The 4th Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand
• This national English-language essay contest is open to all Thai students.
• The contest is co-organized by The Nation, NJ Magazine, international productivity consultant IMPAC, Irish Embassy, Enterprise Ireland, Phuket Gazette and Citylife.
Annual English essay awards announced
The organising committee of the 4th Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand announced the winners today.
Under the theme “If We Could Change the World”, this year’s competition has grown in popularity with almost 1,000 entries submitted by students from the North, Northeast, South and Bangkok/Central regions.
The competition was divided into four regions and open to Thai students studying in Thailand between the ages of 14 and 18. They were required to write an essay of between 800 and 1,200 words in length.
For the results of Bangkok/Central competition, Patreeya Prasertvit, 16, at International Community School and Suthinee Thaeppunkulngam, 17, at Triam Udom Suksa School took the winning awards from the 26 entries of the final shortlist. Each will receive a Bt10,000 cash prize. Another Triam Udom Suksa School student, Sirinada Karnwiwat, 17, won a merit award with a Bt5,000 cash prize.
Patreeya and Suthinee also won the national winning awards, which were chosen from the regional winners. They will win a trip for the author and one parent to Dublin where they will attend the senior international IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards ceremony. The event is the richest literary prize in the world, giving the young essayists a chance to meet and take part in readings with the winning author.
The committee also announced the result of the Northeastern competition. Fonthip Daosuriyakarn, 16, at Demonstration school of Khon Kaen University received the winning award with a Bt10,000 cash prize and Napat Rakkitsiri at Loei Pittayakom School, a merit award of Bt5,000.
Previously, the Phuket Gazette, the organiser of the South Thailand competition, announced that the winner was Kongsarut Kladphet, 17, at Kathuwittaya School, Phuket. The two runners up were Joy Isabelle Corthesy, 16, at QSI International School, Phuket, and Jatuporn Neamchuchuen, 17, at Buranarumluk School, Trang. Both received merit awards.
Citylife Chiang Mai Magazine announced the Northern results: Chatriya Lertwicha, 17, at Lanna International School was the winner and the two runners up were Anawat Wongupanun, 16, at Lanna International School Thailand and Dharit Tantiviramanond, 17, at Chiang Mai International School.
The Winning Awards Presentation Ceremony welcomed 250 students, parents, and teachers, Bangkok and national judges as well as those keen in promoting the use of the English language and creative writing. ML Nattakorn Devakula, a rising media icon of Thailand, also participated as a keynote speaker at the ceremony.
Presented annually with the goal of promoting excellence in creative writing, the essay contest is a joint effort by The Nation, Nation Junior and its affiliated publications in the North, Northeast and South. Sponsors include international productivity consultant IMPAC, the Embassy of Ireland and Property Care Services (Thailand).
The judges of this year’s Bangkok and national awards were Dr Sirikorn Maneerin, former deputy education minister; HE Eugene Hutchinson, the Irish Ambassador to Thailand; Assoc Prof Suchada Nimmannit, former president of Thailand Tesol, the association of teachers of English; Assoc Prof Prathoomporn Vajrasthira, author, former international relations lecturer at Chulalongkorn University and former member of the SeaWrite Awards judging committee; Ajarn Atchara Pradit, head of Children’s Literature Programme, Faculty of Humanities, Srinakharinwirot University, and Pana Janviroj, president, The Nation.
Prizes:
1. The winning essay writer from each region will receive a prize of Bt 10,000 and two merit award winners from each region will receive Bt 5,000 each.
(* Air tickets and accommodation will be provided for each regional winner, one parent and one teacher to come to Bangkok for the International Award Ceremony)
2. The overall national winner will win a trip for the author and one parent to Dublin where they will attend the senior international IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards ceremony and to meet and take part in a reading with the winning author. This event is the richest literary prize in the world.
(*The Dublin trip for the national winner is compulsory, if the winner is unable to attend then the prize will be awarded to the runner-up who is available to travel.) |
