to move forward in our medical research and treatment. For instance, Hachinski’s work raises awareness of stroke prevention and cure in our country and helps push our research on neurological diseases,” Yonchai said.
“Stroke is one of the main causes for death in the world, including in Thailand, and it’s second only to cancer. One in three stroke patients die. This is why his work is very important,” he added.
Winter’s award-winning research on antibody humanisation allows antibodies made from molecules, most commonly from mice cells, to be used in humans without provoking a harmful immune response, helping to cure many diseases such as cancer and immunodeficiency with minor side effects.
In earlier attempts, antibodies derived from mice cells were often rejected by the human immune response. Through Winter’s research, which won the award in the field of medicine, more than 50 types of antibodies have already been registered with at least three new drugs being created every year.
Meanwhile, Hachinski, who won the award in the field of public health, is a leading researcher on strokes and brain vascular diseases. His work has helped to boost awareness about strokes and help to save lives by encouraging early treatment.
Dr Suphat Wanichkarn, secretary-general of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, said there were 59 nominees for the award this year.
The winners will receive a medal and a US$100,000 (Bt3.5-million) award from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at the Grand Palace on January 30.

The death allegedly happened shortly after the man, identified as Li Zheng Kang, 61, had an altercation in a gas shop in the area. Two days earlier, he reportedly behaved erraticly at Don Mueang International Airport.
Pol Lieutenant Adisak Seneeyut of the Suttisarn Police Station said yesterday that Li had arrived as a tourist on November 9 and was scheduled to leave on Monday.
“But when he arrived at Don Mueang airport for his return flight, he grew agitated and officials told the tour guide to calm him down first,” Adisak said, based on information gathered by investigators.
He said the tour guide then reportedly escorted Li to a flat in Huai Khwang.
“We will have to interrogate the tour guide,” he said.
Police have already interviewed seven witnesses, including five workers at the gas shop where Li had an altercation.
According to the witnesses, Li entered the shop at 4.30am, walked up to the second floor where the five workers were sleeping, and began throwing tantrums. The workers said he appeared drunk.
The workers tried to chase the man out of the shop, but upon reaching the first floor Li pulled down his pants, went berserk and punched one of the workers. Then a scuffle broke out before the workers tied Li to an electricity pole and called the police.

However, when police reached the scene of the incident his body was founding lying near the pole.
Pol Colonel Termpao Siriphubarn at the Suttisarn Police Station said the Chinese embassy has been informed of Li’s death.
“His body is now with the Institute of Forensic Medicine for an autopsy,” he said.
He added that if the autopsy proved that the man had died from a physical assault, then legal action would be taken against those involved.

The decision was based on the fact that the report presented honest comments from local people.
The gold mine operator, Tungkum Ltd, was suing ThaiPBS and its staff members for allegedly violating the Computer Crime Act and harming its reputation due to the report’s coverage.
The court decided to dismiss the case as it considered the allegations baseless. However, the plaintiff has the right to appeal and ask the court to reconsider its decision.
In its decision, the court said that although the plaintiff can by law sue the defendants, official agencies such as the Provincial Public Health Office and Pollution Control Department had already reported that the gold mining was contaminating the Huai River and its tributaries.
It also pointed out that the ThaiPBS report was in line with the official statement, and was based on the truth and testimonies from those suffering from the pollution. It said that the purpose of the report was to reveal people’s problems.
Tungkum has alleged that the ThaiPBS citizens’ report on the environmental impact gold mining was having in Loei’s Wang Saphung district had damaged its reputation.
Meanwhile, people living near the mine gathered outside the Tambon Khao Luang Administrative Organisation yesterday to stop it extending the concession for gold-mining operations in the Khok Phulek natural preserve.
Ranong Kongsaen, one of the residents, said people had been gathering at the venue since early morning because they did not want the officials voting against the people’s will.
“We have tried several times to stop the Tambon Administrative Organisation [TAO] from putting this topic on the meeting agenda and also came to an agreement with local authorities over this issue in May. However, some of the officials broke the agreement and insisted on bringing this issue up for discussion again,” Ranong said.
She added that although the TAO decided to postpone the meeting yesterday, residents still decided to wait until the end of working hours because they were worried the issue would be discussed secretly. “We have also written to the provincial governor to confirm that the topic was not discussed, because we want an official confirmation from the authorities,” she said.
Extending the mining concession in the forest reserve is crucial for Tungkum as it will allow the company to restart its mining operations.

At about 9.40pm on Friday, police found bags containing two kilograms of crystal meth, or “ice”, on the Ram-Indra Road in Bangkok’s Khan Na Yow district, following reports that a delivery would be made to a Bangkok drug dealer by a courier from the North. No suspects were apprehended.
Two days later, police arrested four drug suspects in an undercover operation in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district. They were allegedly in possession of 200,000 methamphetamine tablets and about one kilogram of crystal meth in their possession.
The suspects, who have been charged with possession of illicit drugs with intention to sell, were identified as Arpay Hmeulae, 35, Saifon Kamjad, 22, Nitipong Phan-ngern, 26, and Mg Wai Yan Oo, 18.
On Monday, police found six sacks containing about 18kg of the herbal recreational drug kratom on a road in Phatthalung province.
The next day, authorities found 24,600 bottles of cough syrup at the premises of a transportation firm in Songkhla province following a tip-off that drug traders had ordered it for distribution to young people in southern border provinces. Some brands of cough syrups are used as ingredient in illicit drug recipes.
Also on Tuesday, police arrested Chao Saenyang, 53, in Sing Buri provice, who allegedly had 1.8 million methamphetamine tablets in his possession. The drugs were found hidden under cabbages.
The Narcotics Suppression Bureau announced the results of their operations at a press conference yesterday.
According to the bureau, more than Bt346.67-million worth of assets were seized from drug suspects between October 1, 2015, and September 30, 2016. Also confiscated in the same period were 28.8 million methamphetamine tablets, 632.72kg of crystal meth, 43.69kg of heroin, 39.32kg of cocaine and 917kg of dried marijuana.
From October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015, asset seizures related to drug cases totalled Bt207.89 million. Over the same period, 40.44 million tablets of methamphetamine, 584.14kg of crystal meth, 56kg of heroin and 4,461kg of dried marijuana were confiscated.
Acting bureau chief Pol Maj-General Sommai Kongwisaisuk yesterday also pledged to crack down on kratom, a derivative of the tree Mitragyna speciosa, following the latest haul.
“This type of drug has posed a big problem in southern border provinces,” he said.

THE CRIMINAL court will decide today whether it will accept the case filed by a Loei-based gold mining company against Thai Public Broadcasting Service (ThaiPBS).
The Tungkum mining company is suing ThaiPBS as well as its former director, chief editors and reporters for allegedly violating the Computer Crime Act. The company claims that the TV channel’s report on the impact the mining operation was having on the environment has damaged its reputation. However, it is up to the court to accept or deny hearing the case.
Theeraphan Thankiri, the defendants’ lawyer from the Community Resource Centre Foundation, said ThaiPBS and its officials were ready for the court’s decision.
“Tomorrow [today], the lawyers’ team will be at the Criminal Court to hear the decision. We believe the court will not accept the case, but we are prepared should the court decide otherwise,” Theeraphan said.
“If the court decides not to accept the case, then it will be up to the plaintiff to decide if it wants to appeal or drop the lawsuit. Even if the case is accepted, we are ready to fight,” he added.
Should the court decide to accept the case, he said the court would send official letters to the defendants to summon them for interrogation and start collecting evidence. If the defendants are found guilty, they could face up to five years in jail or a Bt200,000 fine.
Apart from the criminal case, Tungkum is also suing ThaiPBS for Bt50 million in compensation for allegedly damaging the firm’s reputation. The company is also seeking to have the broadcaster’s licence suspended for five years.

‘Report was balanced’
The defendants in this case include ThaiPBS former managing director Somchai Suwanban, news department director Korkhet Chantaralertluk, television and radio department director Yoyhin Sithibordikul and reporter Weerada Sae-Lim.
Surapong Kongchantuk, a member of the ThaiPBS policy committee, said he was certain the case would be dropped as the report in question was balanced and did not hurt anybody’s reputation.
“That report [on the environmental problems in the river near the gold mine] was good and balanced. It presented views from both sides and did not aim to defame anybody. So, it is wrong to sue the reporters,” Surapong said. “I hope the court understands and dismisses the case.”
Meanwhile, Amnesty International and 13 other international organisations have released a statement calling on the government to preserve press freedom, dismiss the defamation case against ThaiPBS and also amend the Computer Crime Act so it is in line with international standards.
“We ask Tungkum gold mining company to drop the case against ThaiPBS immediately without condition in order to comply with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The company should also protect and respect people’s rights, and mitigate any impacts its operations may have,” the statement read.
Tungkum also has six defamation cases against local activists. Most of the cases are ongoing.