Sawitri Assanangkornchai

MD, PhD, FRCPsychT

Professor of Psychiatry

Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand

Tel. +66 74 451165; Fax: +66 74 281166
E-mail address: Savitree.a@psu.ac.th

Research Topics

Professional Summary

Dr. Sawitri Assanangkornchai received her medical degree from Prince of Songkla University (PSU) and completed her psychiatric residency training at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. She completed her Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Newcastle, Australia, and Ph.D. in Medicine at University of Sydney, Australia.

Dr Assanangkornchai is currently a professor of psychiatry, working in the Epidemiology Unit of Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkhla University. She is also the director of Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS) and Centre for Addiction Studies under the support of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation. These Centres are national organisations with a mission to promote research, policy development and social movements on alcohol and drug control.

Dr. Assanangkornchai’s research interests include epidemiological and clinical studies on alcohol and substance abuse and behavioural addiction. She is the leading expert in alcohol and drug abuse research in Thailand. Some of her major research projects include series of national school surveys and household surveys on alcohol and substance use; patterns of use and health impacts of krathom (mitragynine speciosa), a traditional addictive plant; and the implementation of screening and brief intervention service system in health care settings in Thailand.

Dr. Assanangkornchai is the President of the Asia Pacific Society for Alcohol and Addiction Research (APSAAR). She is also a member of the Workgroup on the Classification of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders for the ICD-11 Mental and Behavioural Disorders and the Technical Advisory Group on Alcohol and Drug Epidemiology of the WHO.

Education

• PhD, Psychiatric Epidemiology, University of Sydney, Australia, 2000
• MMedSc, Clinical Epidemiology, University of Newcastle, Australia, 1995
• PRCPsychT, Psychiatry, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, 1985
• MD, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, 1981

Experience and Professional Memberships

• 2018-Present   Editorial Board, Journal of Mental Health of Thailand
• 2018-Present   President, Asia-Pacific Society for Alcohol and Addiction Research
• 2015-present   WHO Working Group on Behaviour Addictions
• 2013-present  WHO Technical Advisory Group on Alcohol and Drug Epidemiology
• 2011-Present   Member, WHO Working Group on Classification of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders for the ICD-11 Mental and Behavioural Disorders, World Health Organization

Honors

• 2013    Exemplary Teacher Award for Research, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, 2013
• 2014    Distinguished Staff Award, Prince of Songkla University
• 2018    The Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Mental Health Development, Fon Saengsingkaew Foundation
• 2018    The Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Alcohol Consumption Prevention and Control, Ministry of Public Health

Selected publications

• Assanangkornchai S, Tanaree A, Wichaidit W. Prevention of underage drinking in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2018 Jun;2(6):382-384. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(18)30138-X. Epub 2018 May 1.
• Assanangkornchai S, Talek M, Edwards JG. Influence of Islam and the globalized alcohol industry on drinking in Muslim countries. Addiction. 2016 Oct;111(10):1715-6. doi: 10.1111/add.13284. Epub 2016 Mar 6.
• Assanangkornchai S, Saingam D, Apakupakul N, Edwards JG. Alcohol consumption, smoking, and drug use in pregnancy: Prevalence and risk factors in Southern Thailand. Asia Pac Psychiatry. 2017 Mar;9(1). doi: 10.1111/appy.12247. Epub 2016 Aug 5.
• Assanangkornchai S, Li J, McNeil E, Saingam D. Clusters of alcohol and drug use and other health-risk behaviors among Thai secondary school students: a latent class analysis. BMC Public Health. 2018 Nov 20;18(1):1272. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-6205-z.
• Assanangkornchai S, McNeil EB, Tantirangsee N, Kittirattanapaiboon P; Thai National Mental Health Survey Team. Gambling disorders, gambling type preferences, and psychiatric comorbidity among the Thai general population: Results of the 2013 National Mental Health Survey. J Behav Addict. 2016 Sep;5(3):410-8. doi: 10.1556/2006.5.2016.066. Epub 2016 Sep 20.