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MYP authorization
Tara Colen
Prem Tinsulanonda International School is now one of only
65 schools in the world to be authorized in all three International
Baccalau-reate Organization (IBO) programs: Primary Years Programme (PYP),
Middle Years Pro-gramme (MYP), and Diploma Programme (DP).
In December 2005, two members of the Asia Pacific
Regional Office of IBO came to Prem for two days to go through the MYP
appraisal process. Li Bin, the MYP Regional Manager for Asia Pacific, and
Malcolm Nicholson, the MYP Coordinator at New International School of
Thailand (NIST) toured classes, spoke with teachers, parents, students, and
administrators formally and informally, met with the student council, and
looked at displays to decide whether or not Prem was imple-menting the
Middle Years Programme that it claimed to follow. Two weeks after the
authorization took place, Prem was awarded the MYP certificate.
The MYP preparation started three years ago. Middle Years
teachers had to write an extensive international curriculum looking at the
skills students would need to succeed at the International Baccalaureate
Diploma level. A preautho-riza-tion visit in May 2005 by the Asia Pacific
IBO allowed Prem to have the go ahead for an official authorization visit at
the end of the year.
Robert Service, MYP Coordinator at Prem is very happy
with the quick result for MYP authorization.
Prem opened in August of 2001 and was authorized to offer the Diploma
Program in February 2002 and the Primary Years Program in March 2004.
Li Bin
and Malcolm Nicholson of IBO meet with the Prem student council on MYP
authorization day.
Expressive Valentines contest – Be original and be a winner
Mike Hock
IC-ACE International Center-Chiang Mai University, an
EducationUSA Advising Center affiliated with the U.S. Department of State,
is planning a series of activities to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2006.
Several US colleges and universities will support the events through direct
participation and/or contributions.
We invite high schools in northern Thailand to join us in
all of the following multimedia contests. Prizes will be fabulous gifts from
US colleges, and exciting scholarships from IC-ACE with a total value over
50,000 THB.
The topic is “Send your Valentine’s Day wishes to
someone special”.
Choose 1 topic: a) for Valen-tine’s Day 2006, who do
you hope will be your “someone special”? Tell us why. B) What does
Valentine’s Day mean to you? Describe how you would celebrate an ideal
Valentine’s Day. C) Describe your most memorable Valen-tine’s Day
experience. How has it affected your life?
Expressive Valentines Contests will be divided into:
Junior level, students from 12 to 15 years old; Senior level, students from
16 to 18 years old. Hint: be original, funny, emotionally appealing!!
Messages via 21st century communications channels: 9
prizes
Email or website (send to info@ace-i.org)
Essay or poem: submit in MS-Word to info@ace-i.org: 9 prizes
SMS (submit by email as MS-Word text, limited to 122 characters)
PowerPoint (deliver on CD/DVD or USB drive. Do not email it)
DVD, CD-ROM, CD-audio (deliver or send by mail)
Poems (submit by email in MS-Word)
Letter - submit by email in MS-Word, or mail to
IC-ACE International Center, Chiang Mai University, 239 Nimmanhaemin Road,
Chiang Mai 50200.
Entries must be in English. Indicate name, age, school, class, and contact
information (cell phone, email). Deadline: noon, February 3, 2006.
For further information, contact IC-ACE: 053 942896 info@ace-i.org.
Charity concert to aid education of the disabled
Preeyanoot Jittawong and
Pinutda Suwanchaisri (Student Trainee MFLU)
 Puangthong
Sriwilai, President of Srisangwan Chiang Mai School, announcing the charity
concert at Chiang Mai City Hall.
Puangthong Sriwilai, President of Srisangwan School
Chiang Mai, announced that a charity concert would held on January 28, 2006,
at Karnchanapisek Convention Hall, Maejo University, the proceeds of which
being donated to the Srisangwan School, Chiang Mai.
The concert, entitled “Strong Heart for Srisangwan
School”, will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be opened by Sumalee Jatikwanit.
Featuring popular local artists such as Noppakhun Tantrakul, his daughter
Malisa, his son Issarakorn, the show will also include Lanna artists such as
Natha Prommin, Nok Nanta-
wan, Withun Jaiprom, Kai Pannipa, and Namkhang Wiangping, and will feature
performances given by students from the school. Ticket prices are 100, 150
and 500 baht and because of the interest being shown, early reservations is
advised, either at Srisangwan Chiang Mai School, or by calling the ticket
hotline, tel. 0 5349 8145.
The school had already received 50 million baht of
government funding, the majority of which had already been spent on building
the special facilities needed for the education of disabled students. The
proceeds of the charity concert will be added to this fund and will be used
to purchase the many specialized requirements of the disabled.
Noppakhun Tantrakul, or “Boot” to his fans, former band member of
“Free Bird”, will be performing many songs from his album, Strong Heart.
His popularity as an artist, though due in no small part to his excellence
as a singer-songwriter, is further enhanced by the courage he has shown
since becoming blind after an optical nerve was severed. Overcoming all
obstacles, aided the love and support of his family, he never gave up, and
is an inspiration to us all. He dedicates all his songs that he has written
and sung for the last 10 years; to disabled children.
Srisuphan Temple to be the world’s only silver temple
Saksit Meesubkwang
On January 10, Phra Kru Pitak Suttikun, 42, the Abbot of
Srisuphan Temple disclosed that chapel of the temple was to be restored. The
local community of Muen Sarn is amongst the finest sources of silverware and
lacquer ware in Chiang Mai. These crafts have been practiced here since the
reign of King Kawila, but modern generations show little interest in them.
It is hoped that young people will become more interested in local art
conservation and visit the temple located on Wualai Road.
 Phra
Kru Pitak Suttikun, the Abbot of Srisuphan Temple and some parts of the
chapel made from silver.
The Abbot said it would be the world’s first silver
chapel measuring five meters wide and 17.5 meters long. It is being restored
with beautiful carved silver and aluminum describing Buddhist art, teachings
and local lifestyle. The entrance to the building will be also carved
telling The Lord Buddha’s story.
The chapel is being constructed almost entirely using 92
percent silver but some parts are being made from aluminum to prevent theft
and to obviate the effects that hot weather could have on the building. All
the silversmiths jointly working on the project have donated their time and
expertise free of charge.
The restoration began in June 2005 and is hoped to be finished by 2007,
costing an estimated 15 million baht. During this restoration period, local
communities are offering low price silver for sale to collect revenue to
cover the cost of the restoration. Any tourists wishing to visit the temple
will find it located on Wualai Road, Tambon Haiya in Muang, Chiang Mai, and
more information is available by calling 053-200332, 01-7641585 or visiting
the website at www.watsrisuphan.org.
Maejo University 2nd Orchid Fair to be visited by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Saksit Meesubkwang
Maejo University is holding the 2 nd
International Orchid Fair and mounted a packed program of academic knowledge
and entertaining activities. There were many national orchid species on
display, as well as textile products, a fashion show, a gala dinner, a
social dance competition, farming demonstrations with a market, world class
boxing exhibitions and a Look Thoong concert as well.
Dr. Thep Pongpanit, Maejo University disclosed that the university had
learned from the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary that
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will be presiding over the opening
ceremony of the new Bio-technology Building. After performing this duty, the
princess will go on to visit the Orchid Fair on January 23 at 3.40 p.m.
Tourism supporting fair by TAT Southern offices
Pinutda Suwanchaisri (Student Trainee
MFLU)
Juthaporn Reungron-asa, TAT marketing promotion
Department Director and Orachorn Chanwiwattana, General Manager of Central
Airport Plaza Chiang Mai announced the opening of a fair organized by the
Tourism Authority of Thailand Southern offices Regions 1-5.
Juthaporn
Reungron-asa, TAT marketing promotion Department Director (front row,
center), Orachorn Chanwiwattana, General Manager of Central
Airport Plaza Chiang Mai (front row, left), and Junnapong Saranak, Director
of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Northern office
Region 1 (5 back row) together with the Heads of each TAT South office.
(Photo by Preeyanoot Jittawong)
“Tour Northern Lamthong” will open on January 20-22,
on the 1 st floor Zone A and Zone
B, Central Airport Plaza, Chiang Mai. The show is aimed at tourism
companies, Local Administration offices, education institutes, government
officials, and private sector officials, groups of families, students, and
tourists in the Northern provinces.
The aim of this fair is to publicize and present tourist
destinations in the south; highlighting the attractions and amenities that
each has to offer. By holding this fair in Chiang Mai and showcasing the
many varied facilities in the southern provinces, it is hoped to encourage
potential northern tourists to visit these beautiful areas and in doing so,
give the domestic tourist industry a vigorous boost. Around 50 tourism
companies and many OTOP groups from 14 southern provinces have set up booths
at the fair and will have representatives available to give out information
and answer queries.
Many travel agents have taken booths at the Fair and will be selling
holiday packages. There are generous discounts given by hoteliers, resort
owners and tour operators, all these packages can be purchased at the Fair
for very attractive prices. There will also be many displays of local
activities given by each southern provinces group.
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