Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is the first member of the royal family to study at a Thai university. She enrolled af the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University and was an inspiration to her class mates throughout the four years of study. She was interested in several academic subjects including French, Thai, Pali and Sanskrit, Geography, and History. She chose to major in History.

When asked why she had chosen study History, she replied that she had liked the subject since childhood. She could recall that her nurse read "The Siamese - Burmese War" to her she was two years old, and she enjoyed it very much. Later. Her Majesty the Queen often read and related episodes and stories based on history. She found these sessions interesting and fun. As she grew up, she took up reading history until she knew the stories quite well. She wished to learn about national affairs by studying history.

During her undergraduate studies, Her Royal Highness was on the editorial board of a student's periodical which published selected essays on history. She named this magazine "The Bridge: An Anthology of Historical Essays". She wrote the following explanation for the name:

"...One aspect of historical studies is to help the student to think and to reason with the knowledge gained in order to exercise the thought processes. This knowledge is useful in everyday living and in adapting to one `s environment. In this sense, history is not just the matter of making historical records, but the recordings must be analyzed and assessed from the various viewpoints (which can be done all the time) in order to be able to project the future."

"...I am confident that fhe articles in "The Bridge" will become a "bridge" which serves to link up differences in opinions and understanding of people. It will span the past and the present and help our society to adapt in this age of profound and rapid changes."

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's career as a History teacher began when she was commissioned into military service by the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. Her official position is Professor. Head of Historical Studies. She has organized the teaching of history so that it will benefit all other major subjects at the Academy. The main aim is to enable otficer cadets to "apply the knowledge to their future duties".

She encourages all faculty members to attend seminars at other institutions. They have to report on the new knowledge presented and their reports are placed in the library for use by other faculty members.

Her Royal Highness' dedication to her teaching career may be summarized by the follow eulogy delivered by a representative of graduating ofticer cadets:

"... Throughoutmystudies at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. I have heard with my own ears and have seen with my own eyes You Royal Highness `great kindness as teacher and Director of Historical Studies of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. Your Royal Highness has shown great interest and dedication in teaching. Although burdened with a multitude of royal duties, Your Royal Highness has spared no effort in teaching preparations from audio-viAual aids to the search for text books for use by both officer cadets and faculty members. Your Royal Highness has invited experts in each field to give lectures. Furthermore, besides classes, Your Royal Highness has personally taken officer cadets to important historical sites in order to broaden our outlook and experience in the field..."

Her Royal Highness Prinoess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn fully appreciates the importance of all forms of historical data. As an undergraduate, she was given an assignment to explore the National Archives of the Fine Arts Department in order to stuoy primary onta Her report covered the subject "The Foundation of Modern Education During the Rama V Period". She used primary data in the report and was given grade A for it. She subsequently returned to the National Archives to learn about requisitioning. cataloging. search data. microfilming and conservation work. She even sent her personal librarian. and the librarian of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy to study basic conservation and repair techniques.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn applies her knowledge in historical studies to good use every time she travels abroad. She studies facts about these in detail. She fakes detailed notes on what she has heard and seen. Her writings about these trips have intrinsic historical value because she compiles them from important documents as well as own notation. She writes about the background and then adds her own observations, often with a sense of humour which makes the accounts fun to read. She also includes her own critical analyses and opinions which often show her knowledge. ability and generous outlook

In her youth. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn proved herself to be an intelligent and capable "Model Student". Now, every class of officer cadets at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy laud her as the "Professor Princess."

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