The Fletcher School

Chamsai Menasveta, MALD 2000 and PhD 2005, Thailand

For Chamsai Menasveta, who works in Bangkok for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, years of education at The Fletcher School paid off almost immediately.

“A couple of months after I started working, I was promoted to directly assist the head of my department,” said Chamsai, Staff-Aide to the Director-General of the Department of American and South Pacific Affairs. "A Fletcher degree is considered very prestigious at my ministry.”

Chamsai earned two degrees from Fletcher: a MALD in 2000 and a PhD in 2005. While in school she focused on International Trade and Commercial Policies, International Monetary Theory and Policy, and Development Economics. Her MALD thesis was entitled "Role of the Government in the Resuscitation of Thailand’s Agricultural Sector.” Her dissertation, "The WTO Director-General: The Capacity for Influence.”

Even after graduating, there’s no escaping the Fletcher community.

“There are several Fletcher alums at the ministry,” she said. "I have met most of them but sometimes I discover there are more!”

The Royal Thai Government funded Chamsai’s Fletcher education in return for her employment after graduation.

“The Fletcher name is very recognizable at my work place and along with it comes expectations,” said Chamsai, who received her BA from Smith College.

Chamsai considers her Fletcher years as ones of the best in her life.

“My life after Fletcher has thus far proven to be a well-known Fletcher fact: Fletcher is the place to meet the most incredible people. Fletcher attracts diverse minds and fosters an atmosphere for healthy debates, enabling these minds to interact and grow,” Chamsai said.

She went on to say: "The fluid structure of Fletcher’s interdisciplinary approach encourages its students to move beyond their initial expectations and discover more about themselves. One comes to Fletcher with a great mind, and leaves Fletcher with a greater one.”

Education before Fletcher:

Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Government, Smith College, Northhampton, MA (1998)
MALD, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Medford, MA (2000)

Fields of Study:

Development Economics
International Trade and Commercial Policy
International Monetary Theory and Policy

Experience before Fletcher:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Economics, Thailand
Royal Thai Embassy, London

Languages:

English
Thai
Spanish

Contact:

Chamsai can be reached by email at chamsai.menasveta@gmail.com.