April 4, 2024 – Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University, held the official opening ceremony of the 21st Thailand Biology Olympiad at Wittayawipas Room 1, Wittayawipas Building, Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University. The event was honored to have Mr. Siriwat Pinitpanit, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen Province to preside over, while Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University welcomed the distinguished guests and Asst. Prof. Angkana Boonyued, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Sciences delivered the reporting speech.
Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University has been honored to co-host the 21st Thailand Biology Olympiad: 21st TBO with the Promotion of Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation (POSN), under the support of the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) on April 4-8, 2024. The event is aimed at selecting 99 high-potential students in biology, who have been trained at the second POSN Camp, including representative students from 13 POSN Centers all over Thailand: Chiangmai University, King Mongkut University of Technology North Bangkok, Suranaree University of Technology, Thepsirin School, Thaksin University, Naresuan University, Burapha University, Mahidol Wittayanusorn School, Walailak University, Silapakorn University, Prince of Songkla University, Ubon Ratchathani University, and Khon Kaen University; and IPST quota students.
In addition, there are representative lecturers from the 13 POSN centers, observant teachers from the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), committee members from IPST and OBEC, mentoring students, administrative committee from the host center and observers from the next-year host, totaling over 300 participants at the event.
Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University said, “In 2024, Khon Kaen University is reaching its 60 years of the foundation. I’m grateful to the Promotion of Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra or the POSN Foundation for giving the Faculty of Sciences, Khon Kaen University, the opportunity to co-host the 21st Thailand Biology Olympiad. It is another event to celebrate the 60 years of creativity and development for the society. Khon Kaen University is determined in the development of the learning and teaching methods; the academic, research and innovation outcomes; as well as academic services to the community; and application of bodies of knowledge in various fields all through the 60 years that passed. Until today, Khon Kaen University has been accepted internationally.”
Asst. Prof. Angkana Boonyued, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Sciences mentioned in her reporting speech, “First of all, on behalf of the Faculty of Sciences, I’d like to thank Khon Kaen Province Vice Governor for honoring the event by opening it today. The Promotion of Academic Olympiad and Development of Science Education Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra or the POSN Foundation was founded in 1998. And since the 6th of July, 2008, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has become the President of the Foundation and the Patron of the Project that sends Thai youths to the Mathematics and Science Olympiad. For this 21st Thailand Biology Olympiad, there are 3 major objectives:
To measure the competency in biology of the representative students from the 13 POSN centers all over the country, and to select the students who pass the criteria for training at the IPST Camp to be further selected as the representatives of Thailand to the International Biology Olympiad.
To promote the students to demonstrate their ability in biology, develop their potentials, and to promote the establishment of the network for POSN representative students in the field of biology from the 13 centers all over the country.
To promote the exchange of knowledge in biology, create good relationship, create a network of lecturers from POSN Olympiad Center (in Biology) and the POSN Camp 1 School Center (Biology) that will lead to extension in the development of biology instruction and dissemination of biological knowledge to the students.
Mr. Siriwat Pinitpanit, Vice Governor of Khon Kaen Province said, “The 21st Thailand Biology Olympiad features theoretical and practical examinations to select students from all over the country to be trained at IPST Camp. There is as yet another screening of Thailand representatives to join the international biology Olympiad. I am confident that the different ongoing activities at the event will achieve the set objectives. I’d like to congratulate Khon Kaen University for the 60th Anniversary, the 60 years of creativity and development for the society. Khon Kaen University has developed both in terms of instructional methods; academic, research and innovation outcomes; and application of different bodies of knowledge to sustainably develop the country. My thanks are extended to the POSN Foundation, the Science Society of Thailand under the Patronage of His Majesty the King, lecturers from the 13 POSN Biological Olympiad Centers, various organizations and Khon Kaen University for the support of this event. And lastly, I’m grateful to the committee members that organize this event with strong determination. May you all be blessed with good luck and success in everything.”
The competition is carried out using the standardized tests that have been screened by the qualified committee members from the POSN Foundation, the Academic Committee of Khon Kaen University; and the representative lecturers from the 13 POSN Olympiad Centers. The tests are therefore justified and the selection criteria are transparent. The passing scores in accordance with the standard are divided into 3 levels, namely the gold level, the silver level and the bronze level. There are also 7 special prizes and certificates as follows: the highest total score, the highest theoretical score, the highest practical score, the highest score of the Northern Region, the highest score of the Southern Region, the highest score of the Northeastern Region, the highest score of the Central Region, the highest score of the Eastern Region and the highest score of the Western Region (These do not count students from the Mahidol Wittayanusorn School and Thepsirin School). The students whose scores pass the criteria will be trained at IPST Camp for further selection as Thailand representatives to join the International Biology Olympiad.
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Webpage: https://tbo21.kku.net
News: Suchat Thepphukhiaw
