[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E435]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO SOMSRI SUWANNAPREECHA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS-

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 22, 2010

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Somsri 
Suwannapreecha for her contributions to the care of the Brooklyn 
community.
  Somsri Suwannapreecha was born in Chiangmai in northern Thailand. She 
graduated high school valedictorian at a very young age and beat out 
her school peers with a top score for admittance to medical school.
  After earning a medical degree from Chiangmai Medical University 
(CMU) in 1969 at the age of 22, Somsri went on to train in a pediatric 
residency program at CMU. While there, Somsri did research for the 
Illinois Project of Malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency, collecting 
blood and delivering medical care and immunizations in rural Chiangmai.
  After moving to Bangkok, Somsri became the first senior resident of 
Institute of Dermatology. She helped found the dermatology clinic and 
pediatric ward at Paolo Memorial Hospital, the first and best private 
hospital in Bangkok. Here Somsri met Dr. Siew Ratanaprasatporn, the 
director of the otolaryngology department and they were married.
  In 1978, fearful of communism, the Ratanaprasatporns immigrated to 
the United States and settled in Staten Island, New York. At Staten 
Island University, Somsri repeated residency training in pediatrics to 
meet the requirement for United States medical licensure.
  After owning and operating several clinics which broadened her 
clinical experience caring for patients of any age and sickness, Dr. 
Ratanaprasatporn opened a walk-in clinic, operating six days a week, 
for the past 30 years at 2108 Linden Boulevard. Her late husband worked 
beside her as an otolaryngologist as did many doctors of different 
specialties, including dentistry. In spite of the loss of her husband 
and the Federal economic recession in 2007, Dr. Ratanaprasatporn still 
aspires to keep the clinic up and running to continue serving 
generations ahead.
  Dr. Ratanaprasatporn has been involved in Thai associations and 
served on a committee of CMU alumni association to fundraise 
scholarships for exchange of CMU and Columbia University. Some of the 
fundraising has gone toward building a Thai temple on Long Island.
  Dr. Ratanaprasatporn enjoys shopping, dining and cooking and is known 
for her charm, calm manner and friendly smile. She is also blessed with 
four children, two sons and identical twin daughters. Eldest son 
Richard, 29, is an attending physician at Downstate Medical Center of 
Brooklyn and John, 25 holds a doctorate degree in Mathematics at Temple 
University, Philadelphia. Twin daughters, Linda and Lisa, 21, are top 
students in Program in Liberal Medical Education at Brown University, 
Rhode Island. Dr. Ratanaprasatporn's hope is that her children will 
continue her legacy of service to the East New York community in years 
to come.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
service of Dr. Somsri Suwannapreecha.

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