A career as an accountant typically evokes images of a nine-to-five schedule predominantly spent behind a desk and confronted with an array of spreadsheets and numbers. Whilst that’s certainly the case some of the time for Jiraporn Srisakul, head of the accounting and finance division for the Population and Community Development Association in Thailand, her day-to-day involves so much more and differs vastly from being an accountant in other industries, she says.
“At PDA, [I have] opportunities to go out with field staff and observe what they do, how they improve people’s lives, and see project progress firsthand,” Srisakul shared from Bangkok’s Condoms & Cabbages cafe, which supports the PDA’s programs through its profits.
She said her role at an NGO involves cross-country travel and learning about development trends and the inner workings of specific projects. For PDA, those projects span health, agriculture, economic development, women’s rights, and disaster relief across Thailand.
About the author
Rebecca L. Root
Rebecca L. Root is a freelance reporter for Devex based in Bangkok. Previously senior associate & reporter, she produced news stories, video, and podcasts as well as partnership content. She has a background in finance, travel, and global development journalism and has written for a variety of publications while living and working in Bangkok, New York, London, and Barcelona.
