Samson's current research topic concerns how the way people talk about crime in newspapers, crime fiction, police reports, court documents, and other media have affected the development and practice of criminal law in Thailand.

Prior to studying history, Samson received a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning, also at Cornell. After that, he worked for almost 10 years in the areas of city planning, urban development, and property management. He has participated in large development projects in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Beijing, Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and Singapore.

In a past life, Samson enjoyed film-making and writing short stories. In a future one, he hopes to open a small, beachfront hotel in southern Malaysia.