Message from the Managing Editor: A Heartfelt Thank you to Respected Reviewers, and All Contributors,

Dear Readers,

It is my pleasure to inform you that ABAC Journal has been placed in the ‘Tier 1 Group’ as a result of TCI’s (Thai Journal Citation Index Centre) 3^rd round of evaluations, which was announced on May 31, 2015.  Of all 626 academic journals submitted for evaluation, 124 of the social science journals were placed in Tier 1, 132 in Tier 2, and 15 in Tier 3. For more details, visit:

Two key criteria include an effective, strictly blind review process of at least two relevant experts per article to ensure the quality of the academic work published, and to maintain a strict schedule of publication.

We have found this a real challenge since prominent experts are always busy. And that is why we have decided to publish two issues per year instead of three beginning next year in 2016.

I wish to take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank all reviewers in the past year from January 2014 until December 2014, without whose critical assistance this would not have been possible. Equally important, I would also like to thank all contributors for choosing the ABAC Journal. I wish to thank my assistant editor, Mr. Aung Kyi Win and my two supervising editors,  Mr. Daniel W. Merillat, and Mr. San Shwe Baw, for their unfailing, professional assistance. Most importantly, I wish to thank Rev. Brother Dr. Bancha Saenghiran for his continued, unlimited, and insightful support.   

With this TCI recognition, we are motivated to work even harder and set our target even higher, with a new focus on becoming a journal listed in the ASEAN Citation Index (ACI). We would also like to express our heart-felt gratitude to the TCI for their assertive effort to upgrade the quality of Thai journals to an international standard level.  Lastly, my sincere ‘Thank you’ to all our readers. You are the primary source of our inspiration, and we are determined to give you our best service possible.

A quick note to contributors: the deadline for online submission for the December 2015 issue, please submit your articles no later than August 31, 2015.        

Dr. Absorn Meesing

Managing Editor