SPEAKERS
In alphabetical order
Araya “Fai” Songsrikate
Fai was born in Chiang Mai and is a Matthayom 4 student at Sacred Heart College. Fai is active in school and other activities and has won numerous local and national awards for her musical talent. As a homegrown musical prodigy, her favorite instruments include the piano, electone and electric and classical guitar. Fai ‘s personal motto is to “not let studying get in the way of extra activities.”
Ayuwat “Ton” Jearwattanakanok
Ayuwat was born and raised in Chiang Mai and started bird watching at the age of 11. A keen sketcher of dinosaurs, flowers and other subjects, he began to sketch and make notes of birds he had observed. With comments and suggestions from both friends and experienced wildlife artists in Thailand, he improved his skills as he travelled around Thailand and other Asian countries studying birds with his father and other birders from Chiang Mai. He studied sustainable development in Japan and Germany from 2008–2014 before moving to Bangkok where he is now working at Sal Forest.
Claire Jenns & Nodoka Ikeda
Claire was Born in Birmingham, UK in 1998 and moved to the South of Thailand at the age of three, where she lived for 11 years. In 2012, she moved to Chiang Mai where she is now a grade 11 student at Lanna International School. Her hobbies include reading, going to the cinema and cycling. Her passion is writing and journalism. She plans to attend a British university to study English literature and film studies. Nodoka was Born in Shiga, Japan in 1999. She has lived in Chiang Mai for over 7 years and is now in grade 11 at Lanna International School. Her hobbies include sports, playing musical instruments and reading. In the future, she hopes to attend university and study medicine.
Eleonora C. Nescholta
Eleonora was born in Germany and began taking violin lessons at the tender age of 6. When her family moved to Thailand at the age of 13, she pursued her love of music and soon had the honor to play the violin for HRH Princess Somsawalee at a charity event. She expects to graduate from the German Christian School of Chiang Mai in 2016.
Jiratchaya Chichalermmongkol
Jiratchaya is a grade 11 student at Dara Academy, Chiang Mai. Aged 17, she enjoys watching TV, listening to music and reading books. She is skilled in both Thai and Indian dance. Presently, she is the Treasurer of the Dara Student Council and Secretary of the Sufficiency Economy Mainstay Group.
Lucas Haitsma
Lucas is a ‘third culture kid’ who spent his early years growing up in Africa, Europe, and Asia. He is currently a senior at Chiang Mai International School, where he has developed a passion for learning about international issues and has participated in four Model United Nations conferences. He plans to study international and European law in the Netherlands beginning next year.
Natthasak “Khru Payu” Thaw-Udom
Natthasak’s father took him to his first swimming lesson at the age of nine. In the ensuing years, he entered and won numerous competitions to become a champion swimmer. At the age of 18, he became a swimming instructor and began a path that led him to teach swimming to youths with physical disadvantages. As a reward, he has not only watched his special students learn to swim but has seen them make improvements in other aspects of their behavior and attitude. He graduated in Mass Communications from Chiang Mai University and has developed his own unique way of communication with his students. The talk will be translated into sign language by Khun Anoma Kurasawa
Onnalin “Mint” Ketnirat
Mint is currently studying in Grade 11 at Chiang Mai University Demonstration School. Like many typical teenagers, she used to be very addicted to social media, spending many hours a day, every day, engrossed in electronic media. Now, she is more mindful of her relationships and the people around her. She has learned that ‘enough is enough’. She now has many interests, but she is most attracted to the beauty of nature and the simplicity of life.
Pheera “Jeng” Paenkhumyat
Born in 1992, Jeng's experience as an AFS exchange student in the Czech Republic nurtured his passion to meet and share ideas with people from different cultural backgrounds. After returning to Thailand, Jeng recognized and became fascinated by the warm-hearted qualities of people in his hometown and the demonstration of creative wisdom within the community. He hopes to contribute his own original ideas to this flourishing locality and beyond, and is currently studying architecture at Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Qixiu Fu
Qixiu is 17 years old and was born in Chengdu, China. She completed all her schooling in Chengdu until July of this year, when her family moved to Chiang Mai so she could attend PREM Tinsulanonda Qixiu is 17 years old and was born in Chengdu, China. She completed all her schooling in Chengdu until July of this year, when her family moved to Chiang Mai so she could attend PREM Tinsulanonda
Teahelahn Keithrafferty
Teahelahn is a 19-year-old student from Racine, Wisconsin in the United States. She is a Rotary International Youth Ambassador studying at the Faculty of Architecture in Chiang Mai University and is actively involved with service projects through Rotaract and her host Rotary club. Next year, she plans to attend Kenyon College, USA, majoring in international studies with an environmental focus.
Tientip Chalokkongtaworn
Tientip is currently studying at Chulalongkorn University in the Faculty of Arts. She graduated from Kasintorn St. Peter School and Matthayom Watnairong School at primary and secondary levels respectively. She has actively participated in English competitions in high school and is now Vice President for Education in the Chulalongkorn University Gavel Club. Her passions include stories, books and fiction.
Wirada “World” Saelim
World is an ordinary daughter, an eldest sister and a sunset lover born in Hat Yai, southern Thailand. In 2009, she was living a dream in Maryland, USA for a year as an exchange student, but now she is living in the reality of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, where she is a 4th year student of mass communication.
