BOARD MEMBERS

President Of SEATS

Punnarerk Thongcharoen

Thailand

Dr Punnarerk is at the Division of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Thailand and Assistant to Deputy Dean of Information Technology. Education – MD Certificate by The Thai Board of Surgery,Professional Experience Clinical experience in Thoracic Surgery for 20 years. Certifications Board Certification Surgery, Thoracic Surgery. Research Interest - Thoracic Surgery.

Dr Agasthian is a General Thoracic Surgeon who specializes in treating various lung diseases, especially lung cancer. He was the lead surgeon for the first lung transplant carried out in Singapore in 2000. Dr Agasthian currently practices in Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. He developed Thoracic Surgery as a speciality in Singapore. He was responsible for setting up Thoracic Surgery services in Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National Cancer Center, National Heart Center and also Pediatric Thoracic Surgery in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital; and also set up a regional centre of excellence for the advanced thoracic training of doctors and fellows from the region, including India, Pakistan, China and Malaysia. Procedures - surgery for benign and malignant lung, pleural and mediastinal diseases, minimally invasive thoracic surgery (VATS), pulmonary metastatectomy, esophageal surgery for benign and malignant cancers, tracheal and air way surgery for cancers and benign strictures, lung transplantation, and robotic thoracic surgery for thymectomy and tumours.

Immediate Past President Of SEATS

Agasthian Thirugnanam

Singapore

Vice President Of SEATS

Aneez D. B. Ahmed

Singapore

Dr Aneez D.B Ahmed is currently the Director & Senior Consultant Surgeon at International Centre for Thoracic Surgery in Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore. He has been a practitioner in the field of thoracic surgery, with a special interest in thoracic oncology, for more than fifteen years. After completion of his cardiothoracic training from National University Hospital, Singapore, he passed his Fellowship exams from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Prior to starting his private practice, Dr Aneez served as the Head of Service of Thoracic Surgery in the Department of General Surgery in Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Singapore. His interest in robotic surgery led him to be recognised as the first in the ASEAN cohort to get a Level III Certificate Specialist training in Robotic Thoracic Surgery from the European College of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS). With sabbaticals in Europe and USA for advanced training in Robotic Thoracic surgery, he now leads the training program for thoracic surgeons in ASEAN and South Asia. He then became the Vice President of Robotic Surgical Society of Singapore (RS3) in 2016 and subsequently being nominated as the President of RS3 in 2019.

Dr Edmund Villaroman’s main specialty is General Thoracic Surgery. Subspecialty – Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Interventional Bronchoscopy. Practices at the Lung Center of the Philippines and St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City, Manila. Pioneer In Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery (multiport, Single Port, Subxiphoid And Robotic Lobectomy) Faculty Member of The Asean Vats Study Group and The Asian Thoracic Education Platform (atep), Board Examiner, Philippine Board of Thoracic Cardiac and Vascular Surgery Inc. (pbtcvs).

General Secretary Of SEATS,
Co-chair, SEATS School of Thoracic Surgery

Edmund Villaroman

Philippines

Asst General Secretary of SEATS,
Chair, SEATS School of Thoracic Surgery

Soon Sing Yang

Malaysia

Dr Soon is Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon from Sarawak Heart Center in Malaysia and is the national lead in thoracic surgery training. He has extensive experience in a wide range of adult cardiothoracic surgery and is highly passionate in developing minimally invasive therapies. Dr Soon is also currently involved in setting up a minimally invasive cardiac surgical programme in his centre covering thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Contribution to the delivery of effective and innovative health services. He strives to constantly improve the quality of care and patients’ experience by showing leadership, empowering and educating his juniors, enhancing multi-disciplinary inputs and setting.

Dr Harish Mithiran Muthiah is a thoracic surgeon at Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore. His clinical interests include minimally invasive thoracic surgery such as uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robotic thoracic surgery (RATS), lung oncology, as well as chest wall resection and reconstruction. He has performed more than 2,500 thoracic surgeries since 2014. He also performs novel lung surgery techniques including U-VATS, RATS, lung localisation techniques and navigational bronchoscopy. He has been practising medicine for more than 15 years.

Treasurer Of SEATS

Harish Muthiah

Singapore

Asst Treasurer Of SEATS

Susan Hendriarini Mety

Indonesia

Dr Susan Hendriarini Mety, Sp.BTKV is a specialist in Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery and practises at the Hermina Jatinegara Public HospitalRSUP Pers Friendship, East Jakarta. Membership - Indonesian Doctors Association and Indonesian Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Association.

Dr Saladdin Tjokronegoro, SpBTKV is Head of Central Operating Theater; Head of Ethics and Legal Committee; Chief, Department of Surgery; Thoracic and Vascular Surgeon, at RSPG, Cisarua, Bogor. Dr Saladdin is also Thoracic and Vascular Surgeon, Santosa Hospital Bandung Central, Bandung. He expertise in General Thoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery.

Board Member Of SEATS

Saladdin Tjokronegoro

Indonesia

Board Member Of SEATS

Darmawan Ismail

Indonesia

Dr Darmawan Ismail, Sp.BTKV is a Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgeon. He completed his education as a Specialist in Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery at the University of Indonesia. Dr Darmawan is a member of the Indonesian Association of Cardiac and Vascular Thoracic Surgeons. The health services he can provide include health consultations before cardiovascular thoracic surgery.

Dr Adli Azam is an Associate Professor, Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Gleneagles Hospital, Medini Johor. Dr Adli Azam is active in cardiothoracic surgery education and training at the local and international levels.

Board Member Of SEATS

Adli Azam bin Mohammad Razi

Malaysia

Board Member Of SEATS

Sivakumar Krishnasamy

Malaysia

Dr Sivakumar Krishnasamy is currently a Senior Lecturer and Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in University Malaya Medical Centre. His clinical experience cover the whole spectrum of adult cardiac surgery and the whole spectrum of Aortic Surgery (open and endovascular). In thoracic surgery all aspects of thoracic surgery are done by him which includes minimally invasive thoracic surgery for all thoracic case like lung cancer and mediastinal tumours and complex thoracic cases which includes tracheal surgery, mesothelioma, chest wall resection and reconstruction.

Dr Tint Zaw Oo is the Head of the Department of Chest Surgery, University of Medicine 1 Yangon, Myanmar. Other interests – VATS and open general thoracic surgery. Research – lunch cancer. Practice areas – thoracic, lung, mediastinum, minimally invasive.

Board Member Of SEATS

Tint Zaw Oo

Myanmar

Board Member Of SEATS

Htek Myek

Myanmar

Dr Vu Huu Vinh is the Chief of Thoracic Department at Choray Hospital, Vietnam. His field of surgeries includes VATS lobectomy and mediastinal tumor resection, pectus excavatum/carinatum repair and esophagus surgery. He is specialized in tracheal reconstruction for congenital and acquired diseases, pediatric and adult patients, traumatic and pathologic origination, especially congenital tracheal and vascular malformation in newborn baby. Member in the ASEAN VATS study group. The study group aims to improve and advance the approach of VATS in ASEAN.

Dr Nelson Bambalan is at St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City. Dr Nelson is the President of the Philippine Association of Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgeons (PATACSI 2023). He is certified - Philippine Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Inc. and Philippine Board of Surgery.

Board Member Of SEATS

Nelson Bambalan

Philippines

Board Member Of SEATS

Fernando Melendres

Philippines

Dr. Fernando A. Melendres M.D., Executive Director of the Lung Center of the Philippines.
Dr Melendres is certified in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Dr Boonlawat Homvises’s specialty - Cardiac Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery, Lung Cancer, Lung Tumor.
Education - M.D., (First Class Honor), Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand.

Board Member Of SEATS

Boonlawat Homvises

Thailand

Board Member Of SEATS

Somcharoen Saeteng

Thailand

Dr Somcharoen Saeteng is an Expert Doctor at the Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai. His specialty:
• Surgery
• Thoracic Surgery
Educations
2007 Thoracic Surgery, Chiang Mai University Thailand
1994 Surgery, Chiang Mai University Thailand
1991 Medical Degree, Doctor of Medicine, Chiang Mai University Thailand

Dr Vu Huu Vinh is the Chief of Thoracic Department at Choray Hospital, Vietnam. His field of surgeries includes VATS lobectomy and mediastinal tumor resection, pectus excavatum/carinatum repair and esophagus surgery. He is specialized in tracheal reconstruction for congenital and acquired diseases, pediatric and adult patients, traumatic and pathologic origination, especially congenital tracheal and vascular malformation in newborn baby. Member in the ASEAN VATS study group. The study group aims to improve and advance the approach of VATS in ASEAN.

Board Member Of SEATS

Vu Huu Vinh

Vietnam