Bamrung Bunpanya Scholarship

Bai Bunpanya is organizing this fundraiser.

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In memory of my father, Mr. Bamrung Bunpanya - May 2, 1945 - March 18, 2023

My father was born in a rural village in the Surin Province of Southern Thailand. He was the third of seven siblings belonging to a modest farming family. As fate would have it, he was one of the chosen few children from his village to attend primary school - a privilege that most villagers cannot afford. Against all odds, my father excelled in his studies, winning countless scholarships at the municipal, provincial and national levels; funding himself through post-secondary education. His educational excellence earned him the top honours - Summa Cum Laude - of his graduating class and eventually a full scholarship to study a Master's of Rural Development in the United Kingdom.

Despite his international education and distinguished academic achievements, my father always revered his humble beginnings and stayed true to his roots. After returning from the UK, he turned down numerous lucrative job offers from different corporations waiting to cash in on his talent. But there was only one place where he belonged - with his people, with his land, with nature - back on the farmlands of rural Thailand. With unwavering conviction, Bumrung Bunpanya would spend the next 40 years of his life as a social and political activist dedicated to sustainable agricultural practices and rural development.

Growing up, I never fully understood or appreciated the depth of my father’s achievements and his dedication to public service. Only now do I realize that the impact of his life’s work in developing rural Thailand is so far-reaching and enduring. He has the incredible ability to connect with people from all walks of life - from the homeless to the farmers; from the businessmen to the professors; from the philosophers to the politicians. It didn’t matter how rich or poor you were, educated or not, if you ever crossed my father’s path, you would be inspired by the way he chose to live - with compassion, humility, kindness and an unshakeable drive to fight for what’s right.

Bamrung Bunpanya worked for most of his life refusing to accept a salary and would donate what little he had to those who were in need. Despite all of his successes, he lived with only a few sets of clothes, slept on the floor, and didn’t own a cell phone, electronics, a car or a house. His currency was karma - the belief that every good deed inspires another one - and he was able to live this way for over the last four decades. My father was a philosopher who practiced what he preached with extreme discipline and sacrifice.

Although Bamrung has found peace and is finally at rest, it doesn’t mean that his work has to stop. The Bamrung Bunpanya Scholarship will give opportunity to those in need, ensuring that bright minds are uncovered and diamonds don’t remain in the rough. Your donations will directly help fund the education of underprivileged students living in rural Thailand. Thank you for your generosity in helping to keep my father’s legacy alive.