Veterinary education in Thailand was first established as veterinary school of the Royal Calvalry Division in 1911. In 1935, a group of calvalry veterinary officers made an effort to establish university level of veterinary education in Chulalongkorn University. However, due to changes in the government policies, the Veterinary Department (later raised to Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) was respectively incorporated under Medical School administration, then under the agricultural school, Kasetsart University, and finally back to Chulalongkorn University according to the legislation on reorganization of universities.
In 1966, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Kasetsart University was officially reformed at Bangkhen campus in the northern part of Bangkok, with few remaining students and staff members. Since then, the Faculty has progressively expanded in the number of students, staff members, buildings, and technology and know-how in various fields.
In 1979, Kasetsart University developed a second campus on a 1,250 hectar land in Kamphaeng Saen District of Nakorn Pathom (approx imately 80 kilometers west of Bangkok) under the World Bank Grant. The Faculty, being among the top priority, thus expanded its teaching, research, and hospital and farm service facilities in 1981 to this agro-industrial zone where animal production, namely dairy cattle and pig industry, is highly concentrated.
In 1991, the Ministry of University Affairs responded to the high national demand for veterinarians by launching the government to support long-term project (fifteen-year period) to increase the number of veterinary graduates from three main Veterinary Faculties in Thailand : Chulalongkorn, Kasetsart and Khon Kaen University. The project included a stepwise increase in the number of veterinary students to the final goal (150 students for Kasetsart University), expansion of Faculty staff numbers, Faculty buildings and Instrumentation, as well as a parallel program in the development of faculty members .
Faculty of veterinary medicine at Kasetsart University, now is one the of oldest and largest primary health resource's for animal population in Thailand. The faculty broad by provides an excellent basis for talented, enthusiastic students to meet successfully the present and future demands for their professional services, including private practice, public service, teaching and research. Competence is expected of students in traditional aspects of the profession, such as food (cattle, swine, poultry), companion (dog and cat), sporting (horse) animal and fish medicine and surgery; preventive medicine, and veterinary public health. The faculty also emphasizes other dimensions, such as ethics, wildlife medicine, and human-animal relationships, where contributions of veterinary medical knowledge are increasing value to all society. Society depending on veterinary medicine is provide'd by animal health for many important needs; health livestock, poultry and fish provide essential food and fish, healthy companion animals contribute to human well being, healthy animals of many species contribute to medical research, and healthy wild animals add to our quality of life. Veterinary medicine contributes directly to human health by having primary responsibility for zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to humans, for the wholesomeness of foods of animal origin, and for related environmental and social concerns.
Veterinary medicine is deeply involved in the solution of today's most pressing problems; infectious diseases, poultry diseases, food-borne diseases, dental diseases, respiratory diseases, cancer, etc. The future focus of Veterinary Medicine change to encompass all aspects of animal health and productivity; it will focus as much upon disease prevention and the maintenance of health as upon treatment of the sick or injured animals. The public already looks to the veterinarian for advice's and services in all matters related to the health and utility of animals. A society becomes more urban; therefore, knowledge of animal husbandry, nutrition, handling, housing and care are of importance. The standard and expectations regarding animal care are being elevated, and animal production technology is advancing by leaps and bounds: Public expectation of veterinary services is constantly escalatis --- the profession of veterinary medicine must rise to meet the public expectation.
