The Fletcher School

In an irony of events that can only transpire at The Fletcher School, H.E. Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, returned to his alma mater on September 17, 2004, to deliver the first Charles Francis Adams Lecture Series of the academic year. H.E. Dr. Sathirathai remarked that he remembered nearly twenty years ago sitting in the very same school, listening to the then Foreign Minister of Thailand present a speech, never to realize that he would return as the Foreign Minister of Thailand one day.

In his speech titled, “The Future of Asia,” H.E. Dr. Sathirathai observed the need to respect diversity and draw strength from Asia’s multiplicity of cultures and peoples as the nations of South East Asia and the Asia Pacific region begin the process of regional integration, both economically and politically. In particular, H.E. Dr. Sathirathai highlighted the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (“ACD”) as the paradigm of cooperation as the “maximum use of our diversity to learn, to live . . . and to build strength on diversity.” Through the ACD, H.E. Dr. Sathirathai noted that the first ever Asia-wide cooperation will include almost twenty-five nations of the region to begin the regional economic integration necessary to transform the Asian Continent as a better trading partner in the world. Noting that nearly half of the world’s population resides in Asia, H.E. Dr. Sathirathai stressed the necessity of the integration process, much like the process that began in Europe in 1952.

When asked by a student about the comparison between European unification, based loosely upon the American model, and that of Asia, H.E. Dr. Sathirathai responded that while the process may be similar in certain respects, Asian integration still remains in its infant stages and may take on and require characteristics of its own to accommodate the “Asian way.” Further prompted by another student for clarification of the Minister’s use of the phrase the “Asian way,” the Minister acknowledged the potential controversial nature of the phrase, but went on to explain that his intent centered on tolerance and the need to respect the many varying cultures and peoples of the region in Asia’s own process of unification and integration.

H.E. Dr. Sathirathai went on to commend the Fletcher School’s curriculum, which he stated greatly prepared him for his many varying position throughout academia and the public and private sectors. As a “professional generalist,” the Minister praised Fletcher’s ability to prepare him to lead in an era that is starkly different from the one he studied during his time at Fletcher. Noting that issues such as SARS and the bird flu were never within the syllabi of any of his Fletcher courses, the Minister applauded Fletcher’s ability to train its leaders with the skills necessary to handle the complexities of a world where change is the only constant factor.

Professionally, H.E. Dr. Sathirathai received his MALD from Fletcher, after which he went on to earn an LLM and SJD from Harvard Law School. He held the posts of Dean and Associate Professor of Law at Chulalongkorn University before he entered politics. H.E. Dr. Sathirathai is the youngest Foreign Minister in Thailand’s history.

Article by Susan Shin, MALD '05