To continue expanding globally, Webster U. opened Cha-am, its Thailand campus in the small town of Hua Hin, in 1999. Seven years later, the country experienced a military coup d’état that would spawn a series of political protests in years to follow.

Cha-am, located in rural Thailand 185 kilometers outside of Bangkok, would remain uninvolved and unharmed from the crises lingering over the developing country.

“In reality, what the (Thai) government does really won’t affect the campus,” said communications professor Kit Jenkins, former Cha-am campus director. “It’s the perception from the outsiders, from the news, that it’s a dangerous place to be. It’s a misconception.”

The political crises began in September 2006. Then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted from office in a cou. It would take two years for a new prime minister to take his place. Abhisit Vejjajiva took over in December 2008 and many Thai people expected him to bring the political crisis, and corruption, to an end.

In March 2010, supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin revolted against Vejjajiva in violent protests in Bangkok. The protests yielded more than 50 deaths, many of which were protesters themselves. The protesters are officially known as the Red Shirts or UDD – United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship.

Cha-am Rector and Campus Director Ratish Thakur said a constant power struggle exists within the Thai government and that the attempt of a democracy comes with a price.

“Thailand is a democracy that is evolving,” Thakur said. “They have elections. A party gets elected, comes to power, generally tries to take maximum advantage and ultimately abuses the system.”

In turn, a vicious cycle of corrupt politicians looking for wealth and power come in and out of office, ultimately ruining any chance of a legitimate democracy. Thus, anti-government protests arise.

“We’ve had demonstrations this year which were probably more violent than even Thai society expects, or even tolerates,” Thakur said. “If you look at Thailand over the last 30 years or so, political protests are normal, just not usually violent. This was the exception.”

Though violence was a factor in this year’s protests, both Thakur and Jenkins agree that the reporting done on the protests was unbalanced and an exaggerate of the truth.

“When we look deeper and we see the situation in Thailand and then compare it with what is reported on the news, there seems to be no relationship to what is really happening,” Thakur said.

But the question remains – are the country and the campus a secure place to send students looking to study abroad? Jenkins said there is a wide divide between the political going-ons and the everyday life of the Thai people. Many citizens aren’t directly affected by the politics and the protests. This includes the students who choose to study at Cha-am.

“I felt very safe at the campus from the political situation,” said Stela Moric, a senior international studies major, who spent this past spring at Cha-am. “The school sent out text messages to our cell phones regarding any bad situation. They would inform, or rather warn, us that going to Bangkok was not in our best interest.”

Thakur said the campus strictly advises students to stay away from the protests. “We don’t want students in areas near the protests,” he said. “We send out very strong information … telling them not to get involved.”

He said many Thai students aren’t really interested in getting involved with the politics and the protests anyway. “Most of the time they stay away and avoid areas of trouble,” he said.

Unfortunately for the campus, many parents won’t send their students overseas to Thailand for fear of their childrens’ safety. Jenkins said much of the coverage on the current political crises has given students in the States a bad impression of Cha-am and all it has to offer.

“The campus is on the beach by the sea in an Asian, Buddhist culture that is so different,” Jenkins said. “Thai people have a different idea of time, a different of life. These are the things you don’t see on TV.”

Not only is Thailand culturally breath-taking, but the campus and the cost of living is relatively cheap compared to the Geneva and London campuses.

“In Thailand, you can eat for three dollars a day and eat well,” Jenkins said. Thakur said students studying abroad in Thailand will experience a culture shock of a different kind. “The food is different,” he said. “The sights, sounds and smells are different. It’s not what students expect.”

Fortunately for the campus, there are still interested students who are excited for a chance to study abroad at Cha-am. Mallory Hannecke, a junior public relations major, will be attending classes at the Thailand campus in the spring.

“I knew I wanted to go abroad and, to me, Thailand seemed like the most different and adventurous place,” she said. “If I’m going away, I want it to be somewhere really different.”

Hannecke explained that she and her parents aren’t too concerned about the current crises plaguing Thailand’s political system, especially after they spoke with a campus counselor regarding all the efforts Cha-am takes to keep their students happy and safe.

“I’m not really concerned about it,” she said. “I’ll just be more careful and pay attention to what’s going on in the news and around me. I’ll be more aware.”

To top it off, Thakur has the honor of boasting a recent appraisal mentioned through CNN about the Thailand campus.

“According to CNN, Cha-am was ranked as the safest place in Thailand,” he said.