Through My Eyes, In My Words:

Thailand and Myanmar: The Challenges of Development

Taught by Neil A. Englehart, assistant professor of government and law, and David C. Stifel, assistant professor of economics and business

Martha Osier ’06 of Nairobi, Kenya, is a double major in economics and business and international affairs. A Writing Associate in the College Writing Program and resident adviser, she is secretary of International Students Association and ACACIA, Africans Creating African Consciousness and Interest Abroad, and a supervisor at Kirby Sports Center.

By Martha Osier ’06

The presence of help desks set up by European embassies at the Bangkok airport, together with numerous donation schemes and bowls at most hotels where we stayed, was a somber eye-opener to the gravity of the recent tsunami. Although both Thailand and Myanmar were hit by the tsunami (Thailand being one of the countries hardest hit by the disaster), our course itinerary did not involve traveling to the areas that were directly affected. However, we did what we could to assist in the relief efforts by giving blood and monetary donations and spending money in the hard-hit tourist industries of both nations.

From the outset, each country and its people displayed a unique persona. In Thailand, the pleasant and respectful greeting “Sawasdee” is accompanied by a slight bowing of one’s head, with both palms closed together below one’s chin. In Myanmar, the men’s traditional dress, or “longyi,” a 1.5-2 meter sarong with mostly solid or small checkered patterns, awed most of us who were only familiar with seeing men in pants.

After our initial experiences with each country’s character, we were launched into the wonderful world of Thai and Burmese cuisine. Although there was always a dish to suit everyone’s taste buds, a great number of the dishes tended to be very spicy. The style of cooking and the dishes tended to vary moderately across various regions, especially in Thailand.

Our travels took us on an exhilarating tour of cities, towns, and rural areas. In Thailand, we went from Bangkok to the ancient capital city of Ayutthaya and north to the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet at the Mekong River. Shopping opportunities -- for local handicrafts at night markets or floating markets or for world-class tailor-made suits -- were simply endless. We were also able to view the vast rice paddies that have made Thailand one of the world’s top exporters of rice. En route, we also visited a number of ancient temples, or “wats,” which were usually surrounded by huge brick stupas that are believed to store some holy relics of Buddha himself. With 95% of the population being Buddhist, it was still surprising to see a great number of temples on our journeys, including a couple world famous temples such as Doi Suthep at Chiang Mai.

Thailand’s extensive and efficient road network, various development projects initiated by King Bhumibol, and government support of business are some of the reasons why rapid development has been fostered in Thailand. However, despite Thailand’s steady recovery from the Asian crisis of 1997 and its projected recovery in the tourism sector following the tsunami disaster, Thailand will still face a high rural-urban migration rate, which could have major consequences for future development.

Myanmar, on the other hand, has many challenges facing its development. Although blessed with numerous natural resources such as teakwood and natural gas, inefficient management of these resources and problematic infrastructure have greatly hampered economic development. (While we had many bumpy bus rides across the countryside, we were always amazed at the prowess the bus drivers displayed in handling the narrow potholed roads.)

Our visits to a small gold-leaf factory and a lacquer-ware factory in Mandalay showed us first-hand some of the challenges facing industry in Myanmar. At both factories the workers used traditional methods of production, some of which seemed almost backbreaking and took a long time. We could tell that a lot of investment in modern technology is needed in order to increase Myanmar’s production capabilities.

We enjoyed visiting numerous historic and world heritage sites such as the ancient city of Bagan, which despite being in a small space of 26 square miles, is covered by 2500 temples/pagodas from as early as the 10th century. This ancient city of temples, like many of those we visited, provided one with immeasurable peace and calm through its vastness and breathtaking sunsets. Though they are so close together, Thailand and Myanmar are interestingly different in terms of their people, language, dances, culture, and economic and political states. A whirlwind of beautiful sights and invaluable information, this course took me places where my learning process never ebbed.