สมาคมแพทย์ระบบทางเดินอาหารไทย | The Gastroenterological Association of Thailand (GAT)

Milestone of GAT (1960 – 2010)

9th March 1960: A meeting of doctors from academic institutes was organized with a view to establishing the Association. All attendances unanimously voted for the establishment of the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand (GAT).
19th July 1960: The Gastroenterological Association of Thailand was founded by Professor Vikit Viranuvatti with the starting members of 34, the Association has been grown up successfully and become one of the prestigious professionals of Thailand and of the World.
1969: Dr. Sompon Bunnyakupta, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Tropical Internal Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital had weekly arranged the GI Grand Round which was well received among the interns and residents as well as medical students because there were three GI lecturers who had just returned from abroad, namely: Dr. Udom Harinasuta, Dr. Kriengkrai Akarawong and Dr. Sucha Kurathong besides there were two renowned surgeons: Dr. Chinda Suwannarat and Dr. Thongdee Chaipanich including a radiologist, Dr. Virote Suchato that made the Grand Round more interesting. Later, the monthly GI meeting had been organized at Ramathibodi Hospital, attended by Dr. Ukrist Plengvanit from Siriraj Hospital, Dr. Sommai Wilairatana, Chief of GI Division, Chulalongkorn University and Prof. Vikit Viranuvatti so Prof. Viranuvatti proposed that these GI meetings would be organized by GAT since GAT did not have such activities for many years, thus GAT activities had been revived.
1975: Professor Vikit Viranuvatti was elected as Chairman of Organization Committee of Asia Pacific Association for the Study of Liver Disease (APASL) and APASL Congress was successfully held in Bangkok for the first time.
1978–1982: GAT prepared the academic curriculum on Digestive Endoscopy which was the first time in Thailand and arranged five times consecutively during the term of Dr. Udom Posacrisana as the President of GAT and Dr. Sommai Wilairatana as a major coordinator.
1987: The GAT booklet was first published. The first editor was Dr. Udom Kachintorn during Dr. Termchai Chainuvati’s presidency. Through all those years there were editors as follows:
- Dr. Udom Kachintorn
- Maj. Gen. Dr. Anuchit Chutaputti
- Dr. Somchai Leelakusolvong
- Dr. Sombat Treeprasertsuk
- Dr. Panida Thong-Utaisri
- Dr. Phunchai Charatcharoenwitthaya
1992: GAT successfully hosted the 9th APCGE (Asia Pacific Congress of Gastroenterology) and 6th APCDE (Asia Pacific Congress of Digestive Endoscopy) meeting in Bangkok.
1993: Professor Vikit Viranuvatti was elected as President of the Asia Pacific Association for Gastroenterology (APAGE).
1993 – 1994: During the presidency of Prof. Sachapan Isarasena, he initiated the training and compulsory research work for fellows. Later, when Prof. Pinit Kullavanijaya was GAT President, he encouraged GAT to use its saving to support the research works. As a result, Dr. Pisal Mairiang arranged the training on research methodology to equip the fellows with essential research works.
1994: The GI Residency training had been organized for the first time. At present, there are eleven training institutes and eleven batches of 113 residents had been trained.
1995: The First Fellow GI Board Examination was arranged.
1996: The First Vikit Viranuvatti’s Lecture by Dr. T. Yamada was organized at the 38th GAT Annual Meeting at the Siam Intercontinental Hotel, Bangkok.
1998: Dr. Sawadh Hitanant was GAT President, he initiated that GAT should sponsor the fellow with the best research work to attend the AGA.
1998: The first Thai Journal of Gastroenterology was published. In fact GAT had prepared the Journal since 1998 during Dr. Sawadh Hitanant was GAT President. The first Journal’s editor was Dr. Sinn A nuras, however, there were constraints that stopped the Journal work. Then the new Chairman of Publication had been appointed so Prof. Sucha Kurathong took charge during the presidency of Prof. Kannikar Phornphutkul, consequently, the publishing of the Thai Journal of Gastroenterology has been continued and emphasized only the research and technical aspects. The Journal was different from the booklet because the articles were bilingual (Thai and English). The bilingual Journal was first published in 2000 and continued until 2002. After three publications, Dr. Rungsun Rerknimitr was the second editor during Dr. Bancha Ovartlarnporn was the GAT President and all articles were in English and the journal would be punctually issued every 4 months.
1999: GAT issued the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori in Thailand.
12th – 16th December 1999: GAT was elected as a host for the AGA-Thailand meeting in Chiang-Mai.
26th April 2001: Prof. Vikit Viranuvatti, the founder of the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand passed away.
2002: GAT hosted the World Congress of Gastroenterology 2002 with a great success during 24 February - 1 March 2002 at BITEC, Bangkok. This was the first World Congress of Gastroenterology ever hosted in Asia Pacific region.
2004: GAT issued the Clinical Practice Guideline for the management of Upper GI Bleeding.
2004: GAT issued the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
2004: GAT started providing the grants for short course (1-3 months) of studying or training in Gastroenterology or Endoscopy abroad to all members. Three named grants were issued with the support from pharmaceutical companies: “GAT-Eisai Fellowship”, “GAT-Berlin Fellowship” and “GAT-GSK Fellowship”.
14th February 2005: On behalf of the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand, Dr. Sathaporn Manatsathit, the President, Dr. Thongdee Chaipanich, Maj. Gen. Dr. Wichai Chaiprapa, Air Vice Marshal Suchin Charuchinda and Dr. Somchai Leelakusolvong donated one million Baht to the President of Rajaprajanugroh Foundation to rebuild the schools which devastated by the tsunami.
20th March 2006: H.R.H Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously opened the Vikit Viranuvatti GI Endoscopy Center and established this Center to be the Regional Endoscopy Training Center of World Gastroenterology Organization (OMGE).
2006: Organized the GAT Annual Meeting jointly with the 6th Western Pacific Helicobacter Congress 2006 during 12th – 16th November 2006 at the Plaza Athénée Bangkok.
2006: Two new Associations which developed from 2 Clubs under GAT were established namely: The Thai Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Liver Society (Thailand).
2007: Prof. Chutima Pramoolsinsap was the President of GAT and the First President of the Liver Society (Thailand) at the same time.
2007: The Liver Society (Thailand) in cooperation with the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand (GAT) organized the Annual Conference, jointly with the APASL, STC PATTAYA 2007 during 21st – 25th November 2007 at the Dusit Pattaya Hotel, Cholburi.
2008: The Gastroenterological Association of Thailand, jointly with the Liver Society (Thailand), Thai Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society and the Thailand Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy organized the Joint Annual Meeting at Vichaiyuth Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand during 27th – 29th November 2008. The conference theme was “Sharing Practices in GI and Hepato-Pancreatic-Biliary Care”.
2008 Organized the Seminar on Improving the curriculum of gastroenterology residency fellowship training during 12th – 13th January 2008 at Krungsri River Hotel, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province.
2009: Dr.Ong-ard Praisontarangkul was the President of GAT

Revised and issued the new Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori in Thailand which was published later as Thailand Consensus for the Management of Dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori 2010

2010: the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand, jointly with the Liver Society (Thailand), Thai Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society and the Thailand Association of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy organized “the International Conference on Gastroenterology and Hepatology 2010 during 28th – 30th January 2010 at Le Meridien Hotel, Chiang Mai.
30th November 2010: On behalf of the Gastroenterological Association of Thailand, Dr.Pisaln Mairiang , President Elect, Air Vice Marshal Suchin Charuchindaม Dr. Somchai Leelakusolvong and Dr.Sasiprapa Boonyapisit donated one million Baht to the President of Rajaprajanugroh Foundation to help the floods victims.
2011: APASL Congress came back to Bangkok for the second time and Prof. Teerha Piratvisuth was elected as Chairman of Executive Committee of Asia Pacific Association for the Study of Liver Disease (APASL).
2011-2012: Since the first GAT Executive Committee from 1961 to 2012, we have had 20 presidency terms and the present President of GAT is Prof. Udom Kachintorn.
2012: GAT will host the APDW2012 in Bangkok ( 5th – 8th December 2012).