Gold, two silver and a bronze for Thai students, due to fly back home tonight
Thai Mathayom-6 students won a gold medal, plus two silvers and a bronze medal at the 12th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) 2010, which finished in Ontario, Canada, yesterday.
The gold earned one Thai student the 22nd ranking in the world.
Pornpan Vitayangkorn, director of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), said the international competition was attended by some 292 students from 83 countries.
Bangkok Christian College's Pasin Manurangsi won the gold medal with the 22nd ranking in the world, while Triam Udom Suksa School's Weerakan Sinthaveelertmongkol and Suthee Reungwiset each won a silver medal and Suankularb Wittayalai School's Saran Paisalsrisomsuk won a bronze medal, Pornpan said.
Thailand is due to host the IOI 2011 in Pattaya next year from July 22-29.
Gold medallist Pasin said schools should support students in every way to have hands-on learning with computers because they now play an important role in people's lives as a source of knowledge and entertainment.
Pasin suggested students try to balance their time between studying, playing, doing school activities and resting, so they don't become stressed and have better focus. The youngster, who is interested in further IT study, said representing your country was a great opportunity and one should help tutor or pass on knowledge to fellow students, as it was important for Thai society.
Silver medallist Weerakan said he loved studying his school's computer program writing course as it helped him expand into many ways of thinking. He said all schools should have computer courses and teaching materials for students' learning. He thanked his parents for raising him to love reading and supporting him to search for knowledge on his own.
Fellow silver medallist Suthee also felt schools should have computer courses, because the knowledge would be very useful in future, especially for the working world.
Bronze medallist Saran said it was fortunate that, besides being able to do academic activities at his school, senior students helped tutored the younger students. He also did this three times a week for younger students. Saran wants to study further in IT to help develop Thailand, as he loves the field.
The team, led by Kasetsart University Computer Engineering lecturer Punpiti Piamsa-nga, is due to return to Thailand tonight at 9.25pm via flight TG677. The IPST will host a reception to welcome them at Suvarnabhumi Airport.