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The interpretation of dreams
Masiri Anamarn puts her language skills to use as a
law enforcement translator
Published: 24/06/2013 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Life
INTERVIEW
Masiri Anamarn grew up with a passion to make society better. It's in her blood, she says, as her father, Chaisiri Anamarn, worked tirelessly as Thai ambassador in other
countries, and his commitment inspired her to do something for her country as well.
Her father's work took her to many countries, and therefore she grew up speaking both Thai and English, before settling down in Thailand again during her teens.
"I have always loved languages, and thankfully I had the chance to use both Thai and English growing up, and now I have the chance to use both for the benefit of my country,"
said Masiri, who now works as an interpreter for the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok.
Her name might be more recognised in the film industry, having translated the subtitles of numerous movies since she was a university student. Nowadays she is perhaps more
well-known as one of the ambassadors of Pond's Age Miracle, due to her youthful face. Still, her true passion lies in this brain-crunching job which requires her to listen,
memorise, think and talk at the same time.
Masiri, a social worker at heart, studied for her bachelor's degree at Thammasat University's Faculty of Social Administration. There, she discovered her true passion for
humanitarian work, and finally continued to study for her Master's in Gender Studies at the University of Sussex. She worked at the Ministry of Labour for seven years before
joining ILEA _ a multinational police training centre with an emphasis on the rule of law, strengthening partnerships and cooperation among law enforcement communities of Asia.
The programmes are conducted in English, so interpretation is needed for Thai policemen to understand the content clearly.
"I wanted to use my skills to help our society develop, and coincidentally, this opportunity came up. To me, this is a way to serve my country, and also to do what I do best," said
Masiri.
The topics that she has to interpret include money laundering, arson, border control management and human trafficking, to name a few.
There are only three Thai interpreters at the institute, and Masiri considers herself lucky to be in this challenging work that gives her a rush of satisfaction every time.
"As an interpreter, I have to listen, think and speak simultaneously, usually with difficult terms and jargon that most people outside the law enforcement circle might not be familiar
with. I consider myself a facilitator, and it is my responsibility to get the message across as perfectly as possible. It requires extremely high concentration, and that's why an
interpreter needs a break after 20 minutes of work," said Masiri. She said the secret to her success in work is sleep _ she always makes sure she gets enough sleep every night,
otherwise she cannot focus on her job. "I need my eight hours. Don't underestimate the power of sleep!"
This intense job is, however, also amazingly rewarding. Masiri said she feels happy every time she sees that the students understand the content, knowing they will put the
knowledge to good use for society.
She said she is "high" on her job, even though it has been almost a year now, and she feels blessed that she can help society by doing what she loves.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/print/356638/ 11/9/15, 16:48
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Meanwhile, she also inevitably learns more about what happens in the world of criminals. Explicit, graphic materials are, naturally, a part of the work, and the courses involve the
dark side of human beings such as terrorism and child trafficking.
"From time to time, the content does stress me out because my job deals with a lot of negative information. I won't say it's depressing, but it makes me more realistic about this
world. I try not to let it get me down. Exercise helps a lot," said Masiri.
She noted that law enforcement circle is still dominated by males, but positive changes are under way. There are leadership programmes for women, and more of them are
recognised in the circle. "And, of course, my fellow interpreters and I are also female. Most of the incredible interpreters I've known are usually female, so I think women definitely
have made an impact."
In the future, she wants to be a more well-rounded interpreter, and ultimately, she hopes to continue working for society, especially concerning women's issues. "With skills
development, women can have much better lives and contribute so much more to our society. I hope I can be a part of it, and I really want to see positive changes."
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