Boonchu Rojanastien - Chairman
Mr. Boonchu himself led a group of Chulalongkorn University accountancy graduates in establishing the Institute of Certified Accountants of Thailand in 1948, which later became the Institute of Certified Accountants and Auditors of Thailand. He twice served as President of the institute. Mr. Boonchu is considered dedicated to the growth and stability of the accountancy profession. Mr. Boonchu's education and career began along with the birth of democracy in Thailand . He was among the first generation accountancy students at Thammasat University and later acquired the equivalent of Master's Degree in Accountancy. Early in his career he undertook jobs as diverse as sawmill clerk and officer of the Bank of Thailand. The turning point came when he joined what was then little known Bangkok Bank, where he became the driving force that took it to Number One in Southeast Asia and eventually became its President.
Having succeeded in the private sector, Mr. Boonchu turned his attention to national politics to realize a lifelong dream. A democracy advocate at heart, he resigned from the bank after the 1973 Student Uprising and, as Secretary General of the Social Action Party, became Member of Parliament for Chonburi and subsequently Minister of Finance of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj Government in 1975 . As Minister of Finance, Mr. Boonchu launched the policy, "Treasury for the People", which led to a large-scale distribution of treasury funds to the rural areas, stimulating employment and economic development at grass root levels. One of the key success factors of the policy was the requirement that all commercial bank branches set aside 60% of their deposit funds for local lending. The policy was effective in stemming the exodus of job seekers to Bangkok , so much so that a similar policy is being pursued by the government today.
Mr. Boonchu also served twice as Deputy Prime Minister: the first time in the Prem Tinsulanond Government in 1980 and the second in the first Chuan Leekphai Government. Throughout his political career, Mr. Boonchu stood firmly for the democratic system of government, decentralization of state power and the transformation of the District Council into Juristic person whose role remains crucial to present day rural development.
Another milestone achievement by Mr. Boonchu was bringing transparency to the administration of the country's finances. He was the main architect of the national budget management audit, which resulted in the establishment of the Office of Auditor General under the 1999 Constitution.
Qualifications:
- Doctorate (Honorary) Degree in Commerce, Thammasat University
- Doctorate (Honorary) Degree in Economics, Ramkamhaeng University
- Doctorate (Honorary) Degree in Economics, Naraysuan University
- Doctorate (Honorary) Degree in Economics, Hanyang University, The Republic of South Korea.
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