Pasapong Areerak

Pasapong is the Division Director at the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council of Thailand

I wasn’t very keen on politics and national affairs to begin with. Early in life I was following my father to be an engineer, so I went to engineering school and got my degrees in industrial engineering. Fortunately, at school I got involved with a government project commissioned to my professor to devise a policy package for the promotion of the shipbuilding industry in Thailand. That’s when it hit me. I realized the importance of crafting good policy can help further develop my country. So, I decided to investigate how I could change my career goal towards policy making, and I found an opportunity with the MPA.

I won’t explain how much I learned during my time at the LSE, as you will know that the school provides a very rigorous education to prepare you for the career future you need. What’s equally important is the people I met during my time at LSE. MPA students come from various career and education backgrounds, as well as from many places across the globe. You can learn as many things from fellow MPA-ers as from the course itself.

After leaving the MPA, I came back to Thailand to pursue my career as I had set it out before I went to the UK. I hopped from one place to another for a year, before finding a good match at the Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (formerly known as National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office) as policy analyst responsible for the reform of the National Innovation System. I was in a team that oversaw the establishment of Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation, combining the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation with the Department of Higher Education.

I’m now Division Director for Public Administration of the Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation System. My tasks are to plan for the development of a budgetary system, organizational development,  and the monitoring and evaluation of public policy related to higher education, and science, technology and innovation.

I would recommend anyone who is still researching for a degree to take up MPA as one of your choices - and while you’re there, learn as much as you can and join as many extracurricular activities as your time allows without sacrificing your academic tasks. Go to parties and social gatherings with your classmates – you can learn things from them that you won’t get by learning only in the classroom. Lastly, The George IV is a good substitution when the library is too crowded during exam period. Enjoy LSE! 

Pasapong is happy to connect via LinkedIn.