The Field Research in Thailand was held from August 31 to September 12. A total of ten Kyoto University students—seven students from the Graduate School of Economics, one from the Graduate School of Agriculture, one from the Graduate School of Asian and African Studies, and one from the Faculty of Education—participated.

The first half of the program was held in and around Bangkok in cooperation with Pridi Banomyong International College (PBIC), Thammasat University. The students attended lectures on various topics to acquire a multi-dimensional understanding of the country. To develop their sense of reality, they toured cultural sites in the capital and in the old capital of Ayuthaya, the industrial site of Nong Khae Industrial Eatate, the food-processing complex of Charoen Pokphand Foods in Saraburi Province, and the corporate headquarters of the Japanese company AEON Thailand in Bangkok. To facilitate academic exchange among the students, an international workshop was held where nine students from Kyoto University, 11 graduate students from Thammasat University, and three graduate students from Chulalongkorn University made presentations on their research topics.

The second half of the program was held in the province of Phuket. Here, they visited government offices, agricultural sites, and civil society organizations. They interviewed the governor, attended a lecture by the chief of the Phuket Provincial Employment Office, and discussed with the vice-chief of Phuket Agricultural Office to obtain a multi-layered perspective on the pressing issues and government projects in the province. On the other hand, they visited a pineapple farm, a rubber pilot farm, and an organic goat farm to gain insights on agriculture in the country. Finally, they visited a waste management NGO and a community-based learning center to learn and ponder about the role of civil society organizations in the society.

Participants

Instructors:

• Prof. Shuji HISANO
• Assist. Prof. John LAMBINO
• Assist. Prof. Souksavanh VIXATHEP

JSPS Fellow:

• Dr. Ashraf A.M. SOLYMAN

Students of Graduate School of Economics (EA Course Programme)

• Xing YANG
• Emre ÜNAL
• Akkharaphon THONGPOON
• Zulfa UTAMI ADIPUTRI
• Lan ZHAO
• Marawan ELGHAMRAWY

Student of Graduate School of Economics (General Programme)

• Natsumi MARUTA

Student of Graduate School of Agriculture

• Mai KANZAKI

Student of Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies

• Wanxue LU

Student of Faculty of Education

• Tomomi FUJIKAWA

 

Related Link

Kyoto University Asian Studies Unit (KUASU) http://www.kuasu.cpier.kyoto-u.ac.jp/english/