On 15 January 2026, H.E. Mr. Atipat Rojanapaibulya, Ambassador of Thailand to Timor-Leste, together with H.E. Mrs. Dulce de Jesus Soares, Minister of Education of Timor-Leste, and Mr. Luís Inácio Henrique Fernandes, President of the Municipal Authority of Manatuto, visited EBF 1,2 Beedan School in Manatuto. They were welcomed by the School Coordinator and Head Teacher, Mr. Francisco de Carvalho, recipient of the Princess Maha Chakri Award (PMCA) 2025.

The Princess Maha Chakri Award is a prestigious international award presented biennially to outstanding teachers from ASEAN countries, Timor-Leste, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Mongolia who have made significant contributions to education. Since its establishment in 2015, six teachers from Timor-Leste have been honoured with the Award.

Mr. Francisco de Carvalho reported to the Ambassador and the Minister on his experience of receiving the Award from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in Bangkok in October 2025, as well as on the use of the prize money. These included the installation of a new water tank and underground water system, construction of a school fence, and procurement of learning equipment such as a laptop computer and printers.

On this occasion, the Ambassador and the Minister of Education inaugurated the newly installed water system at the school. The Ambassador reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to supporting human resource development in Timor-Leste, emphasizing education as a key instrument for poverty eradication and economic progress, with the young generation serving as a vital driving force for sustainable national development.

In addition to the Princess Maha Chakri Award, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn also initiated the Collaborative Project on Children and Youth Development in 2014, which currently includes six participating schools across Timor-Leste.