Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Talks Politics at Georgetown

On Wednesday, January 21, 2015, Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), which is celebrating its ten year anniversary this year, will host the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, His Excellency Dr. Tej Bunnag, for a special presentation titled “Thai Foreign Policy in Long-Term Perspective: Navigating the Regional and the Global” on the school’s campus.

The event, which will begin at 6:00 pm and is open to the public, is part of the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture series, which brings preeminent thought leaders and renowned dignitaries to the Doha community. Commenting on the topic, the former Foreign Minister explained: “Thailand survived and overcame colonialism and communism to face the challenges of globalisation with a practical and reasonable foreign policy.”

The GU-Q dean, Dr. Gerd Nonneman, noted: “For many, Thailand’s political upheaval this past year has competed for attention with the country’s fame as an exquisite tourist destination. But just as importantly, it is also South-East Asia’s 2nd largest economy, and a key player in ASEAN. Never colonised, its record of navigating the regional and international system is of particular interest to students of international relations, Asia, and emerging economies more generally. The country’s trajectory is of tremendous importance for the future of Asia. So it is a privilege to be able to welcome Dr. Bunnag to Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar, enabling our students, staff and faculty to engage with someone who has been the country’s most senior diplomat and a mentor to many in the Thai foreign service . We are delighted to be able to share this event with the wider community in Doha.”

Until 2008, H.E. Dr. Bunnag was serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. Currently, he is the Assistant Secretary-General for Administration at the Thai Red Cross Society.

The former minister received his Masters Degree from Cambridge University in 1966 and Ph.D. from Oxford University in 1969. His long career in foreign service included working at the ASEAN secretariat and being appointed as the Ambassador of Thailand to China, North Korea, United States and France. H.E. Dr. Bunnag also served as the Permanent Representative of Thailand at the United Nations and UNESCO and was an Adviser at the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary.