Trip Report; Mahidol Wittayanusorn School Science Fair 2015, Thailand.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Around 8.00 a.m. , the school van arrived to take the 3 participants, Ahmad Iqbal bin Mohd Shahir Shamsir, Mohd Khairul Amirin bin Khairudin and Roshandharan N. Chandiran accompanied by Pn. Rama Letchumy Athimoolam and the principal of SM Sains Alam Shah, En. Baharudin bin Burhan to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). The school representatives took Malaysian Airlines Flight MH788 to Bangkok at 11.00 a.m. . Upon arrival, Mahidol Wittayanusorn teachers picked our school participants from the airport to their school, Mahidol Wittayanusorn School (MWITS) in Nakhon Pathom. Once settled in their dormitory, we had been asked to set up our poster for the following day’s poster presentation. Three school students from MWITS were selected to become our school students’ buddies and were given a quick tour around the school compound that night.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

The day started off with breakfast at MWITS cafeteria at 7.00 a.m. and ASiS students continued preparing for their poster presentation at the school’s sport center. All participants of the MWITS Science Fair were asked to proceed to the Phra Ubali Kunupamachan Auditorium for the opening ceremony of the event which started at 8.30 a.m. until 11.00 a.m. . Two selected oral presentations were selected and a special lecture was given by Professor Dermot O’Hare from the University of Oxford. After that, poster presentations were ongoing till 3.00 p.m. with a lunch break in between. ASiS teacher, Pn. Rama Letchumy had a teacher presentation on her project, Comics and Videos produced by students in Biology Education. While the teacher presentation was going on, the school students were assigned to a group activity involving contestants from various countries. On that very night, the MWITS Committee held a welcome dinner and an International Cultural Show, introducing cultures of participants from their respective countries. ASiS students had presented about the food culture in Malaysia and our special delicacies.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

After breakfast, participants from the nation or international had started their oral presentations at 7 separate conference rooms according to their projects’ category; Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics. The oral presentation for Alam Shah Science School was at 1.20 p.m. until 1.35 p.m. , giving the participants 10 minutes for the presentation and 5 minutes for questions opened to the judges and public. While the meantime, the students were asked to prepare the project presentation entitled Free Energy Magnet Motor as a usable charger. Thankfully, everything went well with the presentation that day. Following lunch, participants continued with poster presentations at the sport center till 4.00 p.m. and soon after, were brought to the school cinema for a short movie presentation titled Detective and Bigger than Big. The students had dinner at 7.00 p.m. and the night continued with a student session, discussing on the activity the next day.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Student session started at 8.30 p.m. with all participants taken on buses around the district to check the water quality of distinct locations based on the groups given. ASiS students were given the chance to experience how the local community went through their daily routine and the districts architecture. Amongst the locations were temples and flower gardens across Nakhon Pathom which had a marvelous view. Participants were returned back to the school compound for lunch and preparation for presentations based on their findings for the water quality. Participants continued with the presentation until 5.00 p.m. . Following the activity, this time, the MWITS committee held a closing ceremony for the magnificent Science Fair with performances from students of Mahidol Wittayanusorn School and a buffet for all attendants.

Friday, January 30, 2015

After a long night, the next day went on with an excursion for international participants to visit The Grand Palace and The Emerald Buddha Temple (Wak Phrakaew) after breakfast at 8.30 a.m. . The visit with the school principal, accompanying teacher and students had opened their eyes on how their religion and culture worked. After that, the tour continued to the MBK Center for a bit of souvenir shopping before departing to their respective countries. From 6.00 p.m. onwards, international participants had started to take flights back to their countries. However, ASiS participants spent one last night before leaving Thailand.

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Once everyone had had breakfast, the MWITS van took ASiS participants to the airport in Bangkok for the return flight to Malaysia. The Malaysian Airlines Flight was scheduled to depart at around 12.00 p.m. and everyone arrived in one piece. The ASiS team returned to the school around 5.30 p.m. by taking the school van. In conclusion, the whole trip was a success and hopefully, the coming years would also be a success.