Chaiwat Satha-Anand, a life devoted to teaching peace and nonviolence

A luminary in the world of peace and nonviolence research, writing, and teaching, Chaiwat Satha-Anand passed on 27 June 2024 at age 69. 

To his Thai students at Thamassat University in Bangkok, he was simply “Teacher.” To many who knew him from around the world, he was one of a handful of Asian academics and activists who illuminated a synthesis of political savvy and philosophical wisdom. His multicultural examination of the power of nonviolence earned him much recognition and many awards, including the International El-Hibri Peace Education Prize in Washington, D.C. in 2012. 

He was also the Founder and Director of the Thai Peace Information Centre. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science in 1981 from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. His publications were in several languages and were subsequently translated into several more, including Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Korean.

From his work with the International Peace Research Association to the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict,Chaiwat Satha-Anand’s insights and research findings remain highly valuable and informative to generations of peace and nonviolence scholars, students, and activists.

Members of the Oregon Peace Institute had the privilege of meeting Chaiwat at peace research conferences across the globe. Chaiwat motivated both older and younger generations to enhance their skills and contribute to a better world. During our last encounter at the 2017 Asia Pacific Peace Research Association in Penang, Malaysia, Chaiwat delivered a keynote speech simply titled “Nonkilling.”

The Oregon Peace Institute mourns his passing and celebrates his life of devotion to peace, justice, and nonviolence.