Executive Profile and Professional Achievements

School Director’s Profile

Mr. Wichai Nonthakan (Director Jason)

Director of Ban Khlong Manao School
Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2

“From alumnus to school director—committed to fostering discipline, advancing educational innovation, and empowering Thai youth to become global citizens.”

Biography

Mr. Wichai Nonthakan, also known as “Director Jason,” is an alumnus of Ban Khlong Manao School who returned to serve as its director. He is committed to developing this border-area school into a place of opportunity, learning, and innovation for every student.

He has extensive experience in educational management, school administration, teacher development, active learning, international volunteer network building, and translating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into meaningful action at the school level.

Throughout his career, he has participated in leadership development and professional exchange programmes in several countries, including the United States, Japan, India, and the Philippines. He has applied the knowledge, ideas, and international experience gained from these programmes to the practical development of teachers, students, the school, and the wider community.

Educational Background

Basic Education

• Grades 1–6, Ban Khlong Manao School, Sakaeo Province
• Grades 7–12, Science–Mathematics Programme, Watthana Nakhon School, Sakaeo Province

Higher Education

• Master of Education in Educational Administration
  Pathumthani University, 2017
• Master of Arts in Development Education
  Burapha University, 2009
  Recipient of the Outstanding Thesis Award for the thesis entitled “An Analysis of the Values and Roles of Buddhist Temples as Learning Resources for Thai Communities: A Case Study of Wat Thai of Los Angeles, United States of America.” The research was published in the Journal of Education and Social Development, Vol. 5, Nos. 1–2, 2009, pp. 35–50.
• Bachelor of Arts in English
  Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, 2020
• Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education, Second-Class Honours
  Burapha University, 2005

Government Service

• 2022–Present
  Director of Ban Khlong Manao School, Senior Professional Level
  Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2
• 2019–2022
  Director of Khlong Yang Nusorn School, Professional Level
  Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2
• 2014–2018
  Teacher, Ban Khao Chan School
  Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2
• 2012–2014
  Assistant Teacher, Wat Phutthisan School
  Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2
• 2005–2007
  Assistant Teacher, Samakkhirat Bamrung School
  Sakaeo Educational Service Area Office 1

Mr. Nonthakan began his career in government service as a teacher before resigning to gain professional and international experience. He later successfully re-entered government service. During this period, he also served as a contract teacher and a volunteer teacher of Thai language and culture in Thailand and the United States.

Honours and Major Awards

2026

• “Outstanding Teacher of Sakaeo” Award, presented by Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2
• “Moral Educator” Award—Excellent Level, presented by Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2

2025

• Best of the Best Award in the Active Learning Activity Video Competition

2023

• Selected by the Office of the Basic Education Commission as a National Innovation Leadership Model for the SDGs (Innovation Leader for SDGs)

2022

• First Prize—Excellent Level, Small-School Administrator Category, for exemplary leadership in promoting 21st-century learning
• Best Practice Award in Learning-Promotion Innovation

2021

• Certificate of Perseverance in Research, presented by the Office of the Basic Education Commission

2017

• Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles, United States of America, in recognition of his contributions to the Thai community overseas

International Experience and Achievements

1. Innovators SEAL 2026, the Philippines

In 2026, he was selected to participate in Innovators in Education: Southeast Asian School Leadership (Innovators SEAL 2026), organised by SEAMEO INNOTECH in the Philippines. The programme focuses on strengthening educational leadership, fostering innovation, and building networks among school leaders across Southeast Asia.

2. ITEC-IPHEI, India

In 2026, he received a scholarship from the Government of India to participate in the International Programme on Institutional Planning for Heads of Educational Institutions (ITEC-IPHEI) at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in New Delhi, India.

The programme focused on strategic planning, educational institution management, and international network building among educational leaders. His participation was supported and coordinated by the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

3. Teacher Exchange Programme in Japan

In 2025, he was selected as a Thai teacher representative to participate in the 11th Invitation Programme for Teachers from Japan (ACCU) in Tokyo, Japan. The programme was organised by the Bureau of International Cooperation, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

The programme provided opportunities to exchange knowledge and perspectives on school administration, learner development, education for sustainable development, and collaboration between schools in Thailand and Japan.

4. International Volunteer Work and Network Building

From 2012 to 2020, he served as the founder and lead coordinator of Free Volunteer Thailand, overseeing and coordinating more than 500 international volunteers. The initiative aimed to strengthen students’ English-language skills and broaden learning opportunities in schools throughout Thailand.

He also served as a volunteer teacher of Thai language and culture through a programme administered by the Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, in California and Las Vegas, United States of America.

These experiences laid a strong foundation for his commitment to developing students’ communication skills, intercultural understanding, and readiness to become global citizens.

International Projects Under Consideration in 2026

1. 2026 SEAMEO–Japan ESD Award

Submitted the project “Young Data Innovators: AI for Nutrition, Learning, and Community Well-being in a Thai Border School” for the 2026 SEAMEO–Japan ESD Award. The project is currently under consideration.

2. UNESCO Belt and Road Exchange Project 2026

Autumn Session

Applied for a training scholarship under the programme “Teacher Lifelong Learning and Development in the Age of AI.” The selection result is currently pending.

3. Global Schools Advocates Program

Applied to participate in the Global Schools Advocates Program under the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). The application is currently under consideration.

Note: The projects listed in this section remain under consideration and do not yet constitute official selections.

Skills and Areas of Expertise

• Administration of small schools and schools in border areas
• Strategic planning and educational organisation development
• Development of innovative school-management practices
• Internal supervision and teacher professional development
• Active learning
• Application of data and artificial intelligence to improve educational quality
• Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals
• Development of international educational collaboration networks
• English-language and global citizenship education
• Promotion of morality, ethics, and Buddhist activities
• Volunteer management and social-impact project administration

Professional Commitment

 “I believe that a school’s size and location should never limit educational opportunity. Children in small schools and border areas deserve equitable opportunities to learn, access technology, and connect with the wider world. The role of a school administrator is therefore not merely to manage a school, but to build effective systems, develop people, and create opportunities—enabling every child to grow into a responsible and capable citizen of Thailand and the global community.”

 Mr. Wichai Nonthakan (Director Jason)

Director of Ban Khlong Manao School

Sakaeo Primary Educational Service Area Office 2