BA (Hons) Thai and Southeast Asian Studies and International Development, graduated 2011

My experiences on the Thai and Southeast Asian Studies course at the University of Leeds have been some of the best in my life so far! Despite the fact that it is not a 'traditional' university subject, I have never had any cause to regret choosing this course. I have gained a lot of new skills and knowledge and most importantly, now as I reach the end of my time in Leeds I am faced with a whole plethora of options, interests and opportunities for the next step of life that I could never have imagined or accessed previously.

I studied joint-honours: Thai and Southeast Asian Studies and International Development and found studying Thai language really helped in my Development modules too. It provided a unique window into Thai and Southeast Asian culture and way of life that would be difficult to achieve without learning the language. Having the year abroad at Chiang Mai University and the experience of living in Thailand as a student is absolutely brilliant and I would highly recommend it. It gave me the chance to make friends with Thai people and use my new language skills in everyday life as well as helping to develop a rich and in-depth understanding of Thailand, Thai culture and the surrounding region.

Being part of a relatively small programme is definitely a benefit. Whereas in some larger subjects it is easy to become just a face in the crowd, the size and focus of the Thai and Southeast Asian Studies course at Leeds provides each student with excellent opportunities to be involved in the life and day-to-day activities of the department. Within the Thai course the lecturers are able to get to know you; not only your name but also strengths, weaknesses and potential quickly and are not only excellent at teaching, inspiring and engaging students but also provide a friendly and welcoming feel to the course. 

Right from the beginning of the course we were given space and encouragement to develop our own particular interests and specialisms. From early on, I became interested in Thailand’s neighbouring country Burma (Myanmar) and the experiences of Burmese people during the ongoing conflict, both in Burma and within Thailand. It was brilliant to be able to build and establish this interest and my experiences throughout the course and I am now going on to study an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at the University of Oxford.

Ongoing events throughout the year add to the fun and uniqueness of the course.  These include the monthly ‘Thai Forum’ event that provides a meeting point for Thai students, students studying Thai language and academics from around the UK and beyond. I also had the privilege of visiting the Thai Embassy in London for an awards ceremony, partaking in a presentation to the Thai Foreign Minister during his visit to Leeds and completing an internship at the Office of Educational Affairs of the Thai Embassy in London, all of which were excellent experiences and I have met many wonderful people along the way. 

Overall I would strongly recommend the course for anyone committed to learning Thai language. Thanks to the positive, ‘can-do’ attitude of the teachers, perseverance and hard work I have come away with the ability to speak, read, write and understand this amazing language, to communicate with Thai speakers in their own language and with an awareness of the culture, history and politics of the region. The Thai and Southeast Asian Studies course at Leeds University is a great environment to study Thai language and culture alongside other people passionate about Thailand and the surrounding countries.