Assoc. Prof. Sumit Pitiphat was a former Vice Rector for Research and Academic Services at Thammasat University, a former Dean of the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology at Thammasat University (1988-1991), and a former Director of the Thai Khadi Research Institute (1993-1999).
Assoc. Prof. Sumit earned his master’s degrees in sociology from Michigan State University and in anthropology from Harvard University in the United States. He played a significant role and made valuable contributions to the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology at Thammasat University, starting from his time as a lecturer in the Independent Department of Sociology and Anthropology, which was under the Faculty of Social Administration, until the department was officially established as the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology (1984).
Assoc. Prof. Sumit Pitiphat had a vital role in founding the Thammasat Museum of Anthropology, which was established as part of Thammasat University’s policy to celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great’s 60th birthday. The university entrusted the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology with the task of implementing the Cultural and Technological Research and Operations Center Project and managing the museum’s operations which has been developed since the museum’s first public opening on 5 December 1987.
In addition to his teaching, Assoc. Prof. Sumit Pitiphat conducted fieldwork and research on a range of topics, including Thai socio-culture, archaeology, and Tai ethnic groups both inside and outside of Thailand. His research includes: A survey and research project on the social and economic changes around the Ubol Ratana Dam in Khon Kaen province, Research on floating houses in Phitsanulok and Uthai Thani provinces (1970), A survey of the Ban Om Kaeo and Ban That archaeological sites in Ban Chiang sub-district, Udon Thani province (1972-1973), A study of the Ban Phue ancient civilization site (1974-1976), A study of the Sangkhalok ceramics sites in the Thanon Thong Chai mountain range and the Mae Moei River Basin archaeology project in Tak province, and A study of the folk culture of the Lao Song ethnic group in Phetchaburi province (1976-1987).
During his time as Director of the Thai Khadi Research Institute (1993-1999), he expanded his interests to study Tai ethnic groups outside of Thailand, a project that lasted for nearly a decade. He conducted extensive fieldwork and data collection with groups of lecturers and students in China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and India. He published numerous books related to this research, including: Tai and Laji People in Northern Vietnam (2001), Religion and Beliefs of the Tai Dam in Sip Song Chu Thai, Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2002), Tai Communities in Northern Myanmar: Southern Shan State, Mandalay Division, and Hkamti Long (2002), Beliefs and Rituals of the Tai-Ahom in Assam State, India (2002), Tai People in Simao, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China (2003), Yai, Tai, and Kaolan: Ethnic Groups in Northern Vietnam (2003), and Tai Daeng People in Houaphanh Province, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (2003).
Due to his extensive field surveys and research spanning several decades, Assoc. Prof. Sumit Pitiphat accumulated a large collection of photographs and research objects. Therefore, he donated some of these objects, personal documents, and nearly ten thousand photographs to the Thammasat Museum of Anthropology for display and for future research.
The Sumit Pitiphat Photography Archive
In 2017, the Thammasat Museum of Anthropology received a donation of photographs and archival documents from Assoc. Prof. Sumit Pitiphat. This collection is divided into two main groups: photographs (including slides) and personal documents (ID cards, postcards, etc.). The photographs (and slides) were taken during his fieldwork and data collection from 1970 to 2001, as well as his research on archaeology, cultural heritage, and Tai ethnic groups both inside and outside Thailand (in Thailand, Vietnam, China, Laos, Myanmar, and India). A total of 4,307 items from the photographs and slides have undergone processes of appraisal and selection, digitization, and preservation for future research. This collection consists of two major groups:
- Images from his fieldwork on Tai ethnic groups in Vietnam, China, Laos, Myanmar, India, and Thailand.
- Images from his survey of art and cultural traces at Ban Phue, Udon Thani province (1974-1976).
The “Sumit Pitiphat Photography Archive” is currently being prepared for wider public access. In the meantime, those interested in using the collection for research can contact the Thammasat Museum of Anthropology at the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University for access.
หากผู้สนใจประสงค์สืบค้นข้อมูลคลังภาพเพิ่มเติม ติดต่อพิพิธภัณฑ์ธรรมศาสตร์เฉลิมพระเกียรติ