On Monday, September 1, 2025, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University, hosted the “3rd Academic and Eastern Languages & Cultural Competition” at Meeting Room 3, HS.05 Building, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The opening ceremony was presided over by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orathai Piayura, Dean of the Faculty, together with faculty members, students, and more than 1,000 high school participants from 119 schools across Northeastern Thailand.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Orathai Piayura stated that the competition aimed to provide high school students in the Northeast with opportunities to enhance their skills in Eastern languages and cultural studies. It also encouraged students to develop their personal potential, apply knowledge creatively, and gain valuable experience in working collaboratively with others.
“The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is delighted that over 100 schools across the Northeast have shown interest in this event. This competition not only serves as a platform for youth development but also helps promote our faculty’s academic programs to the wider community. Our ‘white house and brick wall’ warmly welcomes all students to continue their higher education here at Khon Kaen University in the future. We sincerely hope that everyone will showcase their talents to the fullest and return home with success,” said the Dean.
Adding to this, Asst. Prof. Dr. Benyatip Suphakalin, Head of the Department of Eastern Languages, explained that this year’s competition featured diverse activities including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean speech contests; Eastern chalk art competitions; singing contests in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; Cover Dance competitions; as well as general knowledge quizzes. In addition, cultural exhibition booths such as “Moonlit Night,” “Fortune Telling Sticks,” “Q&A Challenge,” “Haunted House,” and traditional Korean games were organized to allow participants to experience various aspects of Eastern cultures and foster their creativity.
The atmosphere of the competition was vibrant from the early morning, with students demonstrating their talents with great enthusiasm after extensive preparation. Among the contestants were Ms. Nongnapas Omruk (Grade 10, Akat Umnuay Suksa school, Sakon Nakhon Province) and Ms. Laorat Yuennan (Grade 11, Triam udom suksa pattanakarn Ubon Ratchathani School), who competed in the Chinese speech contest. They shared their excitement afterward:
“We felt very excited and happy to be part of today’s competition. We have long been interested in studying Chinese, and this event is a meaningful experience that we hope will help us pursue our dream of studying at Khon Kaen University in the future.”
One contestant added: “Today, we competed on the topic of ‘The Language of the Future.’ We practiced diligently and gave our best performance. Beyond winning prizes, what matters most is gaining experience and having the chance to tour the faculty and the university we’ve dreamed of. It’s truly exciting, and we thank Khon Kaen University for providing us with this opportunity. We hope to become students here in the future.”
