Montree Phongpaew

It can no longer be said that only Chinese students find their way to Leuven. The intake of students from Southeast Asia is also on the rise. July 2009, Thai Montree Phongpaew was officially awarded a Master of Industrial Sciences in Electronics Engineering, with a focus in Intelligent Electronics. He arrived at Group T in 2006, first following a prep program and then successfully completing the Bachelor and Master programs.

Professional experience
Montree had already started a career before coming to Group T. He had studied Electrical Engineering for two years at the King Mongkot Institute of Technology North Bangkok in Thailand. In 1997 he went on to work at the Thai establishment Celestica Limited as a testing engineer.

“The company produces a wide range of electrical and electronic equipment, from teleconferencing equipment to medical devices and wireless communication boards. In Thailand, it’s one of the top ten in this business,” But after 2000, technology entered the digital millennium. Montree decided he’d have to go back to school.

Anticipating
Engineering programs in Thailand are by definition full-time, thus it wasn’t possible for Montree to work part-time and study part-time. “Really, I could just as easily go abroad to study further. Technology, the economy and business life are becoming more international and more global day by day, that was what I wanted to anticipate.”

Flexibility
“I first considered going to Germany, but after looking at the program more closely, it was not compatible enough with my previous education in Thailand,” Montree continues. “People at Group T were much more flexible. A special preparatory program would set me on the right track and ensure a smooth transition. This worked out very well. Group T’s profile also appealed to me: broader, more versatile, less fragmented and specialized than in Germany.”

Another world
At Group T, Montree entered another world. There was the switch back to the lecture room after working in a company for nine years, but there were also new teaching and study methods. “The engineering program in Thailand is much more theoretical than in Belgium,” Montree observes.

“Group T, for example, has more lab time, more equipment, and a better infrastructure. Their engineers not only receive a broader education, thanks to their practical experience, but they are also better and more broadly employable in companies. If you ask them to design or build a system, then they can start right away. As a Group T engineer, you have a head start.”

Safe and clean
Montree arrived in Leuven on a Sunday. “What struck me was how quiet the streets were. It was as though the residents had all left en masse. The next day, I knew better. Full streets, countless cyclists, students everywhere ready and raring to go room-hunting.” He calls Leuven a “safe, clean and hospitable city.” He quickly made friends, Thai, Flemish, and Chinese.

Returning home
After three years, Montree is going back to Bangkok. He already has a clear plan in mind. First a couple of years gaining manufacturing experience in a company, followed by consulting work in the electronics sector. And then, for the crowning glory, starting up his own consultancy company. “In five to six years, that will have to be a fact,” he confirms.

But there are other good reasons why Montree cannot wait to get home again. His wife and son are waiting for him there. His son is a year old and Montree only knows him from photos and short films over the internet. “Getting my Master’s degree at Group T was a great moment, but taking my wife and son in my arms, that’s so much more. It is the beginning of a new life, a masterly new start.”
 

• Read the full story of Group T's first Thai Master in the 2009 Fall-issue of Interview, Group T's periodical.

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