Epilogue: In Search of Krung Thep

By Dr. Joel Moore

Since 2005 Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan has been leading groups of students from Monash University’s School of Arts and Social Sciences to major cities in Southeast Asia.  The program requires students to take learning far beyond the classroom.  They write and edit the articles featured on this blog, document their adventures in real time with photos and commentary shared on twitter and facebook, and create a video documentary after returning.  In addition, they must plan and execute their own stories once in country.   Because Dr. Yeoh was on sabbatical this year I was fortunate enough to be able to lead this trip to Bangkok. 

I have been extremely impressed with this group of exceptional students.  Their willingness and ability to not only meet these deadlines but to ask penetrating questions and synthesize the their experiences has made the logistical challenges involved in planning and carrying out such a trip more than worth it.  Nine days is, after all, not such a long time.  It could be easily spent reclining by a beach with a good book or surrounded by familiar faces at home.  These 18 students elected to face tight deadlines, late nights, strange foods, and both emotionally and intellectually challenging themes.  These themes made their way naturally into conversations that I overheard throughout the trip: in the hotel lobby, during fast-paced marches to scheduled meetings, and in the back of a taxi stuck in Bangkok traffic.

Throughout the trip, students commented on how kind and hospitable the people in Thailand have been (our hosts in particular).  We are all tremendously grateful to Chulalongkorn University for being our host while in Bangkok.  Ajarn Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, provided invaluable logistical assistance, introduced us to our Thai student guides, and generously gave his own valuable time to speak with our group directly. 

While in Bangkok we were fortunate to have the chance to train in Muay Thai at Jitti Gym with Kru Jitti Damriram and his elite trainers.  We gained insight to the reality of life for LGBT individuals living in Thailand from Khun Paisarn Likhitpreechakul.  My thanks also to the caring and committed staff at the Duang Prateep Foundation, who graciously spoke with us about the lives of the urban poor in Bangkok’s oldest slum.

My special thanks to Mr. Luke Chaya, Khun Kim, and the staff at the Golden Palace Hotel in Bangkok.  They provided clean, safe, and comfortable accommodation in the heart of Bangkok at a very generous discount.  The staff were always warm and welcoming. 

We are especially thankful to the Business for Rural Education and Development (B.R.E.A.D.) for giving us insight into the rural communities that must cope as their young adults travel to Bangkok to find work.  Their rural education and development programs in Buriram gave us the opportunity to see the problems faced by these communities and some promising initiatives designed to help resolve them.  Judy Yoon in particular helped us to plan an itinerary that made the best use of our time and resources while in Buriram.  My gratitude also goes to all of the knowledgeable and welcoming staff at the Bamboo School; the Village Development Partnership’s agriculture, apparel, and silk programs; C&C Resort in Buriram; and the Toy Library.    

And, of course, we would like to thank Khun Mechai Viravaidya, whose inspirational leadership and vision lead to the creation of all of these initiatives and who encouraged me to bring the group to Buriram in the first place.

Overseeing the trip would have been much more difficult without the help of Andrea Tee, this year’s chaperone.  Andrea worked diligently to keep me informed about the comings and goings of the students as they explored in small groups.  The team leaders for this year’s study trip included Bonnie Teh, Jia Wei Low, Farah Amirah Zulkefly, Melvin Shawn D'Silva, and Leena Mohammed.  They worked closely with the rest of the team to keep the articles coming in on time and with consistently high quality.    

This study trip has been a great pleasure to lead and I look forward to reading about Dr. Yeoh’s next trip with great anticipation.  

A group photo with B>R.E.A.D. in front of one of the factory there.

Dr. Joel Moore, 35, is a lecturer that specializes in political economy.