The Institute for Fundamental Study (IF) (http://www.if.nu.ac.th/ is the only Thai theoretical physics research institute at Naresuan University - a state - comprehensive university in Thailand.  Academic areas include Cosmology-Big Bang Theory, Dark Energy and Dark Matter, Black Holes, Gravitational Physics, Quantum Field Theory, String Theory, Econophysics and research on theory of theories.

Theoretical Physics can not make money or profit since it is a PURE science. IF is established under previous president of Naresuan University, Prof. Sujin Jinayon who realizes important roles of science as wisdom foundation of society. Lately, new 
administrators of Naresuan University have different idea on what value the university should have. The new administrators consider to keep only subjects that can make good income to the university rather than considering the needs of having theoretical physics institute as IF with it.    The university thinks on earning more money rather than protecting academic subjects. 

The assessment scheme drawn to IF focuses mainly on income if it is deficit unlike to previous president who consider having IF as a social human capital investment.  Although the mission statement of IF is fulfilled by IF performance  however the university do not care about it and attempt to shut it down by raising reasons that IF has not yet done well enough at internationally research excellence. How can the excellence be succeeded while university budget to IF has been reduced substantially in the past few years?  Moreover messages from university's authority on IF status has been discouraging IF staff and students for two years ever since the new administrators took control,            

IF was created in 2011 from the previous Tah Poe Academia Institute (TPTP) (since 1996) - informal institute run with personal money of its members and volunteering to teach aiming to lift up the standard physics education in Thailand. Before that initially the group was a students' forum for theoretical physics in 1994 at Chiang Mai University with dream of three students who want to pursue career in theoretical physics. (click for details).
IF's  missions are to

1. provide advanced research and advanced learning "culture" and  "habitat" - intellectual environment
2. produce international level research outputs (click for details)
3. lift up weak level of Thai physics education to international level by providing high standard Ph.D., Higher Graduate Diploma and M.S.program. The Diploma follows the styles of world-renowned Part III Math Tripos of Cambridge, Postgraduate Diploma of ICTP (IAEA-UNESCO)(click for details)
4. organize summer schools and short courses  at many levels for teachers, students, young researchers to improve and enhance physics education and research capacities of Thailand and countries in the region. (click for details)
5. organize 2-3 days Physics camps at schools in rural areas of northern Thailand (20 camps have been organized by volunteering of the IF staff and students who stayed overnights in tents at school.)   
6. provide public awareness of physics by holding public lectures
7. enhance high school teachers knowledge by producing physics knowledge video clips on youtube aiming for physics teachers
   ((IF Channel on youtube))
8. establish international research networks and collaborations. 

Our academics and research environments has been international since 4 out of 11 faculty members are overseas with some overseas students. IF is also recognized by internationally renowned institutions e.g. U. of Portsmouth (UK) Abdus Salam ICTP (Italy), Yukawa Inst. for Theoretical Physics (Kyoto U., Japan), Tokyo U. of Science (Japan), IPPP U. of Durham (UK), Jamia Millia Islamia and IUCAA (India), Nat. Tech. U. of Athens (Greece) etc.   The recognition is seen by visiting of famous theoretical physicists from Europe, Asia, and USA to IF.  (click)   

IF has run and organized many other academic activities for many years. These are (click for details)

If there is without IF, momentum of physics education in Thailand would be halted and it is not likely that such the advanced learning "culture" and  "habitat" could be re-installed again.