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This workshop is related to the two new colloborative research projects that have started this year, that is "Entrepreneurship in East Asia: Political, Economic, Social and Cultural" and "Changing "Families" in East Asia."

Many countries in Southeast Asia have a history of military rule or strong military influence over government. Today, military or former military leaders continue to influence the destiny of some SE Asian nations up to the highest levels. Given that many of these leaders have been molded in military academies, it is in the interest of society to inquire into and enhance the education and training conducted by these institutions.

Most military academies in SE Asia were patterned after western models. Even today, some SE Asian academies continue to look westward for new initiatives in training. It is axiomatic that while much can be learned from the west, training should be adapted to the local context. Hence, it would be helpful for SE Asian military academies to revisit their training paradigms, whether these are still relevant to their culture and current needs, and consistent with strengthening democracy, stability, and cooperation in the region.

One reason, perhaps, for the readiness of SE Asian military academies to follow western models is the abundance of information on western military academies books, films, studies, government reports while the literature on any Asian military academy training model have been scarce or impenetrable. This study aims to help alleviate the dearth of information by documenting the training methods and traditions of four SE Asian military academies and the defense academy of Japan with a view towards determining the best practices in training for Asian military academies.

Since the 1980s the word "phrasong nak phatthana" (development monks) has been used by some sociological and anthropological researchers to evaluate monks' development leadership in the Northern and Northeastern regions of Thailand. The development monks, at that time, conducted many social and economic activities such as religious training to provide guidelines for people to abandon bad demeanor, establishing child care center, setting up rice bank, water-buffalo bank, credit union, self-help organization, and so on. Some development monks also conserved the traditional medicine and magical techniques for healing people. These projects have been referred to as social and human development and have been viewed as alternative, because approach to development in contemporary Thailand has been changing from driving economic-growth development to supporting social and human development, strengthening community participation and empowerment, promoting self-sufficiency, and profiting by traditional knowledge and folk wisdom.

The purpose of this presentation is not only to discuss the role of development monks as an alternative approach to community development in the Northeast, but also to examine the concept of 'development monks' through the historical and social contexts in which monks have been involved in development discourse. To define the concept of 'development monks' in Thailand precisely enables us to understand the role of monks' leadership in community development. This study uses long-term field data since the early 1980s to clarify the connection between development programs and the participation of monks and the Sangha, and the relationship between the monks' community development and practical Buddhism.

The Lao PDR with its limited resource has been striving to preserve its rich but fragile tangible and intangible cultural heritage. My paper will present how this work has been undertaken and how it has benefited from networking with international communities and organizations. This will be illustrated by four on-going projects.

1. How the conservation of Monuments and Sites is currently structured and implemented in Laos?
2. Luang Prabang inscribed on the list of World Heritage Site in 1995; conservation of built heritage, landscape and living cultural traditions. This site is threatened by a booming tourism and modern urbanisation practices.
3. Vat Phou and its Associated Monuments within the Champasak Cultural Landscape, inscribed in the list of World Heritage Site in 2002. This complex is made of groups of stone monuments, buried brick structures and two abandoned cities (5th-13th c. AD); they are to be preserved altogether with their natural environment. The whole site is comprised of 390 sq km.
4. The Plain of Jars; more than 50 sites with a total of 1,750 stone jars, scattered within the whole Xieng Khuang Province. They represent the unique Megalithic culture which flourished 2,500 years ago. The community-based conservation has been proven as the best solution since vandalism could be brought down. Candidate to be listed as a World Heritage Site.
5. Conservation of Menhirs at Hua Pan Province. This site is of Stonehenge’s style and is approximately 3,000 years old. They are damaged by nature and by vandalism. The community-based concept has been applied.