An entrepreneur with his own company in the sustainable food sector, Jan Rommerskirchen, a Swiss national born in Thailand, was looking for an opportunity to expand his professional and personal network and open his career horizons in Southeast Asia. After searching for business programs in the region, he chose the full-time MBA program at Sasin School of Management. “Sasin has the ranking and reputation as well as the accreditations that are necessary for an MBA program. After I graduate, I might go back to work in Europe, so it is important to have these accreditations,” he said. One of the main reasons people want to join an MBA program is to work in and develop their family businesses, but for Jan this isn’t an option in his future. “Although I don’t plan to work in a corporate for the rest of my life, I can imagine gaining further work experience in a company after graduating from Sasin. In the long term, however, I would like to start another company. Maybe even in Thailand.” The cost of living in Thailand is also a big plus in choosing Sasin as an MBA program. A person can choose from an affordable lifestyle to an expensive one depending on their budget. Talking with exchange students, Jan found out that most students in Thailand spend between 35,000 to 100,000 Thai Baht per month or around 1,100 to 3000 baht per day. There are also other expenses like health insurance and retirement funds to be considered. Thailand is known for its notorious traffic jams, but Jan said he only pays 200 Baht on average per day for commuting in Thailand. “I walk as much as possible if the distance is under 1 kilometer, and for distances of 5 kilometers or above, I take a motorbike, taxi, or the MRT or BTS,” he said. Jan currently lives in Chulalongkorn University International House, the campus residence that is only a two-minute walk from Sasin.

“All subjects are designed for young entrepreneurs and people who want to become managers in corporate. If someone outside of Thailand has the intention to do business in Thailand or surrounding countries- studying in Sasin is certainly the right choice. You get not only the business lectures, but you also get insights into culture and market conditions,” – Jan Rommerskirchen, MBA 2022

Pickpockets or crime in general may be a concern when studying abroad, but Thailand is one of the safest places in the world. Jan attested to that, saying that he had never encountered any dangerous situations walking late at night. Jan also noted that the quality of life in Thailand exceeded his expectations. “The food you get here is outstanding. You really must be unlucky to get bad-tasting food. And the variety of food in Bangkok is unbeaten. The same applies to the leisure and sports activities Thailand offers. Bangkok is the perfect location for going to the mountains or the sea or visiting neighboring countries,” said Jan. When things become too chaotic, Jan always finds time to go hiking or to the beach. “Everyone thinks that Bangkok is super busy, but it also has its calm places,” said Jan. His best experiences in Thailand are going to the beach at Koh Lipe and Koh Kood, seeing the beautiful landscapes in Isan, and hiking in Chiang Mai. In addition to the lower cost of living and the flexible lifestyle, Jan, who is convinced that ESG and contributing to the UN’s SDGs should be part of every entrepreneurial activity, likes that Sasin teaches the value of sustainability in most of its courses. Although he only started the MBA program last August, Jan believes he can apply what he learned to his future professional career.