Field Research in Thailand 2013

August 12^th to 23^rd, 2013

Lecture by visiting faculty member, International College, Thammasat University (former President of the Thai Parliament and Advisor to the Thai Prime Minister)

The “Field Research in Thailand” program was carried out with the cooperation of Thammasat University, one of our Partner Universities, as well as Chiang Mai University, and ten graduate students from the Graduate Schools of Economics, Agriculture, and Asian and African Area Studies participated in it.

The first half of the program was held at Thammasat University in Bangkok, where students were given lectures on the topics of culture, politics, and economies by professors from the Faculty of Economics and the Pridi Banomyong International College (PBIC), as well as a former President of the Thai Parliament and Advisor to the Prime Minister, and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs in Thailand. Students also visited facilities related to each lecture topic.

Graduate student giving a presentation at the Student Workshop

On the third day, which was devoted to the topic of business, Mr. Nobuyuki Ishii, Secretary-General of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Bangkok, gave a lecture on the situation of Japanese companies in Thailand, which was followed by a visit to a typical Thai conglomerate, the CP Group. At the Student Workshop held at Thammasat University on the fourth day, all Kyoto University students as well as graduate students in the Thammasat University Faculty of Economics International Programme gave presentations on their research themes, with the addition of graduate students from PBIC Master’s programme in ASEAN studies, and there was a lively discussion.

Group photo of all participants in the Student Workshop

For the second half of the programme, from the seventh to tenth days, the students travelled to Chiang Mai in order to deepen their understanding of the politics, economies, and culture of northern Thailand, which has been becoming increasingly important in recent years. Rich lectures by staff and faculty from the Thai Ministry of Commerce’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in Chiang Mai, and Chiang Mai University provided the students with some basic knowledge, and they visited and conducted interviews at factories located in the outskirts of Chiang Mai belonging to some of the major Japanese corporations, as well as a local food company and its contracted soybean farmers.

The participating students then returned home following a very busy ten-day tour that included fieldwork in both urban and rural areas. This program is scheduled to continue after this year.

Participants visiting the Parliament House of Thailand

Students listening to an explanation at the soy bean farm

Participants

Instructors:

Prof. HISANO Shuji
Assist. Prof. John LAMBINO

Students of Graduate School of Economics (EA Course Programme)

FANG Yingying
JI Huageng
JUNG Sungwoong
PARK Sungbok
Akkharaphon THONGPOON
ZHAI Yalei
ZHANG Dongyang

Student of Graduate School of Economics (General Programme)

HIRAGA Midori

Student of Graduate School of Agriculture

IWASHIMA Fumi

Student of Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies

YOSHIDA Yuki