Essay winner expands his boundaries

AFTER FIRST JOINING the contest in 2014, Justin Potisit from the International School Eastern Seaboard has now succeeded in winning the 11th Junior Dublin Literary Awards for Thailand, the longest-running English-language essay contest in Thailand.
Under the theme “World with no boundaries”, the competition was divided into four regions and open to students studying in Thailand between the ages of 14 and 18.
Justin, 16, won the top award for the Bangkok/Central region, receiving a B10,000 cash prize and a certificate. After being among the four regional winners, Justin then was awarded the top national prize, which gives him the chance to participate in the senior international Dublin Literary Awards 2016, considered the richest literary prize in the world, as well as to attend a two-week English course in Dublin.
Asked during the event his opinion about boundaries referred to in the theme of the competition, Justin replied that “the pen is freedom”.
He said many people think technology was the most important factor connecting people, no matter how distant they were from each other. “With technology,” he said, “people have an illusion they can control the world, but in fact this idea is a trap. Technology makes people think it helps us keep contact, talking to each other constantly to get away from boredom – yet this is actually not true.
“We have become obsessed by technology – just watching a mobile phone and focusing on unimportant things – but forgetting to make relationships with people next to us and discovering what life is actually about.”
For Justin, there are things more valuable in life than being preoccupied with a mobile phone. “Just take out the phone and enjoy your life with real freedom,” he said.
“Everyday, many questions will come up to your mind. Do not ignore them. Think about those questions since they will bring you to a world you have never known.
“Moreover, writing is a way to expressing yourself – your inner side to your outer eyes. Writing can make writers forget existence and time – but it also makes them flow with creativity and imagination,” he said.
Justin said English was also important. “Everyone should know it if you want to become a global citizen because it is the language of the world for communicating in every field.”
When asked about how to be a good writer, he said: “Just keep writing. Be creative and think about the questions that pop up in your mind.”
In addition, a good writer usually is a good reader as well, he said, adding that he loved reading and never gave up questioning and finding out answers to those questions.
His father commented:
“This [competition] is a good opportunity for students to learn English and I would like to encourage other students to keep writing and use the pen to control the mind,” he said.
Meerada Yingyongpaisarnkul, 17, was the winner for the northeastern region.
She reasoned that reading was very important to get ideas and to improve English skills and knowledge. She added that she found writing was also a way to express her own ideas and imagination. She has passed an entrance exam to study in the commerce and accountancy faculty in the international programme of Chulalongkorn University.
Nation Group’s NJ Magazine or-|ganised the Junior Dublin Literary Awards for the Thailand presentation ceremony last Friday night at the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, welcoming 250 students and their parents, teachers and sponsors.
Ambassador Brendan Rogers, the Irish envoy to Thailand, also participated and presented the national award. Presented annually with the goal of promoting excellence in creative writing, the essay contest is a joint effort by The Nation, NJ Magazine and strategic partners Phuket Gazette and CityLife Chiang Mai with support from the Embassy of Ireland, the OCS Group, the Kerry Group, the Irish Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and the Emerald Cultural Institute.
To read winning essays, please visit www.247friend.net/NJ/dublin