An Interview with “Nan-Nunnapus” from HISLAS Sharing Experience on “UN-Ambassador for a Day”
An interview was conducted with ‘Nan-Nunnapus Pongwitoon’, a second-year student majoring in Hispanic and Latin American Studies (HISLAS) within the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat University. Ms. Pongwitoon shared her experience participating in the ‘Ambassador for a Day 2024’ event. This event is designed to inspire Thai youth with leadership potential by affording them the opportunity to immerse in the missions and duties of international organizations and various embassies, thereby contributing to national development. She has participated in monitoring the mission of H.E. Ping Kitnikone, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand, for a period of 2 days.
The world of diplomats
Nan: I followed the real work of the Ambassador, H.E. Ping Kitnikone, Ambassador of Canada to Thailand. I had the opportunity to discuss the work of the Ambassador at the Canadian Embassy. I also had the opportunity to meet guests who visited the Ambassador on that day. I attended a reception hosted by the Australian Embassy and participated in activities to celebrate International Women’s Day at UNESCAP.
“Participating in this event helps broaden the perspective of being a diplomat and the world of women in the diplomatic circle. The Ambassador has become one of the inspirations for me, indeed. The tasks and duties have shown me that being a competent female leader means being able to manage both work and personal life well. This makes me realize that in fact, the world of diplomats has much more to offer than what I think.”
The experience of ‘Ambassador for a Day 2024’
Nan: The three main things that I have learned are work, caring, and respect for each other. Following the Ambassador has allowed me to see that the schedule is tight. There are meetings and conversations with embassy staff, the government, and visitors every day.
Efficient management happens when you can prioritize work and personal life well. This matter suggests that a diplomat would give credit for the efficient work to the ‘team’ or the staff of the Canadian Embassy. The Ambassador has mentioned that “the reason she was able to handle daily workload was because of her experienced and capable team, which made it easier for her to manage various tasks.” In addition, she also pays attention to every detail of the work, as well as cares and respects her colleagues and visitors. And all of this is just some of the things that Nan has learned and will try to apply in her own work as well.
