Prince of Songkla University

In 1962 the Department of Provincial Administration was assigned by the Thai government, through the Southern Development Committee, to initiate a project to set up a university in southern Thailand in accordance with the Southern Development Plan. In 1965 the cabinet approved, in principle, that the main campus of the university was to be at Ruesamilae, an urban area of Pattani.

Since the Pattani site abuts the sea, very high humidity and sea water vapor would lead to prohibitive maintenance costs for the upkeep of the engineering laboratory equipment and engineering teaching facilities. It was agreed to relocate the Faculty of Engineering to a new site. After a long search, it was decided that the Faculty of Engineering should be located in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province. Lady Atthakraweesunthorn agreed to donate a plot of land totaling 690 rai (approximately 276 acres) at Tambon Korhong, Hat Yai district, Songkla Province, which was to be used as a new campus of Prince of Songkla University where the Faculty of Engineering would be based.

In 1968 the National Assembly of Thailand passed the Prince of Songkla University Act, which became effective on 13 March of that year. Prince of Songkla University thus proclaimed 13 March as its “Foundation Day”. In 1969, the construction at Hat Yai campus was started. On 5 July 1971 when it was partially completed, about two hundred students and staff members of the Faculty of Engineering were moved to the new campus at Hat Yai.

In 2016, the university transitioned from a government agency to an autonomous university under state supervision.

Prince of Songkla University a member of 9 universities of Thailand National Research Universities Project

Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology for Energy

The Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology for Energy (CENE) officially started in April 2012, when the former Excellence Center ended. The former Center (October 2006 – March 2012) comprised three groups of the faculties from Pharmacy, Science and Engineering which had been doing research in drug delivery, multilayers for MEMs and membranes for nanofiltration, and engineering nanomaterials, respectively. They have published more than 40 articles in various international journals plus 10 petty patents and patents. For the present, CENE consists of two groups of faculties from Science and Engineering who both focus on the theme of "Micro- and Nanoscale Energy". This involves energy conversion, energy storage and energy saving.

The objectives and ultimate goals of CENE are:

1) to develop the materials and systems for energy conversion without using external power supply and no combustible fuels. The production of electricity is aimed to feed ultra-low and low-power consumption electronics.