International Maritime Business Experiential Learning in Thailand.
Thailand 2025
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 21
Hello everyone,
Today was the final day of our EL trip. After a lot of preparations, we presented our EL project to our faculty and hosts, which went very well. We decided that each of us would present about the day which we wrote our blogs about. However, since my turn was today, I presented on the history of Thailand.
The presentation was an accurate representation of our EL and that everyone contributed their part. This included information about the culture of Thailand which we embraced during the trip. We also spoke about the hands on experience in port operations during our visits to Bangkok port, Laem Chabang port as well as the Port Authority of Thailand and Lat Krabang inland container depot.
One of the most exciting things we did in our off time was attend a Muay Thai fight. Having never been to a fight before, I was very excited and found the respect shown by the fighters extremely interesting where they displayed tremendous respect to the opponent and the audience.
On our second week, we visited Khao Yai national park and the Trang province later in the week. These parts of the trip were particularly surprising to me as the scenery was something vastly different from Massachusetts. We also went to several malls, which I enjoyed as they were some of the biggest I’ve seen in my life including the Chatuchak weekend market. One of my favorite memories of the trip was snorkeling in the famous Koh Kradan beach. The water was so clear and the marine life was much different than what I was used to making it one of my best experiences on the trip.
Besides visiting other national parks we were able to see and visit Wat Arun temple which was breathtaking after centuries of construction. Having not seen much of Buddhism in my life back home, many of the temple visits and architecture took my breath away and I’m happy to have learned more about the religion.
On our final week we were able to visit Thailand Merchant Marine Academy which we found was very similar to our own. Interacting with the students there gave me a better perspective on how global the maritime industry is and the number of people which support it. We also received presentations and information on important companies which many MMA alumni have gone on to work for. The largest of these was CMA CGM Thailand. I thought this presentation was particularly interesting because it’s an industry I have personally considered going into and it was extremely beneficial to see the inner workings of the company.
Bringing us to our final day after our presentation we experienced ceremonies with the fantastic people at AIT and had a final lunch where we said goodbye to the people who have helped us on our learning experience.
This trip has been unforgettable, and I again want to thank everyone who made it possible and helped us get the full experience.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 20
Day 20: Nathan McNamara
Hello everybody,
My name is Nate McNamara. I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a student in the International Maritime Business program here at MMA.
Today was the day 20 of our experiential learning trip here in Thailand. We woke up at 9:00 and were to be downstairs for a wrap up session with Dr. Sujata Bhatia. The last time we had a meeting with her, it was the first day of the trip, and we had an incredible time getting to know her and learning from her. We were all very much looking forward to seeing her again. As expected, the meeting went amazingly, leaving all of us much more confident about our presentation skills in preparation of our group presentation scheduled for tomorrow.
Just like day 1, this session was very hands on where she divided us into groups and actively engaged us. At the end, there was a segment on mutual appreciation where we appreciated each other for the contribution we made to this EL in Thailand and growth as a team.
After that, we were off to a town called Wat Phra Ram in historic Ayutthaya. Dr Ghosh was generous enough to buy us all a ride on elephants as we all wanted to ride them after our visit to the animal park in Pattaya.
After a “quick” hour and a half ride from AIT, as we looked out of the window, we knew we were there as we saw several elephants walking down the street. As soon as we got out of the van, we lined up to get on top of the elephants, which is easier said than done!! Several of us had not seen a real elephant before this trip, let alone ride one!
We then set off on an unsurprisingly bumpy ride down some trails and even on the roads right along with cars and scooters. When we were done with our ride, we even got a chance to feed the elephants with various fruits and vegetables.
After the elephants got their fill, we loaded right back up into our vans, and headed to another one of the many malls that Thailand has. We were off to find our favorite places for lunch in the mall. Of course, a few of my friends and I found some of the famous mall massage chairs to kill some time after lunch.
After returning to AIT, as a group, we decided to meet in the main conference room and work on our slides for tomorrow’s big presentation.
A few of my friends and I took a small break from making the slides. We walked to the 7-11 at AIT and grabbed some snacks and other things we needed. Thereafter, we all decided to do a mock presentation to practice and ensure we knew exactly what we would be talking about tomorrow.
Finished off the day with some late-night basketball and, of course, writing my blog.
Overall, today was very fun. Again, I would like to thank Dr. Ghosh for giving us the opportunity to ride elephants. A special thank you to Dr. Sujata Bhatia for taking the time to come to AIT and prepare us for our presentation.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 19
Day 19: Alexander McKay
Hello Everyone,
My name is Alexander McKay and I am a junior at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Marshfield, Massachusetts and I am a 2022 graduate at Marshfield High School. I have been in the IMB program since the beginning of my sophomore year.
First thing this morning I woke up at 8:15 to get ready and go down for breakfast because we had to be down at the lobby by 9:00 to head to the vans and get on the road.
Our first location was a wholesale fruit and vegetable market called Talaad Thai. We toured the market and it was very interesting to see its operations. Thailand is a major fruit exporter. I also tried actual coconut water for the first time and it was pretty good. It’s always good to try new things while you’re in a different culture, especially a country like Thailand. We tried some other amazing fruit at the market. At one of the markets they import fruit and we checked the containers that they had. It was something I’ve never seen before in my life. What is also interesting about this market is that there isn’t just fruit there. There was also a seafood market l. Another interesting fact is that it is open 24 hours a day.
Then we took a coffee break at around 10:30 and I got an Iced Latte. After coffee we went back to AIT for a couple of hours for lunch before we headed off to the museum of the National Bank of Thailand.
We got to check out the history of their currency. It was very interesting because their currency has changed a lot over time. Their coins were in a different shapes than it is now which I thought was really cool. Visiting the National Bank of Thailand Museum and learning about money was really fun and interesting! The museum showed how money in Thailand has changed over time, from a long, long time ago to today.
The tour helped me understand how important Thailand’s currency is for the country’s past and future. The museum showed how money has changed over time in Thailand, helping me see how it connects to the country’s history and how people live. It made me realize how money helps everything grow and change, from old times to now.
Finally in the evening we went to a beautiful river boat cruise with everybody and got dinner on the boat. The cruise was called White Orchid River Cruise. This was definitely my favorite part of the whole day because of the views and seeing the whole city of Bangkok from the Chao Phraya river.
We also got to go on stage and showed everybody our dance moves and singing. I discovered new talents that my classmates had!!
I had a great day in Thailand today. I have had the best time in this country. I would just like to thank Dr. Ghosh and Mr. Nobrega for this opportunity to experience a beautiful country like Thailand.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 18
Day 18:Jordan Goddard-Brown
Good morning all!
I am Jordan Goddard-Brown from Milton, Massachusetts, graduated from Milton High School, and I am now a junior at the Academy studying International Maritime Business.
We started early today to beat the Bangkok traffic, leaving our hosts at AIT and piling into the vans at around 0700. Today’s morning was especially beautiful as we had a refreshing smattering of rain, which the city hadn’t seen for some four-odd months. Despite our best efforts, we couldn’t beat the traffic! Some combination of the rain and the usual throng of vans, cars, buses, and scooters on the motorway resulted in us arriving at our destination about four minutes later than intended. Nothing crazy, but as cadets and professionals, we do strive for punctuality.
Our host was the Merchant Marine Training Centre (MMTC), a maritime academy located in the Bang Duan subdistrict of Bangkok located right smack dab on the incredible Chao Phraya River.
Upon our arrival, we were given extensive tours of the MMTC’s two training ships; the Sakhon Wisai, a 17-year-old, 92-meter-long training ship, and her older sister the Visud Sakorn which measures 60 meters in length, constructed in 1986. Afterwards, we sat down in her mess deck at a welcome reception and were given a presentation on the school’s history and programs of study. There was a Q&A session with current MMTC cadets; as it turns out, life’s not so different in Bang Duan than in Buzzards Bay! The cadets at MMTC have to adhere to a strict code of conduct and live regimentally while following a student-managed chain of command…. stop me if this sounds familiar.
We wrapped things up at the MMTC with a nice lunch and enjoyed the company of our new shipmates, swapping anecdotes and Instagram handles, joking and laughing as if we hadn’t just met an hour ago. Suddenly, there was an insane monsoon-like shower of water and wind. The rain wrapped up quickly about an hour later.
We headed next to Fort Chulachomklao a now de-commissioned artillery turret located just an hour or so south of the city at the mouth of the very same Chao Pharaya river that runs all the way up to the MMTC. We were given a quick presentation on the fort’s history by its commanding officer (despite the de-commissioned status Chulachomklao is still operated by the Thai Royal Navy), where we learned that it was built in 1887 at the strategic location of the river mouth to protect Bangkok against foreign invaders like the French who attempted to subjugate Thailand during the 19th century. We saw the actual gun installation itself; a beautifully preserved “crouching tiger” 152/32 mm Armstrong cannon sitting deep in the fort. Finally, we visited the HTMS Maeklong, a once royal war barge turned open-air naval museum.
Weird weather, cool history, and new international connections; a very good day for us cadets on the trip today.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 17
Hello everyone,
My name is Chris McKenna, and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy studying International Maritime Business. I am from Weymouth, MA and graduated from Weymouth High School.
After a nice day of rest yesterday, we left AIT at 8:30 this morning to visit CMA CGM Thailand Ltd. Once we arrived at the Central Business District of Bangkok with towering skyscrapers, we were taken to the 36th floor of the U Chu Liang building to the CMA CGM conference room with a great view of the city.
We were given a very interesting presentation on CMA CGM. The presentation was led by Mr. Ekkachai Boonmacharoen- Chief Commercial Officer, and Mr. Worawoot Thongton- Agency Operation Director. As they walked us through the presentation, they allowed questions and students were able get answers to whatever queries they had.
The presentation was split into four different sections. The first section began with a basic introduction explaining their transportation and logistical activities, followed by their global presence and history. They wrapped up by showing the company’s capacity and market share which is currently at third place in the top 15 shipping companies, but is projected to grow to second by the end of the year.
The second section involved the company’s presence in Thailand. We were shown how the company is spread across the country and how it operates.
The third section was on Logistics Service and Custom Clearance. We were shown the Terminals operated by CMA CGM in Bangkok and Laem Chabang and their plans for future terminals in Thailand.
The final section of the presentation was Key Issues & Challenges on Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Here they would show us problems they would be facing such as Feeder space, and how it would impact storage costs. They would then show us other challenges with vessel delays and equipment supply issues. Throughout the presentation what I found most interesting was how the company plans to use AI in the near future to help optimize workflow within the company.
They emphasized the importance of teamwork in the organization and growing as a massive shipping company with a green and people centric focus.
After this presentation, we left CMA CGM and went to visit Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). When we arrived there, we had to get into a ferry boat and cross the Chao Phraya River to arrive at the temple. Once there, we were given free time to walk around the temple area and to take in the culture. I found the history of the temple quite interesting, as the large monuments around it were quite large and very beautiful. Several of our students dressed in traditional Thai costumes.After about an hour and a half of students walking around enjoying the scenery, we had to get back on the boat to leave the temple and leave for AIT. A fascinating day in Bangkok!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 16
Day 16:Ryan Gaudiano
Hello all, my name is Ryan Gaudiano. I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the IMBU program and I graduated from Weymouth High School.
After 15 long days of non stop travel, my fellow classmates and I were finally able to sleep in and have a much needed day off. This was particularly needed because of the long day of travel we experienced yesterday after driving to Erawan National Park which was 3 hours away from AIT. Also, after arriving at the national park, we hiked very rough terrain to the top of the waterfall. So getting back really late at night after the long hike and van rides, made everyone quite exhausted.
After sleeping in, a few of my classmates and I walked to the basketball court and got a little sweat in. Since it is 2 weeks into the trip, I am really getting a strong relationship with every single classmate of mine. The basketball game was a great example of this. Two weeks ago, I was not close with a lot of my peers but joking around with everyone while playing, really showed me that this trip really includes and brings everyone together into a brotherhood.
We took a quick dip in the pool and went to the Future Park mall together. A funny thing about this mall is that there is a hockey rink inside it. After shopping for some family and friends, a few classmates and I came across a barber shop for some much needed haircuts that will sharpen the boys up for our upcoming presentation.
After the mall we all came back for a meeting with Dr. Ghosh about the presentation we have to give this Friday. Dr Ghosh came back to AIT after spending a few days in Croatia on work. She brought us some European chocolates which went fast. This meeting really cleared things for my classmates and I, as we had a lot of questions about how to format our presentation.
To end the night we went back to the basketball court and played some knockout games. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, as we head to CMA CGM Thailand in the morning. So, I am heading to bed a little earlier than usual.
This experience is truly the trip of a lifetime. Huge thank you to Dr Ghosh and Mr Nobrega for making this happen!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 15
Day 15:John Carlson
Hello everyone,
My name is John Carlson and I am a sophomore at the Massachusetts
Maritime Academy in the International Maritime Business Major. I attended Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines North Carolina.
I am so thankful to Dr. Ghosh and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to Thailand for experiential learning.
Today is February 15th, and since it is Saturday, we are having a fun day. We were all up early this morning and had a light breakfast of fruit and waffles. Next, we loaded into the vans at 7:30 AM for our trip to Kanchanaburi Province to the Erawan National Park. Leading up to today all our group members knew that the Erawan National Park had many waterfalls and it made us all very excited to go.
Our trip took about 4 hours which was one of our longest drives of the EL and most of us slept for the majority of it. Once we arrived at Erawan National Park we had a short drive in golf carts to the beginning of our hike. There were 7 seven stops along the way, and each stop had small waterfalls and freshwater lagoons that you could swim in. It was some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen.
We all split up into little groups depending on how far we wanted to go, my group went all the way to the top. The lagoons and waterfalls at the 7th level were beautiful, and there were fish swimming all around and small caves which we could swim through. It was absolutely fascinating. After the steep trek to the top, the freshwater felt very refreshing.
We stayed at the top for about 30 minutes and then decided to head back down. On our way back down, we stopped at each of the other levels. We also met other Americans who were in Thailand teaching English for a year. It was very interesting talking to them and sharing our experiences. At the 4th level we were able to slide down the waterfalls. We spent almost an hour there and had a great time. The fish at this lagoon were massive and were incredibly comfortable swimming all around us.
On the way back to AIT we stopped at Mcdonalds for dinner. We were all very tired from the day and once we got back we all went right to bed. Looking back, this was one of my favorite day’s of the entire trip. Thank you so much for following along!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 14
Day 14:Tyler Kelly
Hello everyone, my name is Tyler Kelly. I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy from Marion, MA. I graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in Mattapoisett, MA.
This morning we had to overcome some unexpected challenges as there was no water due to a pipe bursting. As a group, we dealt with the issue as alternative arrangements were made for us, outside the campus. We adjusted our original plan to work on our group presentations at AIT and went to a local Starbucks instead and worked on them. Even without any water and air conditioning on campus in the sweltering heat, we quickly adapted and continued to conduct our business for the day. Our hosts tried their best to work out alternatives and our team was extremely resilient.
Around noon we went to Trustbox Fulfillment Center, a start-up in Thailand specializing in e-commerce business by handling, shipping, and storing products. Trustbox fulfillment was founded on April 18, 2018. Since then, it has grown to over 1.2 million dollars in revenue in 2024. We were fortunate enough to have a presentation about the logistics and operations of Trustbox Fulfillment. We learned about how it picks, packs, and delivers products to their customers speedily and efficiently. On average it takes Trustbox fulfillment 40 seconds to pack an order from start to finish. The packers work in an assembly line fashion. They receive the products from the pickers, scan the products and then pack them in the box and print the shipping label and all in under one minute.
I got the opportunity to attempt to fill an order. It took me well over a minute to complete this order which goes to show that they are a well-oiled machine at Trustbox Fulfillment Center and practice makes perfect. Trustbox fulfillment center uses its easily accessible and user-friendly systems to increase efficiency and maximize profit.
Seeing how they run their day-to-day operations correlated well with what we have been learning while visiting the ports and container depots here in Thailand. It is the same system on a smaller scale. There is no room for errors and you are dealing with arranging, loading, and packing in the same fashion.
Fortunately for us, at Trustbox Fulfillment we were able to speak with Dr. Sujata Bhatia, one of the investors and founders of this startup. Dr. Sujata Bhatia spoke to us on our first day here and her resume is astonishing to say the least. Along with being an author, she works as an international representative for Thailand, a professional development trainer and coach and a corporate strategist/consultant.
This is not her first time being involved in a startup and she has been very inspiring for us to reach higher in not only our professional careers but also our personal lives. The opportunity to visit Trustbox Fulfillment today was an honor to say the least.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 13
Day 13: Luke Poulin
Hello everyone,
I am Luke Poulin, a sophomore in the IMB program at MMA and I graduated from Weymouth High School.
Today marks day thirteen for me and my classmates EL trip to Thailand. This was a travel day as we left the Rua Rasada Hotel in Trang to fly back to Bangkok. For the past two days, we explored the amazing beaches and caves of this country which had views like nothing I had ever seen before. It truly felt like I was dreaming while our boats took us to those amazing caves and snorkeling locations which I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to experience again.
As for today, the most eventful part was visiting a Buddhist temple where we paid our respects. It was an interesting experience because I’m not much of a religious person but I felt a connection between myself and these amazing sculptures of Buddha. The name of the temple was Wat Sarikaram. Perhaps I could research Buddhism and find out more about it.
It was a short trip because we had to head over to the airport to catch a flight back to our dorms at the Asian Institute of Technology. We were tired from the past two eventful days so I noticed a lot of people napping and relaxing as we headed back to our main place of residence for the trip. Although today was relatively uneventful and we pretty much just travelled, it felt good to relax and spend the day enjoying food and catching up on some sleep. I would say my favorite part was definitely experiencing the Temple and understanding the Buddhist culture a little more.
I love animals so it was nice for me and my friends to see all the cows, lizards, and dogs we saw while going to the airport. I wish I had a more eventful day to write about but it’s also important to have a rather tranquil day at the same time. I will definitely say me and my friends are looking forward to bed soon because tomorrow will be a lot more educational and exciting than today.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 12
Day 12:Keiran Glover
Good evening all,
My name is Keiran Glover and I am from Savannah ,Georgia. I graduated from Benedictine Military High School. I am a Sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the International Maritime Business Major.
Today we started off with a great breakfast at our Hotel in Trang and then we headed off to our first port visit in this city. Chokchai Kantang Port a very small private port in Trang which was incorporated in 2010. During the visit, we learned that, it exports gypsum, granite and other minerals into neighboring ports and countries like Malaysia,Bangladesh etc. The port was constructed for only small ships with low draft requirements because of the depth of the Trang river, which connects to the Indian Ocean. It was interesting to see the differences between a massive port like Laem Chabang and the tiny Chokchai Kantang port in Thailand.
Our second port visit was Yusob International Kantang port, founded in 1999. This was a container port which sends containers to Penang, Malaysia. After arrival in Penang, the containers move to many countries around the world including China, South Korea and Russia. They mainly export rubber and minerals around the while they import corn, banana and fertilizer. Trang is well known for its rubber plantations. This port covers almost 500 acres which is the biggest port in Trang province. The biggest vessel authorized on this port is about 10,000 ton. This port gets support from the government marine department.
Despite it being a very important religious holiday in Thailand, both of these ports graciously accepted us with open arms and were quite eager to show and inform us about their operations. Here is a big Thank you to Chokchai Kantang Port as well as Yusob International Kantang port.
After these two informative experiences of the two ports we headed to the beach in a Thai long tail boat. We eventually anchored at a beautiful spot and started snorkeling.
It was a great experience and a lot of fun. Later, we went to an island and enjoyed the beautiful clear warm water and breathtaking views.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 11
Day 11: Stephen Johnson
Hello Everyone,
My name is Stephen Johnson and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy having graduated from Pembroke High School in 2023.
I started my day with a fantastic breakfast and then boarded the vans on the way to the boat to the Emerald cave. We were going to visit different islands today. The drive was about 45 minutes long and throughout the drive, everyone in the van was singing and very excited for the day ahead. Once we got to the boat I made sure to put a ton of sunblock on, so I would not burn. We were not on a typical boat. Instead, we were going on a long tail boat which is very common in Thailand. It had a huge motor controlled by a piece of wooden lever. The moderate speed made it easy to take in the incredible views. The water was very clear and light blue. The best part however was all the mountains sticking out of the water.
The first island we went to was very rocky and remote. As the long tail pulled closer to the shoreline I saw Emerald cave. We all jumped off the boat and went inside the cave with a guide with us. The water was super warm and very salty. The rocks in the cave were jagged and sharp. The tour guide kept going deeper and deeper into the cave and we swam along. At the end of the cave, I started to see some light and got very excited. It turned out that, there was a little hidden cove with a beach. It was beautiful. One of the tour guides told us that the beach was where Jurassic Park had been filmed. We swam around the beach and took many pictures. Swimming through the cave was one of the coolest experiences I have had on the trip.
The second island was very different from the first. When we got to the island it had crazy nice beaches and ultra-blue water. This island had a little resort. There were many cabins where people were staying. There was a restaurant that had all-American food which was very refreshing. I got a cheeseburger and fries which I have been craving. Then I decided to go swimming around in the ocean with some friends.
On this island the views were incredible. In the distance, there were some crazy mountains which made pictures look unbelievable. Some kids went snorkeling but I ran out of time and had to get onto the boat again to head back to the van.
The ride back to the hotel was much different from the ride to the boat. Everyone was very tired from the day and was sleeping. I ended up taking a good hour nap at the hotel and then went out to eat at the pizza company. They served New York-style pizza which was amazing. I ate dinner with all my friends and went back to the hotel.
This takes me to right now when I am writing this blog. I would like to say thank you to Dr. Ghosh and all my classmates for making this trip so much fun. I am excited about the world citizen experience this trip is bringing me.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 10
Day 10: Cole Christianson
Good evening all,
My name is Cole Christianson. I am from Pembroke, MA and I graduated from Pembroke Public High School.
Today was Monday and it was more of a travel day for us. I started my day at 7:30 am. As we headed down to eat breakfast, we were served rice with fried chicken, cucumbers, fruit, and coffee. We were scheduled to leave for Donmeuang International Airport by 8:00 am where we would take a plane to Trang Province. This is in the southern part of Thailand and the coast is very beautiful.
The group and I headed to the airport from AIT via bus. The ride only took about an hour and our plane departed at 11:50 giving everyone plenty of time to sit back and relax. I decided I would get a chicken wrap and a strawberry acai from Starbucks, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Today was Superbowl and we caught bits of it on our phone during the journey.
As we flew, I took that time to rest and woke up about 10 minutes before we landed. When I opened up my window the land looked much different from the Bangkok area. There were beaches and mountains as far as the eye could see. Once we landed everyone got into vans and we made our way to the hotel where we will be staying for the next few days.
This is the nicest place we have stayed at so far on this trip. Once everyone got acclimated to the new place, one of the guides for the trip, Chok, took us down to a mall where we would eat lunch. Chok handed out these cards for us to use at the food court and we were each allowed to spend up to one hundred Thai Baht. For myself I ordered a plate of rice with chicken and vegetables as well as a water bottle. I walked around the mall for a bit. Trang is a much quieter, smaller and scenic place compared to Bangkok.
When we returned to the hotel, everyone took a dip in the pool to cool off from the hot weather. Later on some of the guys and I sat down for dinner at the restaurant inside of the hotel. We had some great service and the food was made to perfection and everyone had a good time. I am extremely excited to see what else Thailand has to offer for us!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 9
Day 9:Jack Giovanello
Good evening everyone!
My name is Jack Giovanello. I graduated from Marshfield high school and now attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy studying in the International Maritime Business program.
Today we woke up at 0830 and headed into the Chatuchak weekend market which is considered to be the largest market in Thailand with more than 15,000 stalls divided into 27 sections. Chatuchak Market sells many different kinds of goods, including plants, antiques, cosmetics, pets, fresh and dry food and drinks, ceramics, furniture, clothing, and souvenirs. We had a very enthusiastic tour guide named Wendy, dressed in traditional Thai costume, who showed us around.
We first stopped in the adjecant mall first to explore and exchange currency. The mall was 3 floors tall and was filled with souvenirs separated by each floor. The first floor was mainly small shops selling house hold items, the second floor was filled with mini food shops from barbecue to ice cream, and the third floor was all large plants for home decor. The mall was very large and felt endless on all floors.
After exploring the mall we headed outside and got to explore on our own in the hundreds of street vendors. It was unlike anything I have ever seen, and you could get basically anything you could think of. It was divided into sections but instead of using the map, we all just randomly walked around. This was a perfect place for everyone to get souvenirs and gifts for their family and friends. These shops also felt endless and you could honestly spend multiple days here just looking around because there was so much. We even saw things that no one could imagine like a 10 foot tall wooden horse that cost 250,000 Baht! The outside was so full and packed with different vendors and it was honestly just surreal.
We found a way out of the vendors and saw streets filled with even more shops. The size of the market was insane and had so many tourists walking around filling the streets. All of us were buying random trinkets and souvenirs that you wouldn’t be able to find in a regular American mall.
While we were walking back we all saw some policemen running down the street so we went to check it out. Above one of the shops a power line had caught fire and the Thai policemen/ firefighters started going up on a ladder to extinguish it. The problem was quickly resolved but it was very cool to see. Everything felt like a fever dream and Chatuchak market is definitely a must go if you visit Thailand.
After that we all drove back to AIT and I began writing this daily blog. I’m very lucky and privileged to be here on this once in a lifetime trip. We will be traveling to the southern coast of Thailand tomorrow and I can’t wait to see what the next few days have in store for me and my classmates.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 8
Day 8: Patrick Donahue
Hello everyone, My name is Patrick Donahue and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy having graduated from East Bridgewater High School.
I started my day with a good breakfast and then traveled to Khao Yai National Park, which was about a two-and-a-half-hour ride. I learned about the history of the land and how the people of Thailand take lots of pride in preserving it. This was clear to see when we went hiking through the forest. We stopped at a temple to pay our respects to a man who started the act of preserving this national park. Visitors to Khao Yai and passers-by usually stop to pay respect for good luck and blessings at the Chao Por Khao Yai shrine.
When arriving I saw a monkey for the first time which was crazy to see and they were everywhere. I made sure to hold on tight to my phone, wallet, and sunglasses because I had heard the monkeys are known to steal things out of curiosity. Then we were off to meet our guide and start the hike.
The guide we had with us was a park ranger and he showed us lots of things, like plants we could eat and how they have been used in medicine for many years. Some trees bled red liquid when they were cut like humans, along with different types of wood that smelled like cinnamon and another similar to whiskey.
As we continued to trek through the forest we reached an opening in the land, the scenery was like nothing I have ever seen. It was extraordinary, the land was hilly with regions of dry red dirt, but it had clear ponds filled with wildlife. Even though it was very dry it seemed to be surrounded by a green forest. It was the most unpredictable place I have ever been, and I did not know what to expect at every turn. We could see a lookout tower in the distance which we eventually arrived at. I looked out the windows of the tower and was amazed at the beauty and diversity of the landscape. I saw mountains in the distance with towers even farther and it felt as if I could see for miles.
I bought my lunch and sat down ready to eat while keeping my eyes in the back of my head. I don’t trust these monkeys, they kind of scare me and I quickly learned that I was correct. A monkey ran up behind me and I jumped out of the way while it sat there and ate my plate of food.
I slept as much as I could throughout the ride home until I woke up at a fruit stand. Here I tried my first ever “mini mango”, and it was delicious.
Shortly after, we arrived back at AIT. That is where I am writing this blog, and I have to say I am privileged to be doing this. I am beyond excited to see where this trip and the experience will bring to me and my classmates!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 7
Day 7: David Haig
Good afternoon from Thailand! My name is David Haig, and I am a sophomore at Mass Maritime, currently on an incredible journey in Thailand as part of our Experiential Learning Program. Before coming to Mass Maritime, I graduated from New Bedford High School.
The first week of the EL is finally over, and so far it has been an unbelievable experience with many life-lasting memories made.
Today was our first day back from Pattaya, and it began at 10:00 a.m. with a Zoom presentation about the issues that come with climate change and how it impacts the maritime industry by Prof. Dr. Joyshree Roy. Professor Roy’s presentation was eye-opening, highlighting how rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and shifting trade routes are reshaping the industry. She also shared interesting details about alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and their potential to reduce emissions. She spoke about little lifestyle changes that we can do as citizens of the world that would go a long way. It was a great reminder of how interconnected our world really is.
After the Zoom presentation, we went to lunch, where many of us got to try Pad Thai for the first time. Pad Thai is a traditional Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with rice noodles, egg, tofu, or shrimp and a fabulous tamarind-based sauce. Garnish the combination of textures and flavors with crushed peanuts and a squeeze of lime. It was a very flavorful dish with really a lot going on. I was almost overwhelmed with the amount of different types of ingredients mixed together into a single dish.
Later in the evening, we went to watch a Muay Thai fight hosted by ONE Championship. ONE Championship is a global organization that serves as a stepping stone for fighters aspiring to make it to the UFC. The energy in the arena was crazy, with fans cheering passionately for their favorite fighters, but funnily enough, it seemed like every fighter that was found on the card that night was equally loved by the crowd. Right as we arrived at the stadium, we saw a famous American UFC referee, Herb Dean, showing up to the event, who was there to actually referee a few of the Mixed Martial Arts fights, which made the experience way too surreal. It was fascinating to watch the amount of respect the fighters showed towards each other and to the audience. A truly memorable experience.
Today was a very laid-back but exciting day, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow when we will be heading to the Khao Yai National Park for another wonderful adventure.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 6
Day 6:Trevor Gusmini
Good Evening Everyone,
My name is Trevor Gusmini. I graduated from Walpole High School and am a part of the IMB program at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Today we left Pattaya and traveled to the massive Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. We were pleasantly greeted by members of their team and were given fresh coffee, water, and delicious banana nut muffins. What really stood out to me was how they adopted and lived by the S.M.A.R.T. principle which stands for Standard, Mastery, Agility, Responsibility, and Teamwork to focus on the growth of Thailand’s maritime trade. All port authority members have those goals inscribed onto their work uniform.
This port spans 4,000 acres and has 18 terminals that can handle at least 11 million TEUs and 2 million cars annually which ranks them in the top 20 and top 5 globally in those respective areas. They developed the port in three stages. They are in Phase 3 (which started in 2022 and is set to be finished by 2038) through land reclamation and aims to accommodate economic expansion, enhance competitiveness, and maximize capacity to handle 18 million TEUs. One cool aspect I learned is how they provide environmental support by conservation and mangrove forestation. The view was incredible from the 22 story observation tower.
For lunch we had fresh seafood on the water which included Calamari, fried shrimp, vegetables, crab, fish, fried eggs with crab, clam, and rice, seasoned with different sauces which really transformed the taste.
We also visited Namyong RO-RO Terminal which had almost 15000 cars ready to be loaded. It was mind blowing to see how many cars were sitting in the port and the trucks filled with drivers were going to each RO-RO vessel to load and unload vehicles. It was also very cool to see the various models of cars which are not found in the US. A typical theme I saw are much smaller cars, all with tinted windows to keep cars cool. There was a very large number of EVs made in China.
After our visit we made the trek back to the Asian Institute of Technology where we got settled back in and I did some much needed laundry. I am looking forward to what’s in store next!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 5
Day 5: Derek Knudsen
Good Afternoon everyone,
I am 2/C Derek Knudsen from Bridgewater MA and I attend Massachusetts Maritime Academy majoring in International Maritime Business.
Today we had to wake up a little bit earlier than the past few days and while getting used to the 12 hour time change it was a little difficult this morning. At 0655 we got breakfast and hopped on the AIT vans to head over to Lat Krabang ICD or Internal Container Depot in Thailand. At the ICD, we met Mr. Teerawat Ovartsuwan and Mr. Siwadol Pholwatchana, who gave us a presentation about the ICD. We learned about the safety procedures and precautions while in the depot. We learned the freight railway routes and new development plans. SRT has 6 different modules A-F each containing different companies that own the modules. They get picked up by the different trains and brought to other areas in Thailand in order to reduce road congestion. We also got to see pictures of the maintenance buildings and the big train yard.
After the presentation, we headed outside of the building to watch the freight loaders load the trains with the containers. I have never seen something like this happen before my eyes so it was a very cool experience watching how they transport goods on land. It got very hot while being outside, however I am not complaining.
After we said our goodbyes to the lovely people at ICD, we took a ride to a market where they had a long street with many varieties of lunch/restaurants. It was very pleasant seeing all the people in their own society eating certain foods I have never seen before.
Later, we got back in the vans and took a ride to an elephant park where the elephants and other animals have become an attraction to us tourists. Seeing an elephant up close for the first time has been my favorite experience in Thailand so far. We got to feed them bananas and watch other people take elephant rides. While at the park, we got to take many pictures and videos of the many animals. Other animals that I thought were very interesting were the Toucan birds and the strangely colored cows. We got to sit up top on a stand and watch the elephants walk into the water and take a little break during this long day.
At 1530 we all seemed to be hot and tired so we got back in the vans and took an hour ride to Pattaya. The driving seems so scary compared to America I keep thinking if I ever had to drive over here I would get very stressed out. Once in Pattaya we saw how beautiful the beach was and how populated this area is due to tourists. While in Pattaya for the rest of the night we got dinner and walked around the streets enjoying all of the tourist attractions and enjoying the warm weather.
I am very excited for the rest of this experiential learning trip in Thailand and cannot wait to learn more about the cultures and traditions.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 4
Day 4:Christian Casale
Good evening everyone,
I am 3/C Christian Casale from the IMB program at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. My hometown is Marshfield, Massachusetts.
Today we traveled to Bangkok and had some amazing experiences throughout the day. We first arrived at Port Authority of Thailand ( PAT ) where we learned about the container terminal operations in the port of Bangkok and the technological innovations. After that I got the opportunity to use the container terminal operations simulator. Here you are put into a chair with many controls and buttons which you need to use in order to remove and place TEUs off of a container ship. When you sit down you have a screen in front of you and beneath your feet just as if you were operating a real crane in the port. Every employee needs to operate 150 mistake free hours in the simulator before being given the opportunity to get their hands on the real machinery. After this we got a tour of a dredger. The crew was extremely enthusiastic to have us on board and I felt very welcomed. This is a common theme in Thailand.
Once this was done we drove off to a little mall with countless food options and many gift shops. McDonald’s has a different variety of menu options based on what country you are located in. I tried various items on the menu that I didn’t know existed and on top of that the prices were very affordable. After that I walked around the shops and it’s very interesting to see the American clothing that is sold in Thailand. All of the shop vendors seemed very friendly and despite speaking a different language, they were very easy to communicate with.
After lunch, we got back in the vans and went off to the maritime safety and surveillance operation center. We were brought upstairs and given a lecture on the history of the Thailand maritime industry and maritime safety management. We were shown the security footage and behind the scenes details as to how much goes into the safety and precautions of ships visiting the port. Seeing the real time traffic maps and security intricacies was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I personally liked the simulator the most because it was the most hands-on activity of the day and I got to see how difficult that process really was.
While driving through the city I noticed that drivers are much more aggressive and get very close to each other compared to America. The street vendors are also found on every single corner and road selling all kinds of tools, foods, drinks, clothes etc. Today was the biggest step so far in experiencing a new culture and understanding the rules and safety precautions used here in Thailand. They were curious to learn about our maritime safety precautions and port management. This led to a very engaging conversation from both sides!
Throughout the day we saw many new sights and I can’t wait to see what awaits us in the coming weeks!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 3
Day 3: John Croft
Hello everybody!!! My name is Jack Croft and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy having graduated from Marshfield High School.
Jet lag made our 0730 wake up feel easy as it made it easy to fall asleep last night. As it was our first full day of the trip, I did not know what to expect … however once we got into the swing of what was going to happen throughout the day I became more comfortable. Once down at breakfast, we found that the food was more accommodating to foreigners than we thought. Our breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with onions and peppers as well as some waffles and coffee. After breakfast we all met in the conference room where we would have our meetings throughout our trip. We were greeted by Prof. Fazle Karim, who was admittedly funny, before our guest speakers spoke to us. Ms. Panhathai Nithilatthhi is a port and terminal industry professional who works in Thailand. She explained how Thailand’s ports have expanded over the years, their plan for expansion in the next few years, and also how the port has accommodated new technology. After the presentation by Ms.Panathai Nithilatthhi we had an hour and a half or so break for lunch.
In Thailand there is coffee break for about 20 minutes per conference as well as an hour and a half lunch break. This is very different from home, as at school I am lucky if I have a full hour for lunch. During our lunch break, we had the opportunity to try Thai food. Overall the lunch food was very good and I enjoyed it very much. The chicken was tender and had a sauce that sweetened the rice, and the pork, although spicy, was very good.
Once our lunch break was over we headed back to the conference room where a cultural presentation about Thailand that was made by AIT graduate Dr. Sujata Bhatia. Her presentation style was much different than the first presentation as she engaged the audience much more. For example there were 3 different boards and we had to split into 3 groups and we were tasked with writing about what we learned about Thailand. It was quite interesting. We also had a quick birthday party for John Carlson who was celebrating his birthday.
After our presentations, we changed into normal clothes and headed to a Thai mall. The mall seemed as if it never ended, and there were endless activities. My group played laser tag, while others went to many different stores. We went to a hibachi restaurant where almost all of us ate “Australian Beef”, which in American terms is just a rare steak over fried rice. Overall I learned that malls in Thailand are completely different compared to home, as well as how professional the port and logistic managers of Thailand operate and run their terminals. I look forward to seeing what the rest of our trip brings us!
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 2
Day 2 by Ryder Vlach
Good Morning all, this is Ryder Vlach reporting to you from what feels like another world!I attended McCracken County High School located in Paducah Kentucky, which also happens to be my hometown. I am currently a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I was chosen to write about day 2 and boy was it eventful.
The morning started out unlike any other as we boarded our 14 hour red eye plane, destination Hong Kong, China. My stomach was killing me with nerves. However, the plane ride was not nearly as dreadful as I thought it was going to be. On the contrary, I was able to get a good amount of sleep on the plane, it didn’t make my ears hurt at all, and we got to eat some food on the plane too.I knew that it was going to be a long day of travel and that it wasn’t going to be fun, but I knew that the days ahead were going to be awesome. While I was at the airport I took advantage of the time that I had with my friends while we waited to board. We talked about what we thought we were going to see and the things that we wanted to do while we were there.
Our layover in Hong Kong was more of the same just waiting to get to our final destination. We were received by the AIT team and Dr. Ghosh at Bangkok airport. Once we were loaded, we were on our way to AIT. I knew that they drove on the opposite side of the road as us but it was still hard to get used to.We were given a quick tour of the beautiful campus and checked into our rooms.
- IMB | Thailand 2025: Day 1
Day 1 byThomas Marvelli
Hello everyone from Hong Kong International Airport!!
My name is Thomas Marvelli. I attended Barrington High School in Barrington, Rhode Island. I am currently a Sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Thanks to the Academy and Dr. Ghosh, a bunch of students and I can experience the learning opportunity of a lifetime in Thailand.
The preparation process extends for around two months when we learned the basics about Thai culture and business. We learned about several ports like Laem Chabang, Songkhla, and Bangkok, as well as some Thai terms.
After a month of waiting it was time to take the second step of preparation, it was time to pack… I wouldn’t wish packing for an entire month on anyone. Constantly weighing a suitcase to see if it fit the weight requirement had been one of the most tedious processes of my life.
Finally, step three! My family dropped me off at the airport. After a worried goodbye from my parents, as I had never flown internationally by myself before; it was time to see all of my friends again. To my surprise after weighing my check bag over and over again it turned out be over by one pound!! I was even able to get a conversation with the TSA agent about our football team which I am a part of.
Step four, following the surprise of a lifetime it was time to get some dinner. We all decided to eat the Wahlburger in the airport food court.
I have to say for such a long flight of 14 hours, the time went by very fast. Watching all three Godfathers, and Inception; time was well spent. The food on this flight hadn’t been like anything I had seen before when it comes to quality and quantity. Our first meal was chicken, rice, bread, cheese, crackers, a drink, and an ice cream bar. It was amazing. Then at five in the morning, Mr. Kelly and I thought it was a good idea to get a cup of noodles. Which it was because it was delicious. Then the final meal was a brunch of eggs, bacon, fruit, and coffee. Also was quite awesome.
By then it was almost time to land in Hong Kong. It was really cool to see the mountainous landscape from the plane window. Once we landed we all were cracking jokes regarding the fact that it felt like we just skipped an entire day. Hong Kong International Airport is super nice. It has a similar vibe as malls in the US, being all white and shopping centers spread all over.
We all then met up at our new gate, which is where I am currently writing this journal. As my journal entry comes to a close I just want to thank you all for reading about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- IMB | Thailand Winter 2023
IMB EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN THAILAND, WINTER 2023
DAY 21: 2/11
Hi Everyone! My name is Ryan Cameron and I graduated from Franklin High School in 2019. I am a junior at the Academy and today I am concluding the blog series. We are currently departing Thailand and heading back to the United States. We have just touched down in Dubai after a 7 hour flight and we are waiting to board another flight that will be 14 hours long. Besides traveling, This entire trip has been unbelievable. We have gained so much knowledge on the industry because of all the presentations and field trips to different companies and ports. On top of that we also made great relationships with the Thai people and fully embraced the beautiful culture they have for the past 3 weeks. Also visiting Phuket and snorkeling with all the different types of fish and riding elephants was something I will never forget for the rest of my life. Before this trip I felt like we were all strangers but after these past weeks I consider everyone on this trip a friend. I cannot thank Dr. Ghosh, Ari and Logan, the entire staff of AIT and Mass. Maritime for providing this life changing opportunity. I highly recommend any incoming student to join the IMBU program. You won’t regret it.
DAY 20: 2/10
Hello everyone and greetings from international airspace!!
My name is Geddes Donlon. For high school, I attended St. John’s Preparatory school located in Danvers Massachusetts which also happens to be my hometown. I am currently a junior or 2/C at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Thanks to the academy and my professor Dr. Ghosh, I was given this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come to Thailand and learn all about the businesses and culture here.
I was chosen to write about today, 2/10, and boy was it eventful. The morning started around 7:30 with breakfast. I had noodles with some spicy broth which was a good kickstart in the morning. Before our business day began I got coffee from my favorite coffee shop on campus called Hom Krum Cafe and got an iced cafe mocha.
We started at 8:30 AM with a brief overview of what the day would hold. Next Ms. Panhathai Nittilatthi from the Port Authority of Thailand gave a presentation wrapping up the entirety of the three-week program very nicely. This presentation was roughly 45 minutes long, and at the end of it we were dismissed for a coffee or tea break. One thing I love about Thailand was the coffee and tea breaks we got. It seemed to be pretty universal there with almost every independent business we visited supplying coffee, tea, and some sort of snack or pastry.
Thereafter, the students had to present a PowerPoint to our peers and superiors. I had to talk about Phuket Deep Sea Port which we visited days prior. This was around an hour altogether and was a great experience from start to finish. After the presentation, it was lunch time and AIT (Asian Institute of Technology) with whom we had been staying the three weeks provided lunch for all the students. We had a choice between a few different options. I got pad thai with chicken and shrimp and it was delectable.
Post lunch, we all reconvened in the auditorium at 2:30 for the closing session and award ceremony. We had speeches from the Executive Director Mr. Voravate Chonlasin, Course Director Mr. Fazle Karim of AIT, Dr. Ghosh and closing comments from our Rates. There was a gift exchange from MMA to AIT and vice versa. After gifts were exchanged the award ceremony commenced.
I think this surprised many of the students, but we were given a “Certificate of Achievement” from AIT. We also received a flag-shaped pin with AIT’s logo imprinted on it. I think I speak for most of the students but we all immediately put the pin on our uniforms. After the ceremony concluded, we had another small tea and coffee break to socialize with all who were present for the ceremony and presentation. From there we had a little bit of time to ourselves to change from our uniform into something a bit more relaxed.
To our surprise, Dr. Ghosh had organized a small going away party for everyone who helped us while in Thailand. We had homemade cupcakes and caramel custard which were both delicious along with hot tea and cold spiced coffee. I was asked to take some photographs of the event by Dr. Ghosh and I gladly did.
After the party, we said our goodbyes to everyone for they would not be traveling with us. Chok, one of our trip mentors organized a soccer game with some of the students and people who work or live at AIT. We played from 5:30 until we couldn’t see the ball anymore and we called the game. We tied 2-2 which I was very impressed with. This soccer match was one of my trip highlights. It was amazing to watch as two groups of people from opposite sides of the globe, all come together and play soccer (or football) until we physically couldn’t anymore. Even though many of them did not speak English and none of us could speak Thai, everyone played together and had a good time. After the game, I packed all my belongings because our time in Thailand was coming to an end. At 9:00 pm we boarded a bus to head to Suvarnabhumi Airport. We reached in roughly an hour and hopped in line to check in and check our bags. We then said goodbye to Chok who accompanied us to the airport and headed for the customs check. We finally headed to our gate and awaited the call that we could board the plane. Our flight today is headed to Dubai for a layover, and after that 14 short hours and we will be back in Boston.
As I write this, we are currently flying over the Anadam Sea which is right off the west coast of Thailand. With my writing catching up to the present time, this concludes my day. Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
DAY 19: 2/9
Hello, I am Nick Saraiva from Plymouth Massachusetts. I graduated from Plymouth South High School in 2020 and am currently a Junior at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I have been given the opportunity to go to Thailand and be part of a 3 week experiential learning program.
Today, our day began at 8:45 with two presentations about marine insurance and maritime law in Thailand. The first presentation by Mr. Harold Lim explained marine insurance in Thailand and his personal experience working in the field. He told us anecdotes from his career about how companies will falsely claim peril at sea to try to decrease damages.
In the second presentation, Mr. Sahit Boonsiripiphat explained how marine insurance and maritime law go together. He also talked about the structure of maritime insurance firms. It was indeed very enlightening to hear from these two experienced legal professionals. After the meeting we practiced our final presentation for tomorrow with Dr. Ghosh giving us constructive criticism. We finished the day with a surprise from AIT. They took us to the bank of the Chao Phraya river in Bangkok. We arrived at a pier and market where we got to do some last minute souvenir shopping. We then boarded a tourist boat named The White Orchid to get a tour of the river while seeing some of the locations we have been to already such as the Royal Palace. This time, the view was from the river and it was fascinating. The cruise was complimented by a buffet dinner and live entertainment. Students enjoyed to their heart’s content on the boat and we are very thankful to AIT for this wonderful surprise treat!!
DAY 18: 2/8
Sawadee Kraap!
My name is Tom LaCourt and I am a junior at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Weymouth, Ma and I graduated from Boston College High School in 2019.
To say that this experiential learning in Thailand has been successful would be a complete understatement! All the work that we have done through AIT to further learn about the transportation industry in Thailand, matched with the immersion into Thai culture has made it sad to see us reaching the end of this trip.
Today, February 8, marked our 18th day on this trip. Our day officially began at around 0900 where we had the opportunity to meet with members of CMA-CGM shipping corporation. It was fascinating to meet with representatives of one of the biggest shipping companies in the world, and see all the different aspects that make up CMA-CGM like Shipping , port activities, logistics and support activities. Focusing on multimodal transportation, CMA-CGM utilizes all modes available and is trying to steer away from the over-utilization of trucking to optimize efficiency and reduce emissions. Personally, what I found interesting was their subsidiary, CEVA, and what it offers its clients in freight-forwarding and customs brokerage.
Looking back on my time here, I can say that this has been an experience of a lifetime. During this time my classmates and I gained so much from the different ports, logistic companies, etc. to really understand the ‘international’ in our school’s IMBU department. However, beyond that we had the chance to take in the beautiful landscapes of Thailand as well as the people, food, and anything else I may have forgotten.
I am grateful for AIT, MMA and Dr. Ghosh for the work they put in to make this happen, and I highly recommend anyone to visit and enjoy everything Thailand has to offer.
Hi ! My name is Nicholas Leander, and I am a second year Student at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Rockland, Massachusetts and I graduated from Rockland Highschool in 2021.
My time in Thailand has been nothing short of an amazing experience, growing my knowledge of the maritime industry and being able to experience the culture of Thailand from traveling to Pattaya to taking a airplane to Phuket. AIT has been an amazing host for us, and represented Thailand extremely well.
Our day began at 0900 with a presentation by CMA CGM. CMA CGM was founded in 1970 and has over 420 ports of call in 160 countries. CMA CGM is a very large company and are well known with 275 shipping lines while having 583 vessels. CMA CGM offers Air, Ocean, and ground freight. CMA CGM gave an amazing presentation this morning, and we all were extremely grateful for this wonderful opportunity!
Around 1400 this afternoon, we had the opportunity to go to Talaad Thai Market. We had the opportunity to do some shopping. The market was a great experience as they offered a variety of fresh local fruits and vegetables. On average there are over 100k people at the market every day. There were over 3500 food sources, the market has been around for over 23 years! Talaad Thai supplies food sources for hotels, restaurants, and much more!
Today has been a great day, it continues to amaze me every day experiencing the culture of Thailand! It is truly a place like no other and I see why it is called the “land of a thousand smiles”. Thank you to Dr. Ghosh and AIT Extension for giving me this opportunity to take part in this incredible experience.
DAY 17: 2/7
Greetings from Thailand! My name is Kylie Maher and I am a sophomore at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. This winter, I was given the once in a lifetime opportunity to explore Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket with some of my fellow IMBU classmates and my professor Dr. Ghosh. The trip so far has been both exhilarating and eye opening. I have found the similarities and differences of Thailand and the United States to be particularly interesting. For example, did you know that in Thailand they drive on the left side of the road? I have absolutely loved absorbing the culture here these last two weeks. One of my favorite things about this trip is trying new foods. I have really enjoyed the pad Thai and the curry chicken.
Today is February 7, 2023. Luckily, we didn’t have to check out of the hotel in Phuket until 11:00 and were able to sleep in as late as we liked. My alarm woke me up promptly at 9:30. From there I got out of bed and went down to breakfast. For breakfast I had toast, fried egg, and orange juice. Something about the orange juice here is so delicious. Everyone from MMA agrees it is significantly better than that of the United States. After breakfast I went back to my room where I got ready for the day and finished packing up my suitcase. At precisely 11:00 our group loaded into the vans and headed over to the airport. Things went very smoothly. At 14:40 our plane boarded and we landed at approximately 16:40. From there, the vans picked us up and we headed back to AIT. The ride lasted about and hour and practically everyone in my van slept. When we arrived back at AIT most of our group quickly stowed their suitcases in their room and went to eat dinner in the dining room. Immediately after eating everyone went back to their rooms to shower and sleep as it was a long travel day.
Now that I am back at AIT, I already miss Phuket. The beaches were absolutely beautiful and the nightlife was something out of a movie. I hope that one day I am able to return!
DAY 16: 2/6
Hello, My name is Logan Tsika, and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from East Freetown in Massachusetts and I graduated from Apponequet Regional High School.
Today, February 6th, we visited the Marine Office in Phuket as well as Phuket Deep Sea Port. At the Marine Office we learned about the various activities the office would be in charge of. For example, somebody working at the Marine office would be in charge of installing safety equipment at the ferry piers in Phuket, ensuring ship and passenger safety. Along with the Fisheries department, they are also responsible for regulating fishing, which includes setting boundaries for areas where it is legal to fish, or setting regulations for sizes of fish that are legal to catch. We were then brought downstairs to a control room which had cameras showing different spots being monitored in the water. We could see the passenger ship unloading from the cameras. They explained how they managed the shipping channels and communicated with ships.
After we finished learning about the Marine Office, we visited the Phuket Deep Sea Port. While we were there, we were given a brief slide show presentation followed by an interactive activity with the equipment used at the port. We learned that the largest exports from the port of Phuket are cardboard-like material to make furniture, rubber for tires and palm oil. That means there is heavy traffic through the port for export purposes. The other major activity is handling passengers. There is a huge tourist attraction in Thailand as well. Another type of ship that could be seen at the port were passenger ships. For example, while at the port, we saw a cruise ship unloading passengers into ferries at a distance. They had temporarily stopped passenger ships from visiting the port due to Covid but they have since resumed their operations in 2023. They have constructed a new building for receiving passengers.
Overall, it was a very informative day which we ended with visiting a view point from where we could see the entire expanse of Phuket.
DAY 15: 2/5
Sawasdee Khap everyone!
My name is James Cassidy and I am currently in my second year at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Weymouth, Massachusetts and graduated from Weymouth High School in 2021.
I’ve had an amazing experience so far in Thailand visiting Ports, maritime related businesses, and government departments during the day and discovering the best of the Thai culture during the evening. We are currently staying at the Patong Paragon hotel in Phuket. It is located just a short walk from the beach, street vendors, and many restaurants. We have been enjoying everything Phuket has to offer the last couple of days. We took a sightseeing and snorkeling tour to see and experience some of the most amazing beaches, islands, and waters in the world.
Today, Sunday, January 5th was day fourteen of our trip in Thailand. We visited Phuket old town where there is beautiful scenery, street vendors, and of course all different types of delicious foods. I ate some amazing chicken fried rice with egg for lunch. I also purchased some clothing and other unique Thai items to bring home as gifts for friends and family.
For the remainder of the day we returned to the hotel and enjoyed the clear waters of Patong beach.
Before signing off I would like to thank AIT and its staff along with Dr. Ghosh and everyone else who are part of this operation for working hard to make this trip happen.
Last but not least I’d like to wish my friend and fellow Buccaneer Men’s Lacrosse teammate Ryan Cameron a happy birthday!
Thank you! Go Bucs!
DAY 14: 2/4
Hello, my name is Jackson Van Gelder and I am a Sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Branford Connecticut and I graduated from Branford High School.
Today our day started at the Patong Paragon Resort & Spa in Phuket. They had a wonderful breakfast buffet for us. We left the hotel and headed to the marina. A tour boat took us to the beautiful Phi Phi Island, the ride was about an hour. They drove us out to the cliffs, where we went snorkeling and saw some amazing marine life. The water was luminous and the sun was shining all day.
After that, a feast was waiting for us. We ate lunch and then had extra time to explore the island. They had many little shops with souvenirs and so much more. One of the places we stopped at on the way back was this gorgeous tiny beach filled with locals.
We then headed back to the hotel where we celebrated two of our classmates birthdays. In my opinion today was the best day so far, I had such a good time visiting the island and soaking up all the sun.
Hello! My name is Samuel Huffman and I’m a Sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I am from Guilford, Connecticut and a graduate from Guilford High School.
Today we woke up at the Patong Paragon Resort and Spa in Phuket. An exhilarating boat ride from the marina took us to the cliffs where we snorkeled and saw some very cool ocean life. The water was crystal clear and it was full sun all day long. For lunch, we anchored on the beach front and walked along the shore side. There was a buffet with rice, chicken, noodles, and various other native fruits waiting for us. It is interesting to see how much the locals want to take photographs with our group.
After that, we traveled to another small beach front where some of us laid on the beach while others continue to snorkel. Then a short trip back to the main, we went back to the resort and celebrated two of our classmates birthdays, Dawson Rowe and Ryan Cameron!!
DAY 13: 2/3
Hello, My name is Lindsy Durgin and I am from Rochester, MA. I graduated from Old Rochester Regional High School in the year 2021 and am currently a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Recently I have had the opportunity to go on the 3 week Experiential Learning program to Thailand. Today I am writing about Day 12! Today we woke up at AIT and had two meetings that commenced at 8:30 this morning. Logan and Ari presented what the requirements should be for the final presentation. Each one of us now have a clear idea about the requirements of our presentation.
The second meeting with Thaniya was about the itinerary for our trip to Phuket this weekend and related planning. After these meetings we headed on our way to the airport for our flight to Phuket.
Unfortunately, there was a slight delay on our flight, however it wasn’t a problem because we still got there early enough to have a nice night on the town. The hotel is so beautiful and it’s right on Patong beach. I am really looking forward to learning about the Marine Department here and their operations on Monday. We also have some exciting activities planned for the weekend.
DAY 12: 2/2
Hello! I’m Jackson Foscaldo, a 2021 graduate from Medfield High School in Medfield, Massachusetts.
Today, we woke up at The Bayview Hotel in Pattaya and went downstairs for an early breakfast. Unfortunately, it was time to check out of the hotel and leave Pattaya. Everyone seemed to have a great time at Pattaya.
We then got into the vans to visit the Faculty of International Maritime Studies at Kasetsart University. We received a presentation on the education that they provide to their students which seemed to be very similar to the curriculum at Mass Maritime. They had departments like Nautical Science, Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture and Logistics. However, since it is a government institution, it was almost free to attend. Higher education support is a key government initiative in Thailand.
They also had a student from their maritime program present, so it was also interesting to compare our regiment and daily routines to theirs. They have a much longer orientation program which seemed to be quite intense. We were also able to see their 3D Printers used for ship design and their ship bridge simulator. They showed us their various research projects.
We stopped for lunch on the way and then went back to AIT, where we were given the rest of the day to relax and work on anything we may need to get done.
DAY 11, 2/1
Hello from Thailand!!!
My name is Adam Elesseily and I am a junior at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I graduated from International Schools of Choueifat, Cairo, Egypt in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. Never thought I would be in Thailand 3 years later. Today would be considered a late start compared to the other days as we are usually busy from 0730 to 1800. It was our second day in this beautiful city called Pattaya.
We are currently residing in a hotel next to the beach so we get blessed with gorgeous sunrise and sunset everyday. After everyone was ready, we took the vans that AIT provided us with throughout this trip to Laem Chabang Port Customs. We arrived at the office and were taken to their presentation room. They gave us Thai sweets and water as we started the presentation. The Laem Chabang port is the biggest Thai sea port that connects Thailand to neighboring countries. They have around 15 terminals and 3 private ports. The port covers 2572 acres and controls more than 50 warehouses. We also learned the technology they use in their terminals for container security. They have 3 main parts to it : Elock, MI, X-Ray. They all work together to ensure the safety of the good in the containers and make sure there aren’t any illegal business happening. They have different types of X-Ray machines which are Grayscale, which is the fastest, and 3Color System, which is slower because it shows the items inside. The 3Color System is interesting as it has certain items coded with a certain color. For example, metal is blue, inorganic items are green, and organic items are orange. They proceeded to show us photos of containers carrying illegal drugs and elephant tusks.
After we left the office, we went to have lunch by the water in a restaurant that serves home cooked meals. They had fried fish, salad, rice, and Thai noodles for us to enjoy. The weather was very nice as it was cool in the shade with some wind next to the water. After I ate, I went back to the van to talk to the drivers. Suddenly, a monkey showed up and was walking next to the van and then jumped on to the trees next to us!!
Then we left for a Ro/Ro terminal. We arrived there and they had a presentation ready for us. The terminal was huge as it was 248000 square meter with the capacity of holding up to 15,629 cars. It is a gateway for car exports as it exports 95% of vehicles and imports only 5%. It is advertised as “ The most advanced Ro/Ro terminal management system in Asia.” The best thing about the port is that it is very close to most car manufacturers as Mitsubishi is only 6 KM away. After we viewed the whole terminal from the roof, we made our way back to the hotel so we can rest and pack as we are leaving tomorrow. Today has been another beneficial day as we learned the day by day operations of both places. Can’t wait to see how the rest of the trip will play out.
DAY 10, 1/31
Hello from Thailand!!!
My name is Jack Estabrook and I am a sophomore at the International Maritime Business program at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in 2021.
Today was day 9 of the IMBU experiential learning trip. Today we were able to sleep in after our journey to Pattaya and start our day by leaving for Laem Chabang Port at 9:15am. Laem Chabang Port is the largest deep sea port in Thailand and a vital part of International trade for not just Thailand but the whole of Southeast Asia. We were shown a video of an overview of the port and how important it is to Thailand and international trade across the world. We were then given a brief presentation where they explained what imports and exports are handled in the port. They also explained how these imports and exports are transported depending on where they are going and what they are originating. Laem Chabang Port is accessible to the sea, road and rail making it extremely easy to move containers and other goods in and out of the port. To wrap up the presentation, they showed us their future plans in the next few years. They plan to build several new terminals by building two new piers extending out to the ocean.
After that we were fortunate enough to be able to visit the observation tower at the port. We went up to the twenty first floor where we could see the entire port. It was amazing to see how large the port is and actually grasp what goes into keeping the port and terminals organized and efficient. After spending some time at the top of the tower and asking thousands of questions we traveled down the street and ate lunch at a wonderful local Thai restaurant.
We returned to Laem Chabang Port after lunch and went to one of the many container terminals. We were quickly told about the operations of that specific terminal and how they transport the containers from Laem Chabang Port to Bangkok Port. We then traveled to the rail terminal and spoke with the director of the terminal. He gave us a brief explanation of the terminal and how it works. He was extremely informative about the entire port and specifically his terminal. One of the most interesting things we learned from him was that they have oil rigs next to the port.
Overall, I think out of all the days we have been here, today was the most interesting to just see and tour such a large and vital port. Now after a long day of learning and traveling to different terminals, it is time to go take a nap on Pattaya Beach.
DAY 9, 1/30
Hello, I’m Richard Pagliuca, a graduate of St. Mary’s of Lynn in Massachusetts.
After a nourishing Thai styled breakfast, we started off our day by visiting one of CPAll’s 42 distribution centers. CPAll is a major convenience store food and product distributor. Representatives of the company held a discussion where we were able to ask questions and learn more about their business practices. We learned that CPAll delivers to over thirteen thousand 7 Eleven stores across Thailand. After our discussion, we took a tour through two of the warehouses on the property. We saw the assembly line process live in action in front of our eyes. They use modern technology to enhance their picking systems to mitigate any possible human errors. It was humbling to see how hard they worked for the amount they earned.
After stopping for lunch, we went to the MongChang Cafe in Pattaya City. This is an elephant sanctuary that also has other unique animals such as gibbons, parrots, snakes, meerkats, goats, and water buffalos. As we toured, we watched an entertaining elephant show featuring dancers and traditional Thai music. After the show, we were fortunate enough to feed the animals ourselves with bananas and cucumbers. The highlight of the day were the elephant rides through a water trail. During the entire trip, we bonded with our group through many laughs.
Once we wrapped up our time with the animals, we checked into our hotel in Pattaya. It is right across the street from the beach, with a beautiful view. We settled ourselves in, then as a group, we went down to the pool to relax after our travel day. The icing on the cake was a surprise birthday party for Kylie.
I would like to thank the AIT Extension team at the Asian Institute of Technology for making this experiential learning trip possible. The first week has been such a memorable experience. I’m looking forward to the next two weeks, as there in much in store.
DAY 8, 1/29
Hi! My name is Gavin Davis. I am from Middleboro MA, and I am a graduate from Middleboro Highschool. Today is our 7th day in Thailand and we visited Khao Yai national park. We started our day early at 6:30 AM and on the way we saw beautiful mountains, wildlife, and strawberry farms that we stopped at to try the fresh fruit.
After 2 hours we arrived at our destination to start our hike. We adventured through the jungle, going up and down steep trails, over and under logs, and even balanced on a log to cross a stream. The wildlife we saw included monkeys, deer, fishing owls, and other birds. After we finished our hike, we all had lunch together at a nearby cafeteria.
On the drive back, we stopped at a temple and saw many cute dogs and also stopped at a fruit market where I tried jackfruit for the first time.
Today was an extremely enjoyable day that we are all very grateful for and we are extremely excited to leave for Pattaya tomorrow!
DAY 7, 1/28
Hello Everyone! My name is Dawson Rowe and I graduated from Hingham High School in Hingham Massachusetts. In this past week, I have had an amazing experience here in Thailand, understanding the different maritime affiliated businesses and culture. It amazes me how different it is compared to the United States of America.
Today we started off the day with breakfast which included salad, hard boiled eggs, and fruit. We then went to the Grand Palace in central Bangkok to learn more about the Buddhist Religion. It was unbelievable to see such large beautiful buildings where the Thai people come to pray, wishing for a long, peaceful and monastic life.
After the Grand Palace, we went to Chatuchak weekend market where all of us got to eat lunch. I ate a delicious chicken kabob wrap. Many of us purchased clothing, artifacts and gifts to give to our families, and beautiful artwork. As the afternoon wrapped up we reached the Asian Institute of Technology, our place of stay.
The AIT representative Mr.Chok was extremely helpful in providing us with the best assistance in our learning experience that we are all very thankful for. This experiential learning trip has been incredible and I am looking forward to continuing this remarkable experience.
DAY 6, 1/27
Hello!
My name is Charlie Pugh and I am a sophomore at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I attended Milton High School and currently am fortunate enough to be participating in the IMBU experiential learning trip in Thailand. Today we started our day off with breakfast provided by AIT where we are staying. Our first trip was to the Marine Department of Thailand.
When we arrived, we were given an informative presentation on the Marine Department. They reviewed water transport infrastructure development, seafarer standards, and marine safety. The marine department of Thailand is focused on the future,developing smart piers with modern technology and architecture. They then brought us to their Maritime Safety and Surveillance Operation center fitted with state of the art technology and data software.
After that we headed for the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI). We were warmly welcomed and were given an overview of how the Board tries to attract foreign investment into Thailand. They went into details of Thailand’s economy and investment relations between the USA and Thailand. With informative statistics we were able to visualize how important Thai trade truly is to the USA. We then learned more about the Investment Promotions they have paired with incentives to drive economic growth within Thailand.
I am truly grateful for the presentations we were able to view today. I am very motivated by Thailand’s focus on the future and innovation. I plan to bring the same approach home when I return.
DAY 5, 1/26
Hello everyone,
My name is Logan King. I attended Old Rochester Regional High school. Today marks the 5th day of our experiential learning journey in Thailand. So far I have enjoyed learning about the culture and having the opportunity to understand how the other half of the world lives. Today we went to the port authority of Thailand where we had the opportunity to go onto a Thai dredging vessel. We learned how dredging operations work in the port of Bangkok and we received a better understanding of the equipment used in these operations. We then went out to lunch at Nittaya Kai Yang where we had chicken, rice, and some other unique cuisines. The second half of the day, took us to the inland container depot in Latrabang. We learned about the inland terminal operations for containers and how there facilities are laid out. Following this we visited the Wat Suthat temple. The Wat Suhat Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok. The temple was very cool! To end the day we attended a Muay Thai fight in Bangkok. This was my first Muay Thai fight. Watching Muay Thai helped us compare U.S boxing to boxing in Thailand. Watching the fighting was very interesting and we all had a fun night.
All the events we have been able to participate in couldn’t have been planned without the support from AIT and specifically Thaniya. Thaniya has been a fantastic resource throughout the trip. I couldn’t be more thankful for her hospitality and support throughout our trip. AIT has a great team of staff that cares a lot about the MMA students which has allowed us to have 5 successful engaging days.
Overall, I’m looking forward to the next 2 weeks and I’m excited to learn more about the culture and the maritime business aspects of Thailand!
DAY 4, 1/25
Hi! My name is Brett Nielsen and I am from Haddam, Connecticut. My high school is Haddam-Killingworth high school located in between Haddam and Killingworth. Today, we woke up quite early to set out for the Port Authority of Thailand where we learned about their operations and how they plan to improve in future. After a meeting with their leadership, we headed off to see where they train their crane operators and got to try out their simulator and learning equipment.After that, we went to the Thai Customs Academy and learned what they were all about and their operations. We asked a lot of questions in both places.Then we decided to go to the Mall and I was quite intrigued by the mall petting zoo where there were bunnies, pigs, goats, large reptiles and even parrots.I’m very excited for what comes next in this experiential learning program both business-wise and culturally. I still have so much to learn and I’m ready.
DAY 3, 1/24
Hi! My name is Allie Dickinson and I am from Kingston, Massachusetts. I attended Silver Lake Regional High School before coming to Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Our group is currently on our third day in Thailand. We were granted with the opportunity to get off campus and visit SCG Logistics Management Co. in Bangkok. I was pleased to hear the differences between traditional logistics, green logistics and multimodal logistics. I was able to relate this back to the classes we are taking now at the Academy. Later that afternoon we had a session on climate change. It was a pleasure to be able to meet with Prof. Dr. Joyashree Roy and hear her take on issues in climate change and it’s impact on maritime operations. I am grateful to be given the opportunity to talk with such a highly educated Professor in Thailand and I am also grateful to be furthering my education in Thailand for 3 weeks. I am excited to meet with new people and learn more about the culture of this beautiful country and the representatives of maritime business.
DAY 2: 1/23
Hi Everyone, My name is Nathan McDermott. I went to Bridgewater Raynham Regional Highschool. Today we had our opening ceremony with Asian Institute of Technology with all of the senior leadership of their school. Each student was treated with the utmost respect and we all could not be more thankful for how welcoming everyone is to us. Later in the day, we had our first lecture on “Logistics and supply chain market trend in Thailand”, from Mr. Chalermsak Karnchanawarin, Secretariat, Thai International Freight Forwarders Association (TIFFA) Executive Director, Triple I Logistics (Public) Co., Ltd. We learned more about the diverse international supply chain, specifically how Thailand’s economy has changed since the devaluation of the Baht (Thailand Currency) in 1997. After the day’s lecture we went to the Future Mall and Market. We enjoyed Thai food and culture in the market. I am really looking forward to the rest of our trip!
DAY 1: 1/22
Hi! My name is Ari Damery and I am from Plympton, Massachusetts. My high-school is Silver Lake Regional located in Kingston, MA. We just arrived in Thailand and it is beautiful. After our 18 hours of flying we were so ready to start our adventure. We were greeted at the airport by the Asian Institute of Technology’s advisor Mr. Chok. He has been wonderful in helping us transition to this new culture. The students have expressed how excited and grateful they are to be here. We have lots of academic sessions planned and places to visit in the upcoming weeks. I am most excited for the warm weather and meeting all sorts of new people.
