Doctorates in International Affairs & Cultural Tourism

Symonekeo Sensathith Thomas ("Keo")

Experienced educator and consultant in international development bridging the specialties of climate adaptation, cultural tourism, and community empowerment: propagating experience from the Mekong region at the global scale

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Symonekeo S. Thomas

About Me

I am an experienced educator and researcher with over 18 years in higher education and consulting, specializing in international relations, cultural tourism, climate adaptation, social justice, & international development. I have proven successful in managing complex projects for major national, inter-governmental, and non-governmental organizations, including the National University of Laos, the World Bank, the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS, and the Natural Heritage Institute.

My work is driven by a deep commitment to equitable access and support for historically underrepresented and marginalized communities, with experience in multilingual instruction, culturally responsive teaching, inclusive project design, and monitoring and evaluation.

18+ Years in Education

Higher education teaching & research

Mekong Region Expert

Extensive fieldwork across Southeast Asia

18+ Publications

Journals, books & conference papers

International Development Consultant

World Bank and Japan International Cooperation System

Pak Ou Caves, Luang Prabang, Laos UXO remnants in the field Hoi An, Vietnam — cultural heritage site Fieldwork with local communities

Professional Experience

A career dedicated to research, teaching, and community impact across international borders.

2006 – 2020

Lecturer & Deputy Director of Research

National University of Laos — Faculty of Social Sciences

  • Lectured on International Cultural Tourism, International Relations, Human Relations, Ecotourism
  • Supervised 30+ undergraduate and graduate theses across cultural tourism, politics, sociology, and HR management
  • Established partnerships with the World Bank Group, Natural Heritage Institute, Swisscontact, and JICA
  • Delivered conference presentations on cultural heritage tourism across Asia and Europe
National University of Laos
2019 – 2025

Member, Tourism Studies Working Group

University of California, Berkeley

  • Conducted research and presented paper on International Cultural Tourism of Lao PDR, Japan and Vietnam
  • Collaborative scholarship across interdisciplinary teams
2013 – 2018

Visiting Lecturer

Soutsaka Institute of Technology — Lao PDR

  • Lectured on English language, International Business, and the Politics of Lao PDR
Soutsaka Institute of Technology
2019 – 2022

Consultant and Researcher

Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) — Vientiane, Laos

  • Conducted "The Socio-Economic Household Survey on Accelerating the Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance in the Southern Region of the Lao PDR (FY 2018)," funded by Japanese grant aid
Japan International Cooperation System
April – December 2018

Consultant and Researcher

The World Bank Group — Washington, D.C.

  • Completed data collection and analysis for "Civil Registrations in Lao PDR: Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Registrations"
The World Bank Group
2016 – 2018

Government Relations Coordinator

Natural Heritage Institute — San Francisco, USA

  • Arranged and facilitated high-level briefings of Lao government ministries on "Sustainable Hydropower Master Plan in Lao PDR"
Natural Heritage Institute
2017 – 2018

Consultant and Data Collection Trainer

World Bank Group, Swisscontact & Enterprise & Development Consultants — Vientiane, Laos

  • Surveyed "Demand and Barrier Assessment of Nature-Based Eco-Tourism in Lao PDR"
  • Contributed to "Development and Implementation of a Social Accounting Matrix to assess the impact of nature-based tourism/tourism projects and their pro-poor impact"
World Bank / Swisscontact
July – September 2014

Visiting Professor

Mahidol University — Phutthamonthon, Thailand

  • Completed research and published "The Impact of Tourism Policies Toward the Tourists Arrival in ASEAN: A Case Study of Lao PDR"
Mahidol University
2014 – 2015

Visiting Professor

Sejong University, College of Hospitality and Tourism — Seoul, South Korea

  • Completed research and published "The Relationship between the Preservation of World Heritage Sites and the Development of Tourism Destinations in Lao PDR: A Case Study of the Town of Luang Prabang"
Sejong University

Education

Advanced degrees from leading Universities in the U.S., Japan, and Vietnam.

2023 – 2025

Doctor of International Affairs

Johns Hopkins University, SAIS — Washington, D.C.

Thesis: Learning from Experience to Improve Climate Adaptation under the UNFCCC: A Case Study of the Mekong Delta

2010 – 2013

Ph.D. in International Cultural Tourism

Rikkyo University — Tokyo, Japan

Dissertation: An Ethnographic Study on Tourism and Heritage in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR

2007 – 2009

M.A. in International Relations

Ritsumeikan University — Kyoto, Japan

Thesis: Tourism Promotion Policy Comparison: Luang Prabang vs Kyoto

1999 – 2003

B.A. in International Relations

Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam — Hanoi, Vietnam

Focus: International Relations and International Economy

Research & Publications

Selected peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and research papers.

 Books & Book Chapters

1

Thomas, S. (2026). "Learning from Experience to Improve Climate Adaptation: How Evaluation Flaws Leave the Most Vulnerable Behind in Vietnam's Mekong Delta," in Flood, S. & Rogan, F. (Eds.), Energy, Climate and the Environment, Palgrave Macmillan. (In press).

2

Thomas, S. and McKnight, S. (2022). "Gender and Race in the US Economy." (Draft: Ancillary Textbook Project for College of Marin.)

3

Senesathith, S. and Pathoummalangsy, C. (2009). "Hospitality Skills", National University of Laos, L'Equilivre Association, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.

 Journal Articles & Research Papers

1

Thomas, S. (2025). "Learning from experience to improve climate adaptation under the UNFCCC: A case study of the Mekong Delta." Johns Hopkins University Library.

2

Thomas, S., Mills, S., Lee, K.J., Bouldam, & S. Onsy, S. (2025). "Barriers to and facilitators of civil registration in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: A qualitative study." Journal of Population Research, 42(1), Article 5.

3

Thomas, S. (2022). "Final report: The survey of the socio-economic impact of UXO removal on households in Salavan, Sekong, and Champasak Provinces, Lao PDR." Japan International Cooperation System.

4

Senesathith, S. (2017). "The impact of tourism policies on tourist arrival in ASEAN: A case study of Lao PDR." ASEAN Journal of Management and Innovation, 4(2).

5

Senesathith, S. (2016). "The relationship between the preservation of world heritage sites and the development of tourism destinations in Lao PDR." Journal of Tourism and Leisure Research, 3.

6

Senesathith, S. (2017). "Cultural heritage for sustainable tourism: A comparative study on Luang Prabang Town and Hoi An." In Critical Issues for Sustainable Tourism Development in Southeast Asia (pp. 259-276).

7

Senesathith, S. (2011). "A new emergence of tourism in Lao PDR for the two decades." Journal of Ritsumeikan Social Sciences and Humanities, 3.

 Doctoral Theses & Dissertations

1

Thomas, S. (2025). Learning from Experience to Improve Climate Adaptation under the UNFCCC: A Case Study of the Mekong Delta. Doctoral thesis, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, D.C.   Download PDF

2

Senesathith, S. (2013). An Ethnographic Study on Tourism and Heritage in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. Doctoral dissertation, Rikkyo University, College of Tourism, Tokyo, Japan.   Download PDF

Skills & Expertise

Core competencies spanning research, education, and international development.

Research & Analysis

  • Ethnographic Research Methods
  • Qualitative & Quantitative Research
  • Fieldwork & Data Analysis
  • SPSS & Conjointly

Education & Mentorship

  • Curriculum Development
  • Thesis Supervision (30+)
  • Multilingual Instruction
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching

Stakeholder Engagement

  • Communication & Collaboration
  • Public Speaking
  • Community Empowerment
  • Policy Recommendation

Climate & Development

  • Climate Adaptation Finance
  • Energy Transition & Justice
  • Sustainable Tourism Practices
  • International Development

Cultural Heritage & Tourism

  • UNESCO Cultural Heritage
  • ASEAN Master Trainer (Tourism)
  • Ecotourism Strategy
  • Heritage Site Preservation

Technical & Tools

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • SPSS Statistical Software
  • Conjointly Platform
  • Editorial & Visual Design

Languages

Lao

Native

English

Professional Level

Vietnamese

Professional Level

Thai

Professional Level

Japanese

Conversational