I would like to acknowledge the following people for their
contributions to my Master degree program. First, the financial
assistance of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
and Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing
Countries (SAREC), which made possible the implementation of the
program and this work.
To extend my most sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Prof. Dr.
Metha Wanapat for his endless support in correcting, making
constructive comments, inspiring, encouraging me during the study
period. He has not only served as my advisor, but has provided so
many valuable recommendations beyond just advising, teaching, and
supervising. Most importantly, he has allowed me to make mistakes,
learn from those mistakes, and grow as a student and
person.
I wish to express the special thanks to Dr. Boonthong Bouahom,
Mr. Bounleang Koudsavang, Directors of the National Agriculture and
Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI) and Livestock Research Center
(LRC) for giving me permission to participate in this study program
and providing facilities for conducting experimental work.
Cordial appreciations are specially extended to the surgery team
from Khon Kaen University, Thailand, led by Professor Metha
Wanapat, Chamnanwit Promkot and the graduate students who kindly
advised and performed rumen fistulation of cattle for the first
time in Lao, PDR for these experiments.
I am deeply indebted to the Ruminant Nutritional Laboratory,
Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen
University, Thailand for giving me great opportunity to carry out
the chemical analyses of samples.
I would like to express my gratitude to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Brian
Ogle the Course Director and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Iger Ledin the Course
Co-ordinator who spent time to facilitates the smoothly and
efficiency running of the course.
I would like to make a special thank to Prof. Dr. Luu Trong
Hieu, the Regional Course Coordinator, Mr. Coung and all his staffs
for assistance, kind help, support and warm hospitality while
studying in Vietnam.
Appreciation is extended to all of the lecturers for their
encouragement, invaluable knowledge as well as many informal
discussions, particularly to learn of theory and research work in
linking with smallholder farmers. I enjoyed not only academic but
social and culture, as well.
I also like to thank all Ph.D and MSc. students at Khon Kaen
University, Thailand and my friends in this course, my field
assistant, who helped and supported in all important research
activities, shared suggestions, and warmly
cooperated.
Most importantly, the support and the encouragement from my
wonderful families have been always treasured. My parents, my
parent-in-law, my elder brothers, my younger brother and sister who
have been constantly supportive. Finally, my loving family, my
wife, Sirisopha and my son, Sirixay for their continued love,
forever caring and standing by my side through thick and thin and
cheering on, I was always deeply touched by them.