Sawai Boonma (ADB 1975–1978)
On 11–12 November 2011, thirty-three elementary schools in Banna District, Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand, staged their sixth reading competition. This annual event is the culmination of the reading-cum-education promotion activities sponsored by the Banna Reading Promotion Foundation— Banna being the rural area where I grew up. The foundation’s endowment and operating budget come largely from the proceeds of my postretirement writings, including books as well as articles for magazines and newspapers, such as the Bangkok Post, on development, economic and social issues, and the environment.
For this annual event, each participating school sends its best reader, selected through an internal competition. Each representative is then given 10 minutes, on stage and in front of a judging committee, to summarize and comment on designated reading material. For 2011, the designated reading material was The Happiness of Kati. The book won the 2006 Southeast Asian Writers Award, and was written by Ngarmpun Vejjajiva, sister of the former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
On the second day of competition, 10 semifinalists are chosen and individually interviewed by another committee, to test the breadth and depth of their understanding of the reading material. The best reader and runners-up are chosen. All students who participate are awarded scholarships, in descending order of their performance.
The ten semifinalists, all female. The girl wearing glasses is the winner; the shortest—a 4th grader—won third prize, and the hearts and minds of all attending the event.
On each of the two days, a prominent person usually gives a brief keynote remark. The hosting school sets up an exhibition of its leading extracurricular activities; provides entertainment; and serves lunch to all participants, teachers, and guests.
Besides promoting reading, the foundation has started sponsoring a pilot program to revive unicycle riding, once a well-known school sport in Banna district. During the second day of the event, the two schools in the pilot program showcased their students’ riding skills. Starting in 2012, the foundation, with the cooperation of another education-promoting nongovernment organization, will start sponsoring another pilot program on the Rubik’s cube. The unicycle riding and Rubik’s cube competitions will be part of an event scheduled for 16–17 November 2012.
In 2011, quite a few guests, some from as far as the United States, attended the 2-day event, although the severe flood in Thailand forced many others to abort their planned travel to Banna. A larger crowd is expected in 2012 and, as usual, all are welcome.