Anthropologist Shalardchai remembered for scholarship and advocacy efforts

Shalardchai, 75, passed away on February 13 from cancer at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital.
Shalardchai was one of Thailand’s most respected anthropologists and a prominent advocate of women’s rights for half a century. After receiving a masters of arts in Cultural Anthropology from Cornell University in 1973, he began teaching at Chiang Mai University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology. 
Shalardchai was always admired by friends and colleagues for his modesty about his prowess as a scholar and teacher. Out of the classroom, the kind-hearted anthropologist also played a vital role in promoting “community forest” programmes that enabled ethnic-minority villagers to live in and help to protect forests. 
His work inspired young people, members of civil society and many journalists. 
During his graduate studies at Cornell University, Thailand was under dictatorial rule and Shalardchai was president of the Cornell Thai Student Association. “Shalardchai was also politically aware of what was happening in Thailand under the Thanom-Prapas dictatorship,” recalls his friend and colleague Thak Chaloemtiarana, a former director and retired professor from Cornell’s Southeast Asia Studies Department.
Shalardchai also helped found and became the first editor of the Cornell Thai Students journal. “Many of us started our writing careers by publishing in that journal – Charnvit Kasetsiri, Pramote Nakornthab, Warin Wongharnchao and myself, just to name a few,” Thak said.
Historian Charnvit recalled his scholarship years with Shalardchai at Cornell: “We were rebellious students who disobeyed our sponsors. We mingled with ‘New Left’ among the American students. We often joined the protests against the Vietnam War. And we began to dislike American domination |over Thailand in the Thanom-Prapas era.”
Shalardchai met his partner Virada Somswasdi at Cornell University. He helped her found the first Women’s Study Centre in Thailand at Chiang Mai University in 1986 and tirelessly contributed his time to the centre until his last days. He leaves Virada and his daughter Kulapa-on Chansrakao.