On 1 May 2025, Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Ambassador of Thailand to the United States, hosted a reception at the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Los Angeles in honor of three distinguished recipients of the Prince Mahidol Award for the years 2023 and 2024 who reside within the consular jurisdiction.

The laureates are as follows:

1. Professor Napoleone Ferrara, M.D. – Professor in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Pathology and Senior Deputy Director for Basic Science at the Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, California. Professor Ferrara received the 2023 Prince Mahidol Award in the field of Medicine.
2. Professor Barry H. Rumack, M.D. – Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine. Professor Rumack was awarded the 2023 Prince Mahidol Award in the field of Public Health.
3. Professor Tony Hunter, Ph.D. – Professor of Biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Adjunct Professor at the University of California, San Diego. Professor Hunter received the 2024 Prince Mahidol Award in the field of Medicine.

The event garnered significant interest from local media, who interviewed the three esteemed laureates about their contributions and the honor of receiving the prestigious award. The Consulate-General also prepared informational materials about the award and biographical profiles of the laureates for the press.

Later on the same day, Ambassador Suriya Chindawongse hosted a formal dinner at the Royal Thai Consul-General’s residence to further honor the laureates and their spouses. The laureates expressed heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome and conveyed their deep appreciation for the high honor of receiving the Prince Mahidol Award.

The Prince Mahidol Award was established on 1 January 1992, to commemorate the centenary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla, the Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health in Thailand. The Award Foundation operates under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who serves as its President.

Each year, the Foundation confers two Prince Mahidol Awards—one in the field of Medicine and one in the field of Public Health—to individuals or institutions with outstanding and exemplary contributions to the advancement of global health. The award includes a medal, a certificate, and a prize of USD 100,000.