Young writers set to jet to Dublin

BANGKOK (Nation): The winners of the 4th Annual Junior IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand were announced yesterday.

The writing competition theme, “If We Could Change the World” proved challenging enough to attract entries from almost 1,000 students throughout country.

The competition was open to Thai students between 14 and 18 from Thailand’s four main regions – North, Northeast, South and Bangkok/Central. Students were required to write an essay of 800 to 1,200 words.

Patreeya Prasertvit, 16, from International Community School and Suthinee Thaeppunkulngam, 17, of Triam Udom Suksa School, were named the winners of the Bangkok/Central competition from 26 entries on the final shortlist. Both will receive a 10,000-baht cash prize.

Another Triam Udom Suksa student, Sirinada Karnwiwat, 17, won a 5,000-baht merit award.

Patreeya and Suthinee also won the national awards, chosen from the regional winners. Their prize is a trip – together with one parent – to Dublin to attend the senior international IMPAC Dublin Literary Awards ceremony.

The event is the richest literary prize in the world and will give the young essayists a chance to meet and take part in readings with the winning author.

In the Southern Thailand round of the competition, the winner was Kongsarut Kladphet, 17, of Kathu Wittaya School, in Phuket.

Runners-up were Joy Isabelle Corthesy, 16, of QSI International School, Phuket, and Jatuporn Neamchuchuen, 17, of Buranarumluk School, in Trang, who both received merit awards.

The winner in the northeastern competition was Fonthip Daosuriyakarn, 16, from Khon Kaen University’s Demonstration School. Napat Rakkitsiri from Loei Pittayakom School received a merit award.

For the North, Chatriya Lertwicha, 17, of Lanna International School, was the winner, and Anawat Wongupanun, 16, from Lanna International School Thailand and Dharit Tantiviramanond, 17, of Chiang Mai International School, were runners-up.

The essay contest is presented annually to promote excellence in creative writing, and is a joint effort by The Nation, Nation Junior and its affiliated publications in the North, Northeast and South, including the Phuket Gazette.

Sponsors include international productivity consultant IMPAC, the Embassy of Ireland and Property Care Services (Thailand).

Judges for this year’s Bangkok and national awards were former deputy education minister Dr Sirikorn Maneerin; Irish Ambassador to Thailand Eugene Hutchinson; Assoc Prof Suchada Nimmannit, former president of English teacher association Thailand Tesol; author Assoc Prof Prathoomporn Vajrasthira; Ajarn Atchara Pradit, head of Children’s Literature Program, Srinakharinwirot University; and Pana Janviroj, president of The Nation.

The keynote speaker at the awards ceremony was TV host ML Nattakorn Devakula.