Dated November 15, 2018 History of the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center and the Background of the Construction Project The Khon Kaen Road Construction Center, formerly known as the Khon Kaen Mechanical Equipment Center, was renamed the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center by order of the Department of Highways, No. J.1.9/2/2558, effective June 2, 1985. This was to comply with the resolution of the Civil Service Commission, which mandated the change of name from the Mechanical Equipment Center to the Road Construction Center to align with the duties and responsibilities of the agency as per the letter from the Office of the Civil Service Commission, No. N.R. 0607/1093, dated May 1, 1985. The Khon Kaen Road Construction Center is considered the first road construction center of the Department of Highways, established in cooperation with the Australian government under the Colombo Plan. The project began in February 1963 to construct the Khon Kaen - Yang Talat Highway. The Australian government provided assistance in the form of construction machinery, spare parts, tools, and maintenance equipment. They also sent engineers and technical consultants from the Snowy Mountain Hydroelectric Power Project in Australia to train the staff. Australian personnel were involved in all aspects of road construction, including design, maintenance, and the efficient use of machinery and equipment. Between 1963 and 1966, while Australian officials worked alongside Thai officials at the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center, the following roads were completed: 1. Khon Kaen - Yang Talat District, asphalt pavement, 59 km. 2. Ban Tha Phra - Kosum Phisai District, gravel pavement, 31 km. 3. Nam Phong District - Kranuan District, gravel pavement, 44 km. The total cost was 136 million baht, of which 12 million baht was for the construction of offices, workshops, laboratories, road construction materials, and staff housing. The Australian government contributed 70 million baht. At the end of 1966, when the Australian government's assistance program ended, the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center conducted operations by transferring some machinery from other completed construction projects to the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center. In addition, the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center was also assigned to oversee construction using machinery provided by the organization. Two other projects assisted in 1970 were: 1. The Ban Sum Sao - Ban Dung - Kud Ruea Kham road, with a gravel surface, 75.083 km long. 2. The Akat Am Nuai - Si Songkhram road, with a gravel surface, 33.193 km long. In addition to constructing various roads according to the Department of Highways' policies, the Khon Kaen Road Construction Center serves as a training center for construction work and machinery maintenance for engineers, technicians, employees, and workers in both civil and mechanical fields. It also trains supporting staff such as those in administration, supplies, accounting, and statistics, providing them with experience and expertise in their respective responsibilities. Field training is provided for newly appointed engineers to ensure their efficient work performance. The Khon Kaen Road Construction Center's operations from its inception to the present have encompassed the construction of various road routes. In the northeastern region, including the provinces of Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Mukdahan, as of 2005 there were 77 road routes with a total length of 2,567.158 kilometers. The budget was 5,630.896 million baht. The Khon Kaen Road Construction Center (new building) received funding for construction in 2022, was completed, and operations commenced on October 31, 2022. The Khon Kaen Road Construction Center is located within the same compound as Highway Office 7 (Khon Kaen) and Highway District 1, with a total area of ​​118 rai, 1 ngan, and 22 square meters. There are 24 houses for government officials and 16 houses for permanent employees. There are also two 4-story apartment buildings (16 units each).