NAKHON SI THAMMARAT – Walailak University made academic history this week as it hosted the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Conference 2025, welcoming more than 500 participants from across 15 countries-the largest international academic event ever held in the province.
Held from July 23-25 at the Twin Lotus Hotel, the conference brought together scholars, researchers, and graduate students from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia under the theme “Geo-Social Connection: The Continuing Journey of Critical Inquiry.” The event was organized by the School of Political Science and Public Administrationin collaboration with the Center for Geo-Social and Cultural Research for Sustainable Development, and supported by the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surin Maisrikrod, Vice President of Walailak University. The organizing committee led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Siriporn Somboonboorana, Chair of the Organizing Committee, Viriya Sawangchot and Dr. Tipaya Peungcharoenkun, Coordinator-in-Chief, jointly welcomed participants from across the region and beyond.
“This conference isn’t just about research-it’s about putting Nakhon Si Thammarat on the global academic map,” said Dr. Siriporn. “Bringing top scholars from across Asia and beyond to our province shows that meaningful knowledge doesn’t have to come from traditional centers of power. It can start right here-with local voices, shared experiences, and critical conversations that matter to the world.”
The conference featured an impressive lineup of internationally renowned scholars, including Prof. Chen Kuan-Hsing, founder of the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society; Prof. Chua Beng Huat, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore; and Prof. Meaghan Morris, cultural studies pioneer from the University of Sydney. Also seen at the opening were Dr. Andy Chih-Ming Wang, Chair of the Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Thiti Jamkajornkeiat, Pacific and Asian Studies, University of Victoria.
Across three days of panels, workshops, and hallway conversations, the event will definitely reaffirm the relevance of Asia not just as a topic of study, but as a source of theory, critique, and global engagement. It is expected to underscore Walailak University’s growing role in international academic exchange and position Nakhon Si Thammarat as a rising destination for global scholarly collaboration in the humanities and social sciences.
