6 JULY 2000
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Thailand Update
* By CRAIG J. REYNOLDS
It was as a result of 'The Promotion of Thai Studies in Australia', the Sixth Thailand Update since 1991, that the National Thai Studies Centre (NTSC) was founded. The Centre was supported initially by a grant from the Commonwealth government to promote and co-ordinate Thai Studies in Australia with special attention to instruction in the Thai language. In conjunction with the Thai Studies programme at the Australian National University, home of the NTSC, the Centre has produced language materials, data papers, and an occasional newsletter. It also maintains a database of expertise keyed in as name, institution, research and teaching fields, and contact details.
On this occasion, speakers from universities, the public sector, and the business world convened to suggest ways to increase public awareness of the importance of Thailand. Representatives from the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, of Defence, and of Employment and Youth Affairs spoke about their respective needs. A session on 'What Business Wants from Thai Studies?' was particularly lively, with several business consultants sharing their experiences of advising foreign business people on how to operate in Thailand. It was quite clear that some business people had to be persuaded that they needed to be sensitive to cultural matters if they were to do business successfully.
Academics from around the country addressed problems in their respective disciplines. The basic problem with language instruction is that Thai is a 'small enrolment language' when compared to such languages as Japanese and Indonesian, and university administrators are not enthusiastic about funding programmes that attract small enrolments.
There was a general consensus that the NTSC should actively pursue its role as a national co-ordinator of Thai Studies and as a resource for those wanting to encourage the study of Thailand especially in the tertiary sector. The meeting felt there was a need for better Australian media coverage of Thailand and for the media to make more use of Australian expertise when seeking comment rather than relying on foreign experts who did not have an Australian perspective.
Last year's Update focused on the impact of the Asian financial crisis on the Thai economy. The suggestion for next year's update was that it should focus on defence and strategic issues.
Dr Craig J. Reynolds is affiliated to the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
E-mail: ntsc@anu.edu.au