30/12/2007 - Speech by Khunying Kasama Varavarn Na Ayuddhaya
Speech by Khunying Kasama Varavarn Na Ayuddhaya
AFS Thailand National Conference 2007
29th November, 2007
“… I was saying that the good experience of AFS has been incorporated in many projects of Thailand. Right now the government is supporting about 100 youths from the most southern provinces of Thailand to come to study in Bangkok, and eventually we expand to other provinces of Thailand. They’re living in both Muslim and Buddhist families, so that they will learn that there are societies where people from different religions coexist peacefully. And we found that this experience has been quite useful. Some of the directors of the schools here have hosted these students in their schools. So I’m sure that the people who think of this idea had learned from the good experience of AFS and tried to adapt to the Thai situation. This is another indication that the people benefit from the AFS programs, and not only those who participated in the program directly, but those who learn about the program had benefited from your idea and approaches as well…
… I end my short address by expressing my appreciation. For the past few years and may be more, AFS has now sent our students to countries that are not English speaking countries. At first, when I heard about this idea I was somewhat disappointed, because I thought that they will learn more if they have opportunities to go to English speaking countries. I was foolish then, but now I’ve learned much better that in fact they had much more to gain by going to countries with different experiences. We are now copying the idea of AFS again by sending our students for Bachelor and Master Degrees not to the countries which speak English but to countries that do not speak English. It’s amazing how quickly the students learn that we will tend to judge that they will learn at our speed which is zero and that they will not gain anything. But it’s surprising I went to Khun Sumana’s school a few years back and remembered that she had a student who went somewhere I can’t remember the country. But I remembered that she came to the podium, and she demonstrated. Because… I have to say demonstrated because she spoke that language that nobody else could understand, but obviously everybody was impressed. But I’m sure that they are inspired that there are other languages that are equally important. And now there are many more students who are studying Japanese, Chinese. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited one school, and I had a good opportunity to be there. One student came up to me, and to my embarrassment the student pleaded to her, “Please help us to learn Spanish. We would like to learn Spanish, but the school will not help us to learn Spanish.” So, the color for my face dropped, and she turned to me and said, “You must help them to learn Spanish, because it’s a very important language.” So, these are some of the few influences, bad or good I do not know but certainly created problem for me, that AFS has created for our students. They learn that there’s the world outside the English speaking world, and they would like to be a part of it. So, I’m sure that you work very hard to provide good experiences for our students. We are grateful. We thank you most kindly. And we would like to let you know that all your efforts are worthwhile, not only to those students but to other students who may not have the same good opportunity. So I hope very much that you will continue to welcome and support our students.”
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