Thai students win medals at global science olympiad

Held this month, the international competition attracted contestants from 23 countries, including South Korea, Indonesia, Italy, Japan and India. 

The Thai whiz kids arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport yesterday.

Pitchapon Jirawongsapan, from Bangkok Christian College, won the gold medal. The bronze medals were won by Panthon Imeinkamon from Triamudom Suksa School; Patsakorn Tangadulrat from Hatyaiwittayalai School; and Kunanon Leelahakorn from Suankularbwittayalai School. 

The students travelled to Pocos de Caldas, Minas Gerais state, to compete against 92 students from secondary schools in other countries. 

The students were selected during a 15-day camp of the Promotion of Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation, where 40 students from across the nation competed in science tests. The best four were selected to represent Thailand at the IESO.

Gold medallist Pitchapon said he was fascinated by Brazil but it took him a while to get used to the time difference, so he had to drink coffee before taking the examination.

He said each student had to participate in a theoretical examination and a practical examination with fieldwork tests. The examinations focused on integration of theologies related to earth-science subjects. The practical examination consisted of five four categories: geophysics, meteorology, oceanography and astronomy. 

The students were brought to a national park to analyse stones and the find the speed of the Earth’s rotation, measuring the amount of moisture in the air and calculating the stream flow rate, Pitchapon said. 

Students from different countries were separated into groups of eight and given two research projects: International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and Earth Science Project (ESP). 

The ITFI required the students to study geology in Pocos de Caldas by measuring indicators found in hot springs, and the ESP required them to examine the effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Both projects required each member of the groups to learn about the education systems in each of their countries. 

Pachrasu Wannakao, a teacher and team leader, said the examinations were 70 per cent theoretical and 30 per cent practical. 

 Pitchapon said: “I was interested in astronomy first, and I became interested in earth science as a part of astronomy.” 

Veera Jirawongsapan said his son became interested in earth science when he joined an astronomy camp when he was 14. After that, physics became his favourite subject, and he has been studying it on his own almost every day. 

Veera added that his son liked coming up with problems on his own, such as calculating the distance between Earth and Mercury. 

“I’ve supported him since he was young, and helped him create robot for a competition, for which he won a visit to a Japan-based robot factory. 

“I think that sparked his interest in science,” he said. 

Bronze medallist Patsakorn Tangadulrat said: “I think earth science is an interesting subject not like any subjects in school, and I take it as my hobby helping to ease stress from normal courses.” 

Another bronze medallist, Kunanon Leelahakorn, said he had been inspired by his brother to join the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology’s camp, where learned about earth science and grew to love it. 

Panthon said: “Science was my favourite subject, and then I joined the science camp and learned about a subject that covers everything. I later learned it was called earth science.” 

The 92 students competed for nine gold medals, 18 silver and 27 bronze.