Student Cultural Groups: THAIGERS

Few student organizations are founded based on a pun discovered over a casual dinner conversation, but THAIGERS, the Thai students’ organization founded in 2013, is a happy exception. “We were just playing around with puns that we could use as the name, if we were to start an organization for Thai students,” co-founder and co-president Bee Xuto ’16 said in an emailed interview.

“We’ve pretty much stuck by the original goals we set out when THAIGERS was founded, which were to promote Thai culture [and] awareness on campus, and to be a platform which could better unite the Thai students on campus and to warmly welcome new Thai students,” Xuto said. “Oh, and to get to eat awesome Thai food.”

Less than two years after its founding, THAIGERS now has five officers and 10 very involved members, including three graduate students. “Most of the regular members are Thai … and we tend to speak Thai to each other quite a lot,” Xuto explained.

While this is in line with the group’s missions to foster a community for Thai students on campus, THAIGERS also does not neglect its goals of sharing Thai culture with the Princeton community. Their inaugural event, “Pad Thaigers,” attracted over 100 attendees.

In addition, the group co-hosts and participates in numerous cultural events throughout the year, including TASA’s “Night Market” during Preview weekend. “Our booth always sells out very fast,” Xuto said. “People just can’t get enough of ’em Thai food, you know?”

Looking into the future, Xuto said on behalf of co-founder and co-president Pai Pangsrivongse ’16 that their joint goal is to ensure the continuance of the THAIGERS community after the two of them graduate. “When we first entered Princeton, there wasn’t really a network or support system for Thai students. Most of the Thais didn’t know each other,” he said. “Now though, with THAIGERS events and a Thai Language Table in Forbes every Friday dinner … the Thai underclassmen and upperclassmen are much closer.”

According to Xuto, there are only 12 students of Thai or part-Thai origin on campus right now. Given the relatively small number, Xuto explained that he and Pangsrivongse are proud to see how their work has brought together this community. “Also, our name still remains pretty badass. We’re pretty proud of that,” he said.