Distance learning brings education to rural Thailand

It is not often that one gets to make the acquaintance of a true "Renaissance Man." Well-schooled and able to converse about multiple subjects in many languages, a Renaissance Man is master of many skills, is widely recognized for his amazing accomplishments, is comfortable around kings and presidents, and always makes his guests feel comfortable as well regardless of their station. Khun Khwankeo Vajarodaya is such a person.

I had the honor of making Khun Khwankeo's acquaintance in Bangkok, where we discussed the philosophy and technology behind Thailand's highly successful Distance Learning Foundation. Khwankeo is the chairman of the Distance Learning Foundation, chairman of the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, and Grand Chamberlain of the Royal Household. We talked for most of the morning, took a look at the satellite broadcast of live classrooms being beamed out to remote schools all around the country, and discussed everything from satellite technology to fine wines.

Khun Khwankeo Vajarodaya, in front of a portrait of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Bangkok traffic is legendary, and when my wife told me it would take two hours to get downtown for my meeting with Khwankeo I couldn't believe her. Nonetheless, I left the house at 7 am for my 9 am meeting, and still arrived late. I arrived at the Bureau of the Royal Household and was received graciously and with more than a little pomp and ceremony. Staff photographers were on hand to record our meeting for posterity, and I greeted Khwankeo in Thai, with the traditional "wai" -- a slight bow with one's hands pressed together in a prayer-like gesture and held up to face level. Khwankeo shook my hand Western-style. Our rambling interview was fascinating and we went back and forth between speaking English, Thai and French.

Everyone in the country knows who Khwankeo is, and the prospect of going to the Royal Household and meeting such an individual seemed a little intimidating. One imagines that there would be kings and princesses walking down the hallways, and I would have been completely unprepared for such a meeting. What does one say to royalty, anyway? Or for that matter, what does one say to someone like Khwankeo, a nobleman, Grand Chamberlain, Knight of the Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao, and chairman of the project that is most dear to the King? But right away, he made sure I was at ease and treated me like an old friend.

As a true Renaissance Man, Khwankeo is never involved in only one project. As one of his many duties as Grand Chamberlain, Khwankeo arranges royal banquets for foreign dignitaries, and is well-known in culinary circles as a member of the Club des Chefs des Chefs, perhaps the most exclusive culinary organization in the world. He is the author of "The Evolution and Art of Setting Tables, Catering, Beverages and Menus", a definitive work that should be in every gourmet's bookshelf. If you want to see what's on the menu when kings and queens dine together, take a look at the back of this fascinating volume to see reproductions of menus for state dinners, many of which were oversaw by Khwankeo himself, in honor of visiting dignitaries including Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, Queen Elizabeth the Second and Prince Philip, President and Mrs. Clinton, and President Jiang Zemin and Madame Wang Yeping of China, and many more.

Students in a remote school in Nakron Phanom Province work on an art project, under the instruction of a teacher hundreds of miles away in the parent classroom at Wang Klaikangwon. (Photo courtesy of Sutrira Chansrimuang)

But to understand Khwankeo one must understand the man behind the man, and that would be His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. One of his most ambitious goals ever since taking the throne was to ensure that every Thai child in the Kingdom should have an opportunity to learn. Khwankeo has been a long-time friend and confidante of the king ever since they both attended school at the same time in Switzerland, and today, the two 82-year-old men continue to work for the betterment of the Kingdom of Thailand. King Bhumibol, also referred to as King Rama IX, the longest-reigning monarch in the world, has been on the throne for over 60 years, and he has earned the adoration of his countrymen through his tireless work and many projects designed to raise up the standards for his citizens. Also a Renaissance Man, the King of Thailand is a scientist, teacher, inventor, author, accomplished jazz musician, and yachtsman, and one can easily draw a comparison between His Majesty and America's own quintessential Renaissance Man, Benjamin Franklin.

Of particular interest to the king is education. Thailand is not a wealthy country, but it is an emerging one. Nonetheless, there are many very remote areas where education is difficult, teachers are hard to come by and schools have few resources. It was with this in mind that the King entrusted Khwankeo to become chairman of an organization whose noble mission is to bring a complete education to every child in the country, regardless of location or status. Education has been important to the King throughout his long reign, and he takes a personal interest in this project and in ensuring that every child has an opportunity to learn, that the learning be based on moral teaching, and that it incorporate lifelong learning opportunities. This is the ambitious goal of the Distance Learning Foundation, which was organized in 1996 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne.

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