Khon Kaen University () or KKU (มข.) is a public research university, and it is one of the most prestigious universities in Thailand. The university was the first institution of higher education in the northeastern Thailand and remains the oldest and the most competitive university in the region. The university is a hub of education in northeast Thailand. It is a widely recognized university in Asia with strong emphasis on medicine, engineering, science, agriculture and social science. Khon Kaen University was ranked 21st in Southeast Asia by Time Higher Education in 2009, and 4th in Thailand by The Office of Higher Education Commission. History In 1941 during the reign of King Ananda Mahidol with the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram as Prime Minister, there have been policies and projects to expand higher education to the provinces. For the northeastern region, a university have been established in Ubon Ratchathani Province but the war in East Asia which the government had to decide to join Japan to fight the Allies. As a result, the establishment of a university in the northeastern region ended in 1960. Under the administration of Prime Minister Sarit Thanarat, there has been a review of the establishment of the university once again. Later in the year 1962, it was resolved to establish a higher education institution. Engineering and agriculture in Khon Kaen nominate this institute as "Khon Kaen Institute of Technology" with the abbreviation K.I.T. After that its name was changed to be "Northeastern University" or N.E.U". At that time there was no government agency directly responsible for conducting university education. Therefore, the government has decided that the National Education Council should be responsible for finding a place, drafting a course as well as contacting foreign aids. In 1963, the subcommittee agreed to choose Baan Si Than as the location of the university in an area of ​​approximately 5,500 rai (2,173 acres), 4 kilometers from the city of Khon Kaen. In June 9, 1964, building construction of "Faculty of Science and Arts" was settled. The first batch of the students was accepted at the University Office in Bangkok in June 24, 1964 with a total number of 107 students, separating into 49 agricultural science students and 58 engineering students enrolled at the University of Medical Sciences (current Mahidol University) In 1965, the cabinet resolved to change the name as "Khon Kaen University" which is the city's name