The Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) went into full operation with recent appointment of Mr Somporn Chongkum as the new Director. TINT is a public organization under the Ministry of Science and Technology independent from the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP) and solely responsible for carrying out the nation's nuclear research and development programme.

TINT was basically established last year April to enlighten the nation's nuclear R&D activities under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The OAP is now totally responsible for the nation's nuclear regulatory works on behalf of the government.

Mr Somporn Chongkum, a graduate from the Chiangmai University, obtained diploma and M.Eng. degree from the Chulalongkorm Unviersity in Bangkok and earned PhD degree at the Karlsruhe University in Germany in 1987 in nuclear physics. He was the Deputy Secretary General of OAP before appointed as the new Director of TINT.