Pin Malakul

Mom Luang Pin Malakul
20th Thai Minister of Education
In office 1957–1969
Preceded by	Munee Mahasantana
Succeeded by	Sukij Nimmanahaeminda
4th Thai Minister of Culture
In office 21 September 1957 – 20 October 1958
Preceded by	Prayun Yutthasatkoson
Succeeded by	(Post terminated)
Personal details
Born	24 October 1903 Bangkok, Thailand
Died	5 October 1995 Bangkok, Thailand
Nationality	Thai
Spouse(s)	Thanpuying Dussadee Malakul Na Ayutthaya
Relations	Four sisters
Children	None
Alma mater	University of Oxford
Awards	National Artist in Literature (1987) ASEAN Award in Literature (1992)

Mom Luang Pin Malakul (Thai: หม่อมหลวงปิ่น มาลากุล, 24 October 1903 – 5 October 1995) was a Thai educator and writer. His contributions to education in Thailand include the establishment of various institutions of higher education, the introduction of fixed class schedules, and the implementation of teacher-training programmes. In his career he served as Director-General of the Department of General Education, later becoming Permanent Secretary, and Minister, of Education. He was also a member of the Executive Board of UNESCO. His writings earned him the title of National Artist in 1987, and the 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by the UNESCO in 2003 as recognition of his contribution to the advancement of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

Mom Luang Pin Malakul (hereafter referred to as ML Pin) was born on 24 October 1903 to Mom Rajawongse Pia (MR Pia) and Thanpuying Sa-ngiam Malakul. He was the sixth of thirteen children (although the fourth, and the only son, to survive past birth). His father, a nobleman and great-grandson of King Buddha Loetla Nabhalai, had served as King Vajiravudh's guardian during the King's overseas studies and held posts including Ambassador to the United Kingdom. MR Pia's work was instrumental in the establishment of higher education in Thailand (then known as Siam) and he later became the third Minister of Public Instruction under King Vajiravudh.

ML Pin recalled in his autobiography that although his mother was a kind and loving figure, his father was rather strict and acted more like a teacher than a father, and that he was often fearful of him. A loyal servant of the crown, MR Pia introduced ML Pin to King Vajiravudh when he was seven years old. Another often-recounted story from his childhood is that of how, before having learned to count, when his mother asked him to gather half a bunch of betel leaves for her, ML Pin set down to picking up one leaf with each hand at a time, separating them equally into two piles.

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