17-Year-Old Thai Student Wins Junior Dublin Literary Awards

[webfact]

THE 7TH JUNIOR DUBLIN LITERARY AWARDS OF THAILAND

And the winner goes to .....

The Nation

A 17-year-old student from Triam Udom Suksa has won the 2010/2011 Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand in a contest that saw close to 1,000 English language essays submitted.

The awards were announced at a presentation ceremony held last night (September 30) in Bangkok attended by about 150 participants including students from Thai and international schools, teachers, parents and guests. Joe Cummings, author of the Lonely Planet Thailand guidebook, was the keynote speaker.

Sirada Chatikavanij won this year's contest, in which highschool students submitted essays under the title "One Fine Day...". She received a grand prize of Bt50,000.

The Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for Thailand, now in its seventh year, is supported by the Embassy of Ireland, Property Care Services (Thailand) and Kerry Group. It is organised by The Nation, Nation Junior, the Phuket Gazette and CityLife Chiang Mai. It is open to all Thai students between the ages of 15 and 18.

All the winning essays as well as the final shortlist can be viewed on www.nationmultimedia.con and www.247friend.net.

"Again, the quality of the essays was excellent and there were creative twists in many of them," said Pana Janviroj, president of The Nation.

"Regrettably, our judge Assoc Prof Prathoomporn Vajrasthira, author and former international relations lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, passed away earlier. She would have been proud of this year's winners," said Pana.

The contest's national judging panel was made up of the Irish ambassador to Thailand; Sirikorn Maneerin, former deputy education minister; Assoc Prof Suchada Nimmannit, former president of Thailand Tesol, the association of teachers of English; Atchara Pradit, head of the Children's Literature Programme, Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University; and Pana.

Sirada was also the winner for the central region, which saw Pachaya Disthaamnarj from Mater Dei Institute as the first runnerup and two second runnersup; Hathaitip Nantiyakul from Concordian International School, Samut Prakan, and Tawan Panpatama from Mahidol Wittayanusorn School. This year, the award committee presented a consolation prize to Prima Ongvises from Concordian International School.

The winner from the northeastern region was Prasert Martyn from Vithes Suksa Bilingual School, with one merit award going to Thapanee Tubnonghee from Benchama Maharat School in Ubon Ratchathani province. The consolation prize went to Kaewjearanai Yangkao from Suranaree Wittaya School in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The northern and southern winners were announced last month at separate regional awardpresentation ceremonies. Ivalene Laohajaratsang from Chiang Mai International School won the top prize in the North, while Popthum Lawtongkum from British International School, Phuket, won in the South.

"Sirada's essay reflects a great attitude as a writer and human being. She is openminded and willing to accept that her opinions aren't necessarily always right," commented Tulsathit Taptim, editor of The Nation.

-- The Nation 2011-10-01

[stoney79]

Well is the topic "One Fine Day" or "Once Upon a Time" as mentioned in the Nation??

[qualtrough]

One single sarcastic comment in the 5 hours since this was posted. This provides confirmation of the "Iron Rule of TVF": Positive news about Thailand = Few comments, unless sarcastic or negative.

[softgeorge]

Well done to the young lady. Is there going to be a copy of her essay so we can read it? Better not publish it on here as it will be ruthlessly attacked by all the TESOL teachers on here.

[rkidlad]

One single sarcastic comment in the 5 hours since this was posted. This provides confirmation of the "Iron Rule of TVF": Positive news about Thailand = Few comments, unless sarcastic or negative.

Very true. But I think the underlying problem is why?

[Payboy]

Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand

A Thai student wins a literary award in Thailand. Wow, what are the chances of that!

[Albacore]

I'm glad something like this exists and that there were so many submissions. There doesn't seem to be much value in literature here, and I hope some of these participants might work to change that. I've talked to a lot of my Thai friends about why literature is so dead here. Their response: "It's an old thing".

[EarthAlien]

Great to see that a Thai student is demonstrating good literary skills.

The question is though,.. can she hold a conversation in English?

I know an English teacher (Thai nationality) that has a degree in English and has very impressive literary and grammar skills but cannot converse in English. I have looked over her test papers she has prepared for her students and they were surprisingly good (done this twice for her now).

When I try to talk with her the best I get is "oh,.. I am fine thank you,.. and you?" I can get a little more but it's disjointed.

She understands my questions but answers in half Thai and half English and that's the way our 3 to 5 minute chats go until it concludes with her shrugging her shoulders and giggling like a school girl in order to excuse herself from the conversation.

Not trying to denigrate this young lady's achievements,.. just pointing out that unfortunately in this country there is far too much emphasis on theory and literacy and grammar and not nearly enough emphasis on conversation!

Amazing Thailand,... it will become "Miracle" Thailand when they finally get the point about the absolute necessity to speak the language and converse with any kind of meaningful discourse!

[gk10002000]

They should have provided a link to the essay.

[Spalpeen]

As a Dubliner myself I was surprised and pleased to learn that there is such a thing as a Junior Dublin Literary Award for Thailand. Excellent idea and well done to all concerned.

[Roadman]

Well done to the young lass, she should be very proud of herself. And also to the sponsors to assiting with the development of English writing skills in Thailand. Thats a very impressive prize (฿50,000) that she has won.

As the Nation is a sponsor would it be possible to link her essay.

[Boater]

i do like the link they have provided in the report

' www.nationmultimedia.con '

[blazes]

Excellent achievement and lovely money. Let's hope she goes on to read James Joyce's Dubliners.

The prize is exactly what my gf had to pay in "sin bon" to move from one teaching job (in Nakhom Phanom) to her present position (can't name it for obvious reasons). I guess the "sin bon' is necessary to cover , erm, "administrative expenses".

Ok, I see I managed to sneak in a "negative observation" there. Sorry about that.

[FOODLOVER]

Congrats!

[Thakkar]

Past winning entries can be found here:

http://www.247friend.net/event/2011/dublin/index.html

This year's winning entries not posted yet, it seems.

Some of the writing is quite impressive. *All* the winners put the Nation Newspaper's writing to shame. ("And the winner goes to..."?? —where exactly does the winner go?)

T

[prefabs]

Bit of a worry, all these young Thais reading the Nation which has pretty poor standards of reporting. Hope they realise there is still work to be done

[scotbeve]

Well done young lady!

[rubl]

I congratulate the winner and the runner-ups. They show the positive effects of one of the best educations money can buy in Thailand. Let's now do something for the less lucky and I don't mean giving them a fondle-slab

[Roadman]

Past winning entries can be found here:

http://www.247friend.net/event/2011/dublin/index.html

This year's winning entries not posted yet, it seems.

Some of the writing is quite impressive. *All* the winners put the Nation Newspaper's writing to shame. ("And the winner goes to..."?? —where exactly does the winner go?)

T

Thanks for that Thakkar. The links given in the OP are not operative or direct.

The essays written on thai life are enjoyable and thoughful reading.

Hopefully the moderators can link in this years essays.

[jombom]

As there is no Irish Embassy in Thailand, and I have never seen Kerrygold for sale here anywhere, I asked some questions with my friend Google.

The only references turn up this article by the Nation.

The Ambassador appears to be on Facebook. The idea of any embassy being associated with Property Care Services, is rather odd.

Amazing Thailand ---- and just when you think, maybe, maybe, you have seen it all.

[Arkady]

From the surname the winner must be related to the former finance minister.