[My first attempt at a screen shot on my new computer. I did not realise it only captured the last one and deleted the rest.]
Today I attended the online Phuket International Tourism Conference 2021 co-hosted by UCSI University with the theme Crisis Management in Tourism: Challenges, Responses and Recovery Strategies. I was able to present on behalf of my co-author Dr. Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol our paper The Contribution of Long-Term Residential Care for Domestic and International Elderly on the Local Economy in Thailand, which went well.
[Getting the hang of it now.]
Here is the abstract/introduction, for anyone who has not seen it before:
In common with most of the rest of the world, Thailand has a rapidly aging population. Approximately 13% of the total population is now aged 65 or older and this figure is expected to increase to 23.1% by 2035, with concomitant increases in the proportion of people aged 70+ and 80+ (Statista, 2021). Historically, older people are looked after by family members when it becomes necessary and Thai society, just as in the case of a number of other societies, acknowledge and accepts this situation. However, declining birth rates mean there are fewer young or working age people available to take up this burden, while increasing mobility also means people may not be able to accommodate their parents or elderly relatives, especially if they have moved to the city for work. Previously, the government made available a few beds across the country aimed at the indigenous aged and some charitable organizations also assisted. However, these options have become insufficient to meet increased demand and, as standards of living have been improved, better quality long-term care is required. Various private sector interests have entered the market in order to provide accommodation not just for local elderly but also elderly from overseas who would like to retire in Thailand because of its climate, cost of living and, for East Asian people, familiar and welcome cultural norms. As a result, a national-level industry has developed which combines long-term residential care with related medical and tourist facilities. As a relatively new phenomenon in Thailand, it is not very clear to what extent this industry contributes to local and national economy and what potential multiplier links exist. This is, for foreign residents, part of the tourist industry. Similar to other aspects of tourism and hospitality, long-term care of this sort suffers from the problems that it brings mainly low-skilled and low-paying jobs and, also, that the bulk of the money generated may not remain in the same area but be repatriated to the home area of investors. However, there are clearly capital-intensive forms of investment involved in such projects and a need for skilled and semi-skilled personnel. What, therefore, is the contribution of projects of this sort on the local economy? Answering this question requires acknowledgment that the financial impact alone does not give the full picture. Instead, it is necessary to embrace the triple bottom line approach that also incorporates the impact of the activity on the social and environmental dimensions of a specific location. This paper takes a case study approach to investigate several projects within different parts of Thailand to estimate the overall contribution to the local areas concerned. As a result, it is possible to provide evidence not just to private investors but also to public sector planning agencies and community leaders to formulate their responses to potential projects by means of a thorough evaluation of the effects felt by relevant stakeholders.
I hope that some version of this will be published in due course. Let’s see how it goes.
The organizer of the Phuket International Tourism Conference 2021 asked me to provide an extended abstract of our forthcoming paper, which is provided below.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF LONG-TERM RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ELDERLY ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY IN THAILAND
John Walsh, Krirk University and Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol, Independent Scholar
In common with most of the rest of the world, Thailand has a rapidly aging population. Approximately 13% of the total population is now aged 65 or older and this figure is expected to increase to 23.1% by 2035, with concomitant increases in the proportion of people aged 70+ and 80+ (Statista, 2021). Historically, older people are looked after by family members when it becomes necessary and Thai society, just as in the case of a number of other societies, acknowledge and accepts this situation. However, declining birth rates mean there are fewer young or working age people available to take up this burden, while increasing mobility also means people may not be able to accommodate their parents or elderly relatives, especially if they have moved to the city for work. Previously, the government made available a few beds across the country aimed at the indigenous aged and some charitable organizations also assisted. However, these options have become insufficient to meet increased demand and, as standards of living have been improved, better quality long-term care is required. Various private sector interests have entered the market in order to provide accommodation not just for local elderly but also elderly from overseas who would like to retire in Thailand because of its climate, cost of living and, for East Asian people, familiar and welcome cultural norms. As a result, a national-level industry has developed which combines long-term residential care with related medical and tourist facilities. As a relatively new phenomenon in Thailand, it is not very clear to what extent this industry contributes to local and national economy and what potential multiplier links exist. This is, for foreign residents, part of the tourist industry. Similar to other aspects of tourism and hospitality, long-term care of this sort suffers from the problems that it brings mainly low-skilled and low-paying jobs and, also, that the bulk of the money generated may not remain in the same area but be repatriated to the home area of investors. However, there are clearly capital-intensive forms of investment involved in such projects and a need for skilled and semi-skilled personnel. What, therefore, is the contribution of projects of this sort on the local economy? Answering this question requires acknowledgment that the financial impact alone does not give the full picture. Instead, it is necessary to embrace the triple bottom line approach that also incorporates the impact of the activity on the social and environmental dimensions of a specific location. This paper takes a case study approach to investigate several projects within different parts of Thailand to estimate the overall contribution to the local areas concerned. As a result, it is possible to provide evidence not just to private investors but also to public sector planning agencies and community leaders to formulate their responses to potential projects by means of a thorough evaluation of the effects felt by relevant stakeholders.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Even until the first part of the C21st, Thailand had a pre-modern health system. Reforms made since then have provided a universal health care system at a low cost at the point of access, with a Patient’s Bill of Rights and appropriate hospital accreditation procedures. The relationship between doctors and patients has also changed so that the latter are no longer (but not always) treated as inferior to the former (Aulino, 2019:135). The patient-healthcare provider relationship overall is complicated by the pervasive deference (kreng jai) in Thai culture with respect to people considered to be worthy of it, because of status, wealth or age. Thai culture considers family circumstances to be combined with morality and virtue, so that people with a high rank in society are considered to be worthy of respect by all. Although the indicators of this are not always evident to outsiders (Moore, 2012), they are clear to Thai people. Those responsible for marketing this industry have resorted to familiar themes in the portrayal of Thai and Thai culture: “As a provider in the global service company, the Thai state and its corporate partners have capitalized on feminized Thai cultural traits as warmness, hospitality, and servility, as well as bodily and emotional labour performed mostly by Thai women, to compete in the market (Sunanta, 2014).” These dynamic factors are not operating in the same direction and this begs the question as to how the retirement industry will develop in a professionalized manner suitable for scaling up to the current and potential future level of demand. The subject is one of considerable interest in the study of tourism (e.g. Kolar & Tabkar, 2010; Zhou, Zhang & Edelheim, 2013) and, more generally, in the ways in which traditional patterns of behaviour are converted to market-based processes (e.g. Walsh, 2011). The research contributes, therefore, to the understanding of how tourism development has an impact on Thai culture and economy and gives rise to some policy and managerial implications.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The study adopted a qualitative approach to the research based on a program of in-depth personal interviews which are ongoing. Interviews were accompanied by extensive note-taking or were recorded for subsequent transcription. Interview notes and transcriptions were entered into a database together with relevant secondary sources and the contents of the research journal, which was used to record non-interview observations and insights that occurred during the research process. The contents of the database were subjected to recognized content analysis processes and the findings thereby obtained presented in the appropriate section of this paper.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Previous research (Lao-Hakosol & Walsh, 2019) had outlined the emerging shape and nature of the industry and this was mainly confirmed by the new research. As suggested previously, the professionalization of the service was reflected in diminution of importance of feminized Thai-style services from the perspective of the healthcare provider but not necessarily from the perspective of the consumer, who often had an imagined form of Thai-ness which it was expected would be available.
Table 1: Healthcare Villages and Condominiums
Project Name
Prices
Bangsai Wellness City (Ayutthaya province)
4 million baht and up
Jin Wellbeing Country (Rangsit area) (condominium)
4 million baht and up for 43-66 sq.m.
Sawangkanivat 2 (condominium, for one generation only) (Samut Prakan province)
1-2 million baht for 40-60 sq.m.
Otium Retirement Villa (Phuket province) (2021 construction in progress)
51.6 million baht for 276 sq.m.
Senior Complex (72 rai in Samut Prakan province (Ministry of Finance and Rama Hospital (expected to open in 2023)
Minimum rent 10,000 baht per month for qualified tenants
Camillian Group (Camillian group hospital, associated with religious institution)
30,000
17,000
Srisook Home Pathum Thani
35,000
22,000
15,000*
Sansiri Sukhumvit 107
35,000
25,000
Huachew University
28,000 (60,000**)
50,000**
32,000**
Source: Authors’ Survey (October, 2020-March, 2021). (* physiotherapy included; ** special care cases)
Most new developments are taking place in the periphery of Bangkok, for a combination of cost purposes and to maintain a market for healthcare professionals, who are often reluctant to work in what are considered to be distant provinces.
CONCLUSION
This paper presented findings concerning research into the emergence of long-term residential and health care in Thailand. The research was intended to determine the contours of the importance and value of this industry and its connections with other parts of the economy. It also investigated the nature of the offering provided by industry actors and government partners and the extent to which this has changed as historical approaches to promoting Thailand and Thai-ness have been affected by marketization of the industry. It is clear that the industry is still in the growth stage and that different segments can be identified which are serviced in different ways and with respect to the degree of technology and supporting equipment provided.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
No acknowledgments.
REFERENCES
Aulino, Felicity, Rituals of Care: Karmic Politics in an Aging Thailand (Ithaca, NY and London: Cornell University Press, 2019).
Kolar, Tomaz and Vesna Zabkar, “A Consumer-Based Model of Authenticity: An Oxymoron or the Foundation of Cultural Heritage Marketing?” Tourism Management, Vol.31, No.5 (October, 2010), pp.652-64.
Sunanta, S. (2014), “Thailand and the Global Intimate: Transnational Marriages, Health Tourism, and Retirement Migration,” MNG Working Paper (14-02), available at: http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0018-F41B-B.
Walsh, John, “Suriya Coffins: Traditions Become Market Opportunities,” Society and Business Review, Vol.6, No.2 (2011), pp.168-75.
Zhou, Qilou (Bill), Jie Zhang and Johan R. Edelheim, “Rethinking Traditional Chinese Culture: A Consumer-Based Model Regarding the Authenticity of Chinese Calligraphic Landscape,” Tourism Management, Vol.36 (June, 2013), pp.99-112.
Abstract: As societies around the world experience ageing, the issue of providing required levels of health and social care for elderly people is becoming more urgent. Since governments are unlikely to be able to provide the level of care required without significant increases in taxation levels, there arises a need for private sector responses. This case study considers the provision of long-term residential care for people in Thailand and the business opportunities this provides. It concerns in particular the Golden Age Residential Healthcare facility, which is located in a country which has prioritized the wellness industry as a sector of potential high growth in the economy. Relatively low labour costs combined with good medical education and investment in medical facilities mean Thailand is a potentially important location for elderly healthcare. However, there are some practical and commercial issues to overcome before success can be realized and this case study focuses on these issues.
Lao-Hakosol, Wilaiporn and John Walsh, “The Basis of Industrial Policy,” International Review of Management and Development Studies, Vol.2, No.1 (December, 2017), pp.31-7, available at: http://crcltd.org/Files/The_Basis_of_Industrial_policy.PDF.
Abstract:
This paper outlines the basis for industrial policy as part of the means by which statelevel developmental goals might be achieved. Some ideas are provided for bringing this basis up to date bearing in mind contemporary issues in the external environment.
Keywords: Policies, Industrial Policies, Framework, Components of policies, International Policies
This research intends to identify the relationship between the service quality and customer satisfaction in Korean Automobile by using SERVQUAL analysis in Mandalay. It’s also used to observe the influence and effect of applying quality service towards customer satisfaction. The five dimensions of SERVQUAL, which are tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, these are identified as independent variables, and customer satisfaction is identified as dependent variable. This study also wants to concentrate on the customers’ perception and evaluation toward service performance in Korean Automobile. The questionnaires were filled by the customers who already purchase products and engaging the service at Korean Automobile. Keywords: Service quality, SERVQUAL, Customer satisfaction, Brands, Service Attributes
The International Conference on Recent Trends in Business Management (ICRTBM 2017) was held at the Graduate Campus of Shinawatra International University on Sunday, April 9th, 2017. This was the first conference that we have held in conjunction with Professor Rao of CRC Ltd (www.crcltd.org).
Top Left: Keynote speaker Dr. Thanan Apivantanaporn, Acting President of the Office of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Development and former PhD student at SIU. Top right: delegates in the conference room and then the obligatory group photo in the lobby area. Bottom: Profess Kashif Rao of CRC and Aj. Dr. Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol of SIU (Photos by K Suntirach Lermanee (thanks K Bill))
The conference was quite well-attended, largely with doctoral candidates from SIU but also with some external delegates, including Dr. Hermann Gruenewald from Burapha University. Several candidates arrived from Nepal to participate in the conference, including Drona Lal Puri, Shrijan Gyanwali and Binod Kumar Bista. Some papers from the conference will appear in modified forms in CRC’s double blind peer-reviewed academic journals, International Review of Management and Development Studies and Recent Issues in Human Resource Management and in other places. We look forward to hosting further conferences with Prof. Rao in the future; my thanks to all those who helped to make this conference successful.
Lao-Hakosol, Wilaiporn and John Walsh, “Sustainable Growth Strategies for 999 in the Era of the ASEAN Economic Community: Medical Equipment and Supplies Trading in Thailand during Changing Environmental Conditions,” South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, Vol.5, No.2 (December, 2016), pp.136-44, available at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2277977916665918.
Abstract:
999 is a Thai company that sells, distributes and supports medical equipment and supplies. It has achieved steady growth in its 30 years of existence but now faces unprecedented problems due to environmental change through the implementation of the most recent stage of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) and other challenges. As an emerging, ageing, affluenza-suffering country, Thailand offers a number of interesting opportunities for a company in this sector but those opportunities also appeal to current and potential competitors. Should 999 be thinking of defending its current position or seeking to expand to new markets within the region?
The 9th International Conference on Management, Finance and Entrepreneurship and the 8th International Conference on Global Business Environment were held concurrently at Shinawatra University, Bangkok, Thailand on 23rd July, 2016 at the graduate campus at the BBD Building on Viphawadi-Rangsit Road. The event was successful and better attended than most previous conferences SIU has hosted. Nearly 50 academic papers were scheduled for presentation.
Keynote speakers Hon. Prof. Dr. Charnvit Kotheeranurak and Dr. Somprasong Boonyachai (all photos by the author)
Two excellent keynote speeches helped to set the tone for the day. Hon. Prof. Dr. Charnvit Kotheeranurak spoke on the subject of Medicine 4.0, taking the theme of a new generation of medical treatments and conditions applying to the contemporary world and drew implications from that. Subsequently, Dr. Somprasong Boonyachai spoke on the subject of the digital economy, which is a subject on which he could speak authoritatively, given his extensive experience with AIS and now InTouch Holdings. The audience warmly appreciated both speakers. Ajarn Chanchai Bunchapattanasakda graciously agreed to open proceedings.
The remainder of the day was occupied by the technical sessions, in which academics from a number of different countries presented their research with the audience. Speakers represented, in addition to Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, South Africa, Ghana, Germany, the UK and Indonesia, among others.
Dr. Petcharat Lovichakorntikul and Dr. Sirirat Ngamsang help to fly the flag for SIU.
Three of our SIU students from Myanmar were able to attend, two of whom – Ms Khin Kyin Zin and Daw Sandi Win – were presenting academic work for the first time, which is always a somewhat daunting task.
Ms Khin Kyin Zin, Mr. Soe Myint Than and Daw Sandi Win presented their research conducted at the Mandalay campus of SIU.
The range of topics presented was wide, ranging from work-like balance among women in positions of management to healthcare company development, communication, business ethics, stock market analysis and marketing. As ever, we endeavoured to maintain a harmonious, friendly atmosphere in which academics and students could exchange knowledge and ideas and learn about one another’s work.
I am grateful to all those who attended, including Dr. Ijaz who was representing our partner the International Foundation for Research and Development (ifrnd.org) and our own conference team, led by Aj Ratana Palasak and Dr. Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol. As usual, staunch support was received from the library team, especially Aj. Boonta Wisswaapaisal and K Suntirach Lerdmanee. Thanks are also due to the IT and domestic teams.
I have returned now from the International Police Executives Symposium (IPES), held at the Ravindra Resort in Pattaya, which we were involved in hosting. It was the 26th meeting of the conference and it seemed to go smoothly and delegates all seemed to be satisfied.
The Royal Thai Police Band was part of the official delegation from the Royal Thai Police, including VIP guests and keynote speakers.
We offered five presentations from Shinawatra University, which were as follows:
An Analysis of the Language Abilities and Needs of the Thai Tourism Police Force
Tourism is one of Thailand’s most important industries and many millions of visitors arrive each year. Inevitably, a proportion of those visitors will require interactions with the police for one reason or another and a designated Thai tourism police force has been established. In order for successful interaction to take place, communication must be possible and this requires the police officers to have some language skills, since few visitors speak Thai well. However, the Thai educational system is known to be very poor in providing language skills among the young people of the country and so additional training is required for the necessary level to be achieved. This paper reports on quantitative research that explores the needs for language skills among the Thai tourist police and the current level of ability. The gap between the two is identified and suggestions made as to how it can be filled.
Keywords: communication, language ability, language needs, police, Thailand
John Walsh and Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol, Shinawatra University, Thailand
Gender Relations and Issues in the Thai Police Force
Women are increasingly important members of police forces around the world. Their role is increasingly valued for the provision of emotional labour and because they are less likely to overstep the limits of what is permitted in conflict situations. Yet female police officers remain comparatively low in numbers, in Thailand as well as elsewhere, and face the career constraints of being restricted to a relatively limited rage of specialty positions and departments. This paper reports on a programme of qualitative research with female police officers in various elements of the Thai police force and describes the issues and problems that they face with respect to career progression, work-life balance, gender relations in the workplace and their relationship with the general public. The findings are set in the context of the perceptions of women from other police forces around the world and in other organizations.
Lavanchawee Sujarittanonta and John Walsh, Shinawatra University, Thailand
An Assessment of the IT Capabilities of the Thai Police Force
Police work increasingly relies on adequate IT capabilities in terms of investigation, communication, workplace practices and all aspects of organization of information. The increasing need for transparency and accountability in policing is being met by the routinization of the use of IT equipment in the pursuit of duties. Officers also need to be aware of the ways in which people produce and consume media and social media so as to understand the ways in which people communicate with each other, the interaction between such communications and changing legal requirements and the extent to which it is possible and legal to monitor interpersonal communications and those communications which are published on the internet. Developing these capabilities, in terms of technical skills, awareness of the legal framework and the possession of the necessary equipment and its maintenance, is a complex and expensive task and, thus, poses a challenge to public sector organizations during a period of global economic crisis and fierce competition for scarce resources. This paper uses secondary data to identify the nature of IT requirements in contemporary police forces and uses this to estimate the needs within the Thai police force. Primary research is then used to compare the actual availability of these resources and then priorities are suggested for addressing the gaps thereby identified.
Keywords: information technology, social media, Thailand,
Chanya Pokasoowan, Tuaranin Khamrin and John Walsh, Shinawatra University, Thailand
Police Job Profiles and the Police Reform Process
When considering the issue of the reforms necessary to (re)create a police force suitable for the contemporary world, the issue of job profiles or job specifications is a central issue. A job profile is the combination of relevant skills, knowledge, activities and behaviours that a police officer is required to have to fulfill that officer’s duties. Clearly, such a profile will evolve over the course of time, vary according to the specialty involved and need to reflect location-specific conditions. Numerous attempts have been made to define appropriate models for creating profiles, while much effort has been expended on trying to identify the most suitable collection of abilities and competencies required for specific police services. This paper surveys the literature in this regard with a view to identifying salient features for a range of job profiles to be used in the context of Thailand in the current social and technological environment. To do so, it is necessary to provide an analysis of the relevant characteristics of Thai society at the current time and this is also provided. Finally, the paper considers the differences between the ways in which job profiles are currently developed and what the review of the literature and relation with the local environment indicates would be appropriate.
Voradej Chandarasorn and John Walsh, Shinawatra University, Thailand
Police Wages and Workplace Conditions in Southeast Asia
Wages and workplace conditions are important considerations when it comes to attracting high quality personnel into a particular industry. According to the literature, provision of a suitably high level of compensation also has implications for the integrity of individuals. As policing becomes more complex, with greater need for use and understanding of information technology, transnational crime and the greater flows that will be possible under the ASEAN Economic Community, it will be increasingly important to attract and retain highly talented individuals. One of the first steps to understanding the relative attractiveness of police work as a career is to compare wages and workplace conditions not only with other professions in the country but also with the situations in neighbouring countries, since it is evident that there is a positive correlation between salary and the perception of the status inherent within a career. Consequently, this paper examines the various compensation packages available to police officers across a range of ranks and with a variety of job profiles across the Southeast Asian region of ten nations. This analysis is then linked with the perception of police officers in the different states concerned and some implications are drawn from the analysis and recommendations provided.
Keywords: police, Southeast Asia, status, wages
Chanchai Bunchapattanasakda and John Walsh, Shinawatra University, Thailand
Some of the papers actually varied from these published abstracts as my ability to find relevant information meant other subjects became more practicable.
The occasion of the 5th International Conference on Management, Finance and Entrepreneurship and the 8th International Conference on Economics and Social Sciences, held at the Graduate Campus of Shinawatra University in Bangkok on June 6th, 2015, marked the continued partnership between the University and the International Foundation for Research and Development (ifrnd.org). Other partners include the Yildirim Beyazit Universiti of Turkey, Pertre Anderi of IASI, Romania, Durban University of Technology, South Africa and NAM, Ukraine.
The conference was held on the fourth floor of the graduate campus, as a number of other international conferences have also been held. This was a well-attended event with representatives from universities in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Oman, South Africa and the USA.
The keynote speech was given by Dr. Herman Gruenwald, from Burapha University, Chonburi, who spoke on the subject of entrepreneurship and how to encourage it. Subsequent speakers considered a wide range of topics. Some of the highlights included Abdalla M Omezzine (University of Nizwa) on “Supply Chain Management and Rejuvenation of Value Addition: the Case of Date Palm in the MENA Region,” Nsizwazikhona Chili Simon (Durban University of Technology) on “Township Tourism: The Politics and Socio-Economic Dynamics of Tourism in the South African Township: Umlazi, Durban” and Suthathip Yaisawarng (Union College, NY) on “Financial and Social Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions.”
Figure 1:Audience Members Listen to a Presentation;source:Editor
Shinawatra University was again well-supported by the School of Liberal Arts, led by professors Kantatip Sinhaneti and Amporn Sai-Ngiamvibool and their students, together with faculty members Steve McKee, Catherine Owens and Robert Burgess. Within the School of Management, papers were given (with my co-authorship) by a number of faculty members, doctoral candidates and MBA students.
Ajarn Lavanchawee Sujarittanonta spoke on the subject of “Breaking Gender Stereotypes in Asia: Human Resource Development Challenges for Thailand’s Police Force.” Dr. Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol gave a presentation on “Sustainable Growth Strategies for 999 Company in the Era of the ASEAN Economic Community: Medical Equipment and Supplies Trading in Thailand during Changing Environmental Conditions.”
Figure 2:Dr. Wilaiporn Lao-Hakosol Gives Her Presentation;source:Editor
Dr. Fuangfa Ampornstira presented “Possible Impacts of the Sino-Thai Kra Isthmus.” Mr. Eric Bediako spoke on the subject of “Accountancy and Sustainable Economic Development: A Case Study of Thailand.” Mr. Ashraful Siddique gave his presentation on “A Qualitative Analysis of Current Unrest in the Ready Made Garment Sector Concerning Labour Practices in Bangladesh.” Ms. Ingyin Khaing Tin presented her research on “Work Life Balance of Women in Mandalay, Myanmar.” Phramaha Min Putthithanasombat spoke on the subject of “Monk Travellers: Spreading the Opportunity to Do Good under Theravadin Buddhism.” Finally, Ms. Sirirat Ngamsang presented “The Sino-Thai Relationship in the Context of Various Perspectives of International Relations.”
Conferences such as this provide excellent opportunities for faculty members and students to network with each other, to listen to the research that colleagues are doing and to interact with those speakers, as well as having the chance to benchmark the level of their own work with that of others. I encourage my students to present at conferences and submit papers to journals as much as they can, in part because that is a graduation requirement but, also, because it enhances the educational experience and their personal level of confidence. I hope to continue to help organize more conferences here at Shinawatra University for these reasons and also to help propagate the idea of research-based discourse and policy formation.
Ladprao 64 