Pongphisoot Busbarat

Meet Ajarn Pongphisoot Busbarat (Paul), a leading scholar of international relations whose work helps students understand power, identity, and strategic choice in the Indo-Pacific.

Before joining the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University, Ajarn Paul served as a civil servant at the Office of the National Security Council (NSC), where he worked on national security assessments and international strategic analysis. This experience informs his teaching, offering students valuable insight into how foreign and security policy decisions are examined and formulated within the state.

His academic journey spans world-class institutions: a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from the Australian National University, an M.Phil. in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge, an M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University, and a First-Class Honors degree in International Relations from Chulalongkorn University.

Ajarn Paul’s research is widely respected in academic and policy circles. His work explores how Southeast Asian states navigate geopolitical rivalry, how ideas and identity shape foreign-policy choices, and how Thailand positions itself in a changing regional landscape. As a mentor, he cultivates rigorous thinking, analytical clarity, and a deeper understanding of Asia’s strategic environment.

He currently serves as Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS Thailand), a leading center that contributes to national and regional debates on security, strategy, and foreign-policy direction. He is also currently appointed as a member of Thailand’s ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons (ARF EEPs).