He is regarded as the father of modern medicine and public health in Thailand. His vision, ceaseless dedication and achievements have inspired many to search for better and healthier lives.

To commemorate his gracious kindness and to give health providers and the public a chance to show their gratitude, Siriraj Hospital medical students have been making Mahidol Day flags as souvenirs. They will be touring Bangkok accepting donations in return for the flags, with the money going to citizens in need.

TV Channel 5 will air a special programme on health on Saturday from 10pm to midnight, during which public contributions will also be solicited.

Until 1920, medical training and health education received little attention. Doctors lagged behind their Western counterparts. The medical college and its Siriraj hospital were small, crowded, under-funded, understaffed and ill equipped.

In an ingenious strategy, Prince Rangsit, then chief of the Royal Medical School, invited Prince Mahidol on a boat trip along Bangkok's canals to the hospital. He asked him to help improve medical practice and public health in Siam and generate more funds.

Having seen the poor state of the hospital, Prince Mahidol not only agreed to the request, he decided to study in the related fields himself.

This he did at Harvard University's Medical School in the US, becoming certified in 1921. He then successfully secured monetary and technical help from the Rockefeller Foundation.

Over the course of a decade, Prince Mahidol promoted healthcare extensively in Siam, improving the education of doctors, nurses and the public. AG Allis, a former director of Siriraj Hospital, documented these efforts in 1936.

It was a time of transition, Allis noted. The medical school went from utter lack to full staffing, training and equipping.

Prince Mahidol not only contributed money to buy land, erect buildings and establish an administration, he exerted a personal influence that cannot be summarised. To the faculty and staff of Siriraj Hospital, his death on September 24, 1929, came as a staggering blow.

Dr Allis commented that the support of such a man, irrespective of his monetary gifts, is of tremendous value to an institute.

The real value of the achievements will become more apparent as the years pass, but we can certainly say that, for the Prince's interest in medicine, his people owe him an eternal debt of gratitude.

No greater memorial can they give than to carry on the work he began - the advancement of medicine and the treatment of disease.

Many generations of talented medical staff have emerged since Prince Mahidol's day, and today 15 medical schools across the country together graduate 1,400 students each year.

No matter where we study or which discipline we pursue, the Prince remains an inspiration. Among his teachings that are deep-seated in many hearts: "I don't want you to be only a doctor - I also want you to be a man."