Instructors

Siamese Summer’s Academic Dream Team:

Introduction to Thai Studies

Supang Chantavanich, Ph.D. is a professor of sociology at Chulalongkorn University. She is a senior advisor at the Asian Research Center for Migration (ARCM). Prof. Supang is one among Thailand’s foremost experts on matters relating to migration, refugees, and human trafficking.

Sunait Chutintaranond, Ph.D. was the founding director of the Southeast Asian Studies Program at Chulalongkorn University. He is one of the region’s top experts on Southeast Asian history, especially in areas related to the national history of Thailand and Thai-Burmese relations.

Kullada Kesboonchoo-Mead, Ph.D. is both a respected political scientist and historian. She is the esteemed author of The Rise and Decline of Thai Absolutism (Routledge, 2004). Prof. Kullada is a lead expert in the Cold War history of Thailand, especially in areas related to Thai-American relations.

Dhiravat na Pombejra, Ph.D. is an historian of the early-modern period. He is a world-renown expert of Ayutthayan trade and political history (17th – 18th century Siam), especially in areas related to Dutch, English and French sources.

Suradech Chotiudompant, Ph.D. is a rising star in comparative literature. He is a leading expert in literary theory and criticism. Prof. Suradech is among the country’s top authorities in the contemporary literary scene, having served repeatedly on the panel of judges for one of Southeast Asia’s most prestigious literary awards, the SEAwrite Award.

Wasana Wongsurawat, Ph.D. is an expert on the national and transnational history of modern Thailand, especially in areas related to the ethnic Chinese and Sino-Thai relations in modern and contemporary times.

Thai Religion

Suwanna Satha-anand, Ph.D. is a professor of Buddhist and Chinese philosophy at Chulalongkorn University. She is the translator of the annotated Analects of Confucius (Lunyu) into Thai. Prof. Suwanna is one among very few daring philosophers in Thailand to take on traditionally controversial matters, such as, Buddhism and women, gender aspects of religion and social change.

Chaiwat Satha-anand, Ph.D. is a professor of political science at Thammasat University. He is the founding director of the Peace Information Center (Thammasat University) and the Foundation for Democracy and Development Studies. Aside from being the pioneer scholar of peace studies in Thailand, Prof. Chaiwat is also one among the country’s lead expert on matters related to the Islam in Thai society and the Muslim minority of Thailand.

Arthid Sheravanichkul, Ph.D. is an expert on Thai and Buddhist literature and a seasoned investigator of folk beliefs and practices related to Buddhism in Thailand. Aside from being well-versed in the mainstream Theravada Buddhist scriptures, Prof. Arthid is also a lead expert in the anthropological study of magic and superstition in contemporary Thai society.

Chanwit Tudkeao, Ph.D. is the South Asian guru of Chulalongkorn University. He is an Indology and Tibetology expert who can lecture on the South Asian influence on Thai Buddhism in five different languages—including, but not limited to Thai, English, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and German.