Civil Society in Thailand

This 8-day study program brings together students from Myanmar and Japan to explore Thailand’s civil society and its efforts to solve pressing social issues.   Included:

  • The many problems (poverty, drugs, prostitution, etc.) of the Klong Toey slum residents and the long-term answers of the innovative Duang Prateep Foundation;
  • the effort of Ashoka to spread the idea of social entrepreneurship and support the country’s leading social innovators as “Ashoka Fellows”;
  • the problems of Thailand’s millions of migrants—many of them illegal—and efforts to offer them protection in a climate of limited job opportunity, discrimination and threats of forcible return to their homelands;
  • the struggle to provide entry to university education for some of the most talented and motivated migrants so that they might have a brighter future;
  • the environmental issues of a region where economic growth is often at the expense of protection of water, air and workers and where dam-building threatens ethnic groups and downstream water users;
  • the challenge of sustainable and environmentally-sound farming.

This program takes place in Bangkok and Chiang Mai (northern Thailand).

Participants: 9 students from Myanmar’s Pre-Collegiate Program in Yangon, all of whom are preparing for a university education abroad, and 7-9 Japanese students.

Language: English will be the language of the entire program (both the formal and informal parts) since it is the only language shared by all participants and by Thai hosts.

Dates: November 20-27, 2011.

Cost: Approximately ¥100,000.  This figure includes ¥48,000 for costs in Thailand, including Bangkok-Chiang Mai round-trip airfare, housing, about half of meals, program-related local transportation, contributions to host NGOs, and support services.  Round-trip Narita-Bangkok fare will be available later (last year fare was ¥35,800 plus airline fuel surcharge, airport tax and handling fee totaling ¥16,300).  All participants from Japan will use the same flight.

This program is offered by Learning Across Borders (LAB), an international education organization dedicated to experiential learning of Southeast Asia’s cultures and issues.  The program will be led by Dwight Clark, LAB’s president and founder.

Applications: Due by May 14, 2011.  Click here for the application form.