Des and monks - Smaller

Many readers will want to know that occasional New Mandala contributor Professor Des Ball will next week be conferred with the Australian National University’s top honour, the Peter Baume Award. This accolade is reserved for those whose contributions to the economic, cultural, scientific or social development of Australia or the international community have demonstrated eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree.

The ceremony will be held in the Hall at University House, commencing at 11:30 am on Thursday, 14 November 2013.

Des is renowned for his work on strategic, security and defence matters, and initially made his name with pioneering research on nuclear targeting and signals intelligence. Of course he is also well known to the Southeast Asian Studies fraternity for his unique contributions to the analysis of regional security dynamics. His earlier Thailand-related books, The Boys in Black: The Thahan Phran (Rangers), Thailand’s Para-military Border Guards and Militia Redux: Or Sor and the Revival of Paramilitarism in Thailand (with David Mathieson), are being followed by a two-volume set about Thailand’s Border Patrol Police, which will be launched early in 2014.

Readers in Canberra or nearby will want to know that you can still RSVP for the conferral ceremony and lunch by clicking on this link.