Preface

Thawalwong Ratanasiri

doi:10.3347/kjp.2013.51.6.611

I am delighted and honored to have an opportunity to give a message in the preface of the special issue on "Helminthiases in Greater Mekong Subregion" published in the Korean Journal of Parasitology (Vol. 51, No. 6). This issue is carrying research highlights consisted of the papers based on the poster presentations in the first meeting of the "Asian Parasites by Asian Parasitologists: Helminthiases in Greater Mekong Subregion" held in Khon Kaen, Thailand, on 12 May 2013. This meeting aimed to promote sustainable parasitological research cooperation within the 6 Mekong countries-namely, Cambodia, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand, through strengthening scientific linkages between countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion and Alliance Countries-namely, Korea, Japan, and Australia.

On behalf of the Khon Kaen University, I would like to express my grateful appreciation to the TRF Senior Research Scholar Grant, Thailand Research Fund, grant number RTA5580004 through Professor Dr. Wanchai Maleewong for managing the Khon Kaen University as the venue to convene the first meeting on the Asian Parasites by Asian Parasitologists: Helminthiases in Greater Mekong Subregion. Through this meeting, graduate students in Asian countries as well as Thai participants had the opportunity to meet and discuss with each other and meet with the world class experts in their field to have their valuable advices.

It is my wish that this issue is an inestimable update literature resource of helminthiases in Greater Mekong Subregion for researchers in the field and also local performers in this area. I believe that there will be an exchange of expertise and knowledge as well as agreements of collaboration on helminthologists in the future. I am looking forward to seeing the prolific production of knowledge on the helminthiases in the global literature.

Finally, I wish to express my gratefulness to all participants for their full devotedness and contributions to this issue. May I also wish to express my sincere thanks to the Guest Editors who put hard efforts to get it done. Special thanks go to the Korean Journal of Parasitology for publication permission under the Korean Journal of Parasitology for their co-operation and production of this issue.

Thank you.