On 11 October 2018, Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, Director-General of the Department of Information, in her capacity as the Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Public Relations of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, chaired the 2^nd Meeting of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation Public Relations Sub-Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. The meeting was attended by the Secretary-General of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, representatives of the Ministry of Public Health, the Government Public Relations Department, MCOT Public Company Limited and True Corporation Public Company Limited. The meeting discussed the preparations for the Prince Mahidol Award Ceremony 2018.

            The meeting noted that Sir Gregory Paul Winter, a Prince Mahidol Laureate 2016 in the field of Medicine, recently received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2018. Prince Mahidol Laureates who have received the Nobel Prize in the past include: (1) Professor Barry J. Marshal, the Prince Mahidol Laureate 2001; (2) Professor Harald Zur Hausen, the Prince Mahidol Laureate 2005; (3) Professor Dr. Satoshi Omura, the Prince Mahidol Laureate 1997; (4) Professor Tu You You, the Prince Mahidol Laureate 2003; and (5) Sir Gregory Paul Winter, the Prince Mahidol Laureate 2016. Furthermore, these Prince Mahidol Laureates were awarded their Nobel Prizes in the same category they were awarded their Prince Mahidol Awards.

              On this occasion, the meeting learnt of the progress made on raising public awareness on the Prince Mahidol Award Youth Programme. Awardees of Prince Mahidol the Award Youth Programme Scholarship will receive a one-year scholarship for research study, professional training or community development abroad. This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a briefing for 5 scholarship recipients prior to their departure for a one-year scholarship abroad. On this occasion, the 5 scholarship recipients also gave an interview on Saranrom Radio as well as to the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) which will be broadcast on 23 October 2018 at 10.00 - 11.00 hrs. and Facebook Live NBT2HD.

             In addition, the meeting agreed on the public relations policy during the Prince Mahidol Award Ceremony 2018. This year, the Announcement of the Prince Mahidol Laureates 2018 will be held on 21 November 2018. In addition, the Prince Mahidol Award Ceremony 2018 will be held on 31 January 2019, at Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall.