Governing Board Meeting (GBM) elects president of AITAA every odd years. On 20/11/21, 54 registered delegates from 19 accredited chapters and the head quarter, who were present at Ho Chi Minh (online) GBM, elected Mr Taweechai Termkunanon (HSD 1979) as president for 2022 and 2023. The process followed AITAA Election By-Laws.
On 10 July 2021, AITAA HQ Election Committee Chair Dr Shahadat Chowdhury (WRE 1989) called for nomination of president. Nomination closed on 30 September 2021; Article V, Section 4, Statutes (2005).
Two nominations were received by the closing date. They were Mr Taweechai Termkunanon (HSD 1979) from Thailand and Mr Harry Kasuma Aliwarga (SCE 1995) from Indonesia. Nominations were displayed on AITAA website as per Election By-Laws 3. The manifesto supplied by the two candidates were posted on AITAA website for all to see.
Two other election officers were appointed on 5/10/21, they were Dr Ranjna Jindal (ENV 1982, EEM 1995) and Mrs Gayette Salacup (SOM 1993). The officers were chosen to bring in experience, diversity, independence, and integrity.
Mr Termkunanon and Mr Aliwarga appointed Mr Utai Srimhai (AFE 1981) and Mrs Hotnair Sringoringo (IEM 1994) as their agents to oversee the election process (Election By Law 14). Election Committee consulted and performed the election in view of the agents.
Chapters that submitted annual reports were accredited (Governance Guideline 20) to register 1, 2 or 3 delegates if the report provided a minimum of 10, 50 or 201 names of regular alumni. The names of 58 registered delegates, of whom 6 were from AITAA HQ, were published on website two days prior to GBM. The voter list with emails was supplied to and accepted by the agents.
On 20/11/21 morning GBM approved the three-member election committee. Only delegates present in GBM can vote (Statute Article V, Section 4b). By the time of approval, 54 out of 58 registered delegates from 19 out of 21 accredited chapters were present at GBM.
The election was conducted by a commercial software Election Runner. The software was tested and approved by the Executive Committee, Election Committee and the two agents. The software ensured confidential voting with protection against multiple voting by a voter. Election was open from 11:30 to 14:25 Ho Chi Minh time. All 54 voters casted their vote.
The election result was: Mr Termkunanon 35 votes and Mr Aliwarga 19 votes. The voter list, ballot casting and the result were reviewed and accepted by the agents of the candidates. Chief Election Officer Shahadat Chowdhury announced Mr Taweechai Termkunanon as the next president of AITAA for 2022 and 2023.