Vivatvong Vichit-Vadakan

Vivatvong วิจิตรวาทการ Vivatvong Vichit-Vadakan "Viv" (born circa 1948) is a former NASA engineer and entrepreneur from Thailand. He pioneered Internet service in the pre-WWW era in the 1980s and then was a provider of Internet services in Thailand from 1992 to 2015. He has since been involved in the drone industry. He had at least five quite accomplished children.

He belongs to the highly distinguished and intellectual วิจิตรวาทการ (Vichit-Vadakan) family, which has been prominent in Thailand since the 1920s.

Early Life

Vivatvong was the youngest child of หลวง วิจิตร วิจิตรวาทการ Luang Wichit Wichitwathakan [1] (1898 - 1962), a highly prominent Thai politician, diplomat, historian, novelist, and playwright. He is credited with changing the name of the country from Siam to Thailand.

Luang was born "Kim Liang" (Chinese: 金良), whose paternal grandfather was Chinese, had a father who was a merchant in merchant in Uthai Thani province. Luang distinguished himself by getting top grades in school, studying at วัดมหาธาตุยุวราชรังสฤษฎิ์ (Wat Mahathat, one of the most prestigious Thai temples and the one between Thammasat university and the Grand Palace). In 1918, he obtained a posting to Paris in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, joining many other prominent Thai figures who were based there in the 1920s.

[2]

Education

1966 - 1970, Bachelor of Engineering - BE, Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering

1973 - 1974, Santa Clara University. Master of Science in Computer Science, Computer Science

1975 - 1979, UCLA. Post Graduate Studies - Research Associate, Computer Science. Doctoral program in Computer Science, majoring in Fault Tolerant Computing

Career

"Former NASA-JPL Senior Member of Technical Staff. Chief Executive Officer of SKYVIV Company Ltd., Thailand. A drone imagery specialists providing services and sales. Official Distributor of senseFly, Flyability and Parrot Professional Drones. Interested in Precision Agriculture, Multispectral Analysis. Academic Affiliation with the School of Global Studies, Thammasat University, Thailand"

He worked at NASA from 1981 - 1991. In 1981 he proposed a "Jet Propulsion Local Area Network", an early use case for the Internet, at the 2nd International Conference on Distributed Computing Systems. [6]

From 1992 to 2015, he was CEO of Loxley Information Services (an ISP in Thailand).

In 2010, likely with his wife, he released a paper on the "Short-term association between sulfur dioxide and daily mortality: The Public Health and Air Pollution in Asia (PAPA) study"

In about 2018 he founded SkyVIV, a dealer and service provider of drone camera and hardware in Thailand and Cambodia. As of 2025 the SkyVIV website bills themselves as "a supplier of products and services for High Accuracy Mapping, Infrastructure Inspection and Precision Agriculture." They are located at Loxley ICT1 Bldg., 102/99 Na Ranong Road, Klong Toey, Klong Toey Bangkok 10110. The "Loxley Building" is undoubtedly owned by K. Viv himself, as it is named after his former company.

"Vivatvong Vichit-Vadakan is the founder and CEO of Bangkok-based Sky Visual Imaging Venture Co. Ltd., a company specialized in the acquisition of imagery from drones to be used in scientific applications such as precision agriculture and mapping. A former senior member of technical staff at the NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of technology, he returned to his home country to start the very first Internet Service Provider in Thailand under the brand LoxInfo. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from Chulalongkorn University and a Master Degree in Computer Science from Santa Clara University, California." [9]

Wife

He likely met his wife at UCLA in the 1970s. It must have been easy for them to meet being both Thai in Calfornia at a time with few Thais. His wife is Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan "Toi". Professor Nuntavarn is the founder of both the School of Public Health and the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University. Her research focuses on health effects from air pollution and her work has had significant policy impacts. She was Thailand representative at the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and is a member of the expert panels. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology, and a Master and Doctorate degree in Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles."

"Professor Dr. Nuntavarn is a distinguished academic and leader in the field of public health. She was the founding Dean of the Faculty of Public Health and the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University in Thailand, where she served for over 13 years. Her research has primarily focused on the critical areas of air pollution and health, as well as tobacco control. Through her extensive research endeavors, she has published numerous influential publications and played a pivotal role in shaping national policies and interventions. Professor Dr. Nuntavarn’s contributions extend beyond academia. She served as the lead negotiator for Thailand at the Conference of the Parties (COP) for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for several years. Additionally, she chaired significant committees at the Conference of the Parties, leading to the successful adoption of guidelines and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. Her work and dedication have earned her prestigious accolades. In 2011, she was honored with the WHO World No Tobacco Day Award for the Southeast Asia Region. In 2012, the University of California at Los Angeles recognized her achievements by inducting her into the Alumni Hall of Fame. Professor Dr. Nuntavarn’s contributions to public health and tobacco control have made a lasting impact."

"Professor Nuntavarn Vichit-Vadakan received her doctoral degree from the School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles. She founded and served as Dean of the Faculty of Public Health and the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University, Thailand for over 13 years.

Her research in areas of air pollution and health, as well as, tobacco control has produced numerous publications and led to various national policy and intervention. For many years, she served as the lead negotiator for Thailand at the Conference of the Parties (COP) for the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and chaired major committees at the Conference of the Parties which led to the successful adoption of guidelines and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. She was awarded with WHO World No Tobacco Day Award for Southeast Asia Region in 2011."

They have at least five children:

Viria

Viria Vichit-Vadakan, board member, Generation Thailand. [3] "10 years of experience building technology solutions to advance education and career opportunities in the US and APAC. A problem solver who thrives in ambiguity. Experience founding a University degree Bachelor's program, launching 0-1 products at early to growth stage EdTech startups and Big Tech. Led product, design, go-to-market, B2B SaaS partnerships, education, and HR teams. Worked on covid relief efforts with the MIT Media Lab and the UN. Nominated and selected as an Obama Leader in 2018. Serve on the board of a global workforce skilling non-profit, Generation.org, Thailand. Co-founder and CEO of Teamups. Ex-Product Marketing Manager, Meta, USA. Certified Executive Coach from Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute. Alumni, Stanford University's Design Institute. Over 10 years of experience in teaching Design Thinking." "Founder, GSSE & G-Lab, School of Global Studies Thammasat University; Viria is the Founder of the Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and Social Entrepreneurship GSSE and the Founder of Glab Innovation Lab at the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University. She believes that access to education should be affordable to everyone. Viria is passionate about improving education creating skill-based learning projects and anti-trafficking."

Visra

Visra Vichit-Vadakan, married Chris Cox (2 September 1982 - ), Facebook Chief Product Officer in 2010. She dabbled in filmmaking from 2008 - 2013 (https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1140314-visra-vichit-vadakan). She directed Karaoke Girl in 2013. [4]

Veronica

Veronica Vichit-Vadakan, librarian in Portland, Oregon, appeared on Jeopardy! in 2020 and 2021 [5] [6] "Veronica lives in the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible wandering its forests when not working as a community college librarian. She tried out for Jeopardy! on a whim and after appearing on the show in 2020 and again in 2021 found herself catapulted into the weird and wonderful world of quizzing. Since then, she has played in several online leagues and even written for a few of them. The trivia categories that she would most like to see are Hyper-Regional Pies and Feminist Cinema. "

Vicharee

Vicharee Vichit-Vadakan founder of TheCOMMONS in Bangkok. "My name is Vicharee. I spent most of my life in the US, I went to boarding school in Virginia, finished my undergrad and MBA and worked in the US for many years in retail before I moved back to Thailand [in about 2012]. I’m a mother of 2 little ones [as of 2019]. When I moved back here I had this feeling that I didn’t want to go back to corporate life and that I wanted to start something on my own. That’s when I started to think about becoming an entrepreneur." [7] "My background is more in retail. I started off in consulting, working for the Boston Consulting Group and retailers like Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works in the US. My brother is the one who is in F&B and so he’s the one who started the food and cafe side of our business. When I moved back we wanted to work together so I started helping with the F&B side and then together we came up with the idea of merging F&B and retail and that’s how The Commons came about." "So right now our company is structured so that there’s a holding company called Kinnest Group. Under this, we have the F&B Side [Roast, Ocken and Roots Coffee] and the lifestyle side [theCOMMONS and Little Pea]. I primarily look at theCOMMONS and Little Pea and he primarily looks at the food side, but honestly we work together a lot, so I help out on the food side, and he helps out on theCOMMONS side too, so it’s a very good partnership."

Varatt

Varatt Vichit-Vadakan "Tae", an entrepreneur in Bangkok, with his sister Vicharee. Founder of Kinnest Group, a holding company for the brands Roast, Ocken and Roots.

In October 2025, Ocken Sathorn shut down for a month and rebranded as Roast, another of Vichit-Vadakan's brands. [13]

"“It’s our intention to build first a community, then a mall,” says Varatt. Thonglor’s communal space The Commons, co-founded by Varatt and his elder sister Vicharee, opened in 2016. Set in a brilliantly designed building, it has been featured in many local and international publications, and won many awards, with the latest one being the Jury and Popular Choice accolades at the Architizer A+ Awards 2017. The four-storey venue is divided into four areas, the market (kitchen), the village (open-air deck, retail), the play yard and top yard (a communal green space), which fulfills different needs. Varatt also founded boutique roaster Roots and cafe Roast. His most recent fine-dining venture, Ocken, serves fusion food. It is a haven for creatives and those seeking inspiration, with live DJs in the house and a broad range of workshops hosted every day, from painting, soapmaking to chocolate making. Additionally, The Commons has built a focus on community initiatives, with several projects aimed at enhancing the life of the surrounding neighbourhood. For example, they have partnered with Bankok Soap Opera to hold montly soapmaking worshops, where community members can help to transform the used cooking oil from vendors into liquid soap for the washrooms." [18] [8]

"If there’s one person who can be thanked for the proliferation of brunch and eggs benedict in Thailand’s current dining scene, it’s Boston University graduate Varatt “Tae” Vichit- Vadakan. Tae is the mastermind behind Roast, Bangkok’s most beloved comfort food establishment, which was founded back in 2007. Since then, he’s gone on to build more quality lifestyle brands under the Kinnest Group, be it boutique roaster Roots Coffee, fine-dining outlet Ocken or, most notably, the hip, multi-venue community spaces known as The Commons – which his sister Vicharee is involved with as well. As a qualified barista, Tae loves good coffee alongside good food, best enjoyed with friends and family, especially with his three kids Tamm, Tathi and Tuln."

Vincent

Vincent Vichit-Vadakan

This man is also likely to be a brother of K. Vivatvong. Since 1987 he has been a freelance writer. "Writing, re-writing, editing, translating (English to French, French to English, Italian to French or English); developing content for various media, particularly in the fields of food, travel, tourism, current affairs, social issues and human rights. Also an experienced sub-titler, translator of screenplays and occasional script doctor." [9]

He was based in Paris for a long time, and never learned Thai. [10] Now he is based in Bangkok according to his Instagram. https://www.facebook.com/vvviaggio?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

In 2025 he reviewed the new Dusit Thani Hotel [11]

Vicharatt

Vicharatt Vichit-Vadakan

This man is likely the brother of K. Vivatvong. He lists himself as the founder of The Commons in 2012 [12]

Juree

Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan might be the wife of Vicharatt. "Chairperson, Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)" [13]

Associate Professor Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan Expertise: civil society as development partner, transparency and accountability for good governance, and gender equality and women's participation in decision making

Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan teaches at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) in Bangkok. She has served as Dean, Vice President, and President of NIDA. Dr. Juree earned her BA, MA and Ph.D. degrees from the University of California, Berkeley; and her graduate training is in both Anthropology and Political Science. Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan’s work over the years has focused on three core issues: civil society as development partner, transparency and accountability for good governance, and gender equality and women's participation in decision making. She has combined academic work with social movement activities via the founding of the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society. She is the Chair of this Center. She is a tireless advocate and a strong voice for social justice, good governance, and equitable, balanced and sustainable development. Dr. Juree is responsible for numerous research and consultancy projects both for government agencies and civil society. She also serves on several government and civil society boards.

In her career, her accomplishments are numerous, but just to highlight some: she is the author of many academic publications. She has been recognized as a global gender expert as well. She has been a strong voice in advocacy for women’s leadership and political engagement through her studies on women’s issues. She also served as chair of Women for the Promotion of Democracy which includes the Women and Politics Institute. She is also Secretary–General of Transparency Thailand, a chapter of Transparency International. She was appointed to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in 2004-2007. Among the many honors and awards that she has received are the Hass International Award 2006 and an honorary doctor degree in Law from Indiana University in 2007.

In 2000, she wrote "Violence against women : a Thai perspective" [14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

Wilasa

Wilasa Vichit-Vadakan (born circa 1974) attended Cornell and MIT and has a PhD in Civil Engineering from Princeton awarded 2002. She has had senior roles at Siam Cement Group (SCG) since 2007. She also founded a startup called "BIMObject" since 2022.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilasa-vichit-vadakan-826519/details/education/