Friday (04/10/2019), the UGM Postgraduate School National Resilience Masters Study Program had the opportunity to visit the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) located in Bangkok, Thailand. The visit to the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok is a series of field study activities for 2018 National Resilience Masters Students. Attended by 39 students consisting of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Cooperation Class, Ministry of Defense and regular classes, this field course program is routinely held by the National Resilience Masters Study Program every year. by visiting various countries. Head of the National Resilience Masters Study Program, Prof. Dr. Armaidy Armawi, M.Sc., who participated in accompanying the field study activities, said that this program is expected to be able to provide experience and broaden knowledge for students, especially in the study of national resilience.
Received directly by the Education and Cultural Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, Prof. Dr. Mustari Mustafa, M.Pd., and Colonel Arm. Robertus Subono as the Indonesian Defense Attaché to Thailand, the visit and field lectures went smoothly and warmly as evidenced by the enthusiasm of the students at the discussion session. Presenting the theme of the role and function of diplomacy at the Indonesian embassy in Thailand, Prof. Mustari said that the Indonesian Embassy has a duty to strengthen and maintain relations between the two countries.
“Mainly is to become a facilitator in protecting and serving Indonesian citizens who are currently in Thailand,” he added.
Prof. Mustari also mentioned that Thailand has become a very potential destination for collaborative goals in various issues, not only in terms of state security and security, but also especially in the fields of education and tourism. According to Prof. Mustari, in the future the economic trend will no longer be based on natural resources, but will shift to non-material sectors such as tourism.
“Of course, state hospitality and security are the keys to the success of a tourism-based economy,” he concluded.
Apart from visiting the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok, the delegation from the UGM National Resilience Masters Study Program also had the opportunity to visit Chulalongkorn University to discuss academic studies related to Chinese geopolitics known as “One Belt One Road Initiative” (OBOR) in the framework of Thai politics, strategy & diplomacy. Not only that, several historical places in Thailand are also one of the destinations for field studies. Through this field study activity which was held on 02-05 October 2019, the UGM Postgraduate School National Resilience Masters Students were able to add insight and global perspective, and were able to follow international developments where relations between countries were currently increasingly complex. It is hoped that students can make a lot of observations and bring various concepts and practices of the state when they return to Indonesia. (Shinta)