The Termly Magazine of Bangkok Patana School

Term 1 2008/09 Issue 24

w w w. p a t a n a . a c . t h

PATA N A F u n D ay ti g e r s pi r it da y

PATA N A
Fun Run

8 20

12

Celebrating the
H A B I T A T F O R H U M A N I T Y | th e j u n g l e boo k | patana a l u mni
Contents PREFACE
Passionate and Proudly Patana!
PRIMARY

W
ith the first term rapidly drawing to a close, it is
10 P rimary M usic C amp
a wonderful opportunity to take some time and
Rachel Stead shows how participation and experience of success
in a musical group helps recognise musical identity and talent. reflect on the numerous learning opportunities
18 T he P ower and I mportance of P lay both academic and extra-curricular that occur at Bangkok
Jennifer McLaughlin describes how play helps develop the
essential skills children need for life and further learning. Patana School on a daily basis. The schools new prospectus
32 T he J ungle B ook quite clearly states, The schools vision, mission and value
Bollywood came to Bangkok Patana School with the Year 4s statements are integral to its day-to-day activities. After only
outstanding original production of The Jungle Book. spending one term at the school as its new Head, I can con-
fidently confirm that statement to be true! On a daily basis I
SECONDARY observe students that want to learn and reach their full poten-
4 CAS: W hat is it G ood F or ? tial. The school has a clear direction, not only about its vision,
Community, Action and Service aims to challenge and extend but its philosophy, core values and students. The conceptual
the individual by developing a spirit of discovery, self reliance, framework at Bangkok Patana School draws on a blend of in-
as well as additional skills writes Jackie Houghton.
ternational research among leading schools, wide experience,
14 M odel U nited N ations CACMUN, E gypt
Bangkok Patana Schools MUNsters took part in their first and well informed evaluation of trends in education.
visit to CACMUN in Cairo writes Kevin Hoye. I have absolutely loved my first term at Bangkok Patana
16 H ouse S wimming G alas
House rivalries spur on sporting achievements in the pool in School! The word passionate resonates with me all the time
addition to all-round sterling support and sportsmanship. as I observe teachers focusing on learning and teaching, as I
22 G lobal Y oung L eaders C onference
Four students share their experiences from the GYLC
observe students speaking at an MUN conference and as I
observe Year 4 students proudly showing their newly mastered
Conference in New York and Washington DC.
knowledge of India at the Bollywood production. ECAs
24 S hanghai T rip
A truly memorable trip encompassing a wide spectrum of have gone very smoothly with over 300 activities on offer,
activities and experiences awaited Year 12 students in Chinas what an amazing choice!
burgeoning financial capital writes Lawrence Lancaster.
All of the sports programmes on offer at the school have
26 H abitat for H umanity B uild
41 students and five staff in Rayong can only mean a challenge started with energy and excitement. I saw a great deal of talent
of a different kind; the annual Habitat for Humanity Build. on the football fields and in our magnificent Sports Hall and
28 V ietnam H istory T our I also saw a lot of very proud parents cheering on from the
Three students tell their own stories about their fascinating
tour to Vietnam. sidelines. The Secondary production of Wizard of Oz is in
its final stages of rehearsal as I write this preface and my boys
CROSS CAMPUS are so excited to see the show.
On the curriculum side, the school has really focused on
8 P atana F un D ay 2008
Bangkok Patana Schools Annual Fun Day once again the environment and the increasingly prominent role that en-
enchanted over 2,500 students, parents and staff. vironmental issues are taking on, both through the curricu-
12 P atana F un R un
In the early hours of Sunday morning the 650 people who
lum and in the lives of our students and the community. We
took part in the Annual Bangkok Patana School Fun Run had another large turn-out of Bangkok Patana School students
abandoned their beds and ran, walked, pushed, strolled and receiving awards at this years CIE Brilliance Awards recogn-
scooted around the Ancient City in aid of charity. ising students who had top in the world and in Thailand re-
20 T iger S pirit D ay
sults from their IGCSE exams. I was a very proud new Head
November 4th saw the whole school throw itself into the
true spirit of Tiger Spirit Day, with all shades and varieties of of School at that ceremony. Our Primary students have been
orange and black on display! focusing on the importance of play and celebrating creativity
30 B angkok P atana A lumni
which was complemented by a visit from a play expert based
Karyn Walker on reunions, tennis success and second generation
Bangkok Patana School students. in the United Kingdom.
34 T he B angkok P atana S chool A nnual F und I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who
Providing extra opportunities for students, the Annual Fund has contributed to the Term 1 Bangkok Patana Magazine for
centres on the Environment for 2008.
assembling such a memorable edition.

Bangkok Patana School, Editor: Elise Meleisea

643 Lasalle Road ( Sukhumvit 105), Design & Printing: Erawan interactive Co., Ltd.
Bangna, Bangkok 10260. Thailand. Advertising: Pudcharee Tunyabut
Tel: + 66 ( 0 ) 2398 0200 Tel: + 66 2 945 3813
Fax: + 66 ( 0 ) 2399 3139 Fax: + 66 2 945 1316
Email: reception @ patana.ac.th w w w.erawanet.com
w w w.patana.ac.th

B an gko k Pa t ana M a gazine is t he t e rml y p ub lic a tion of B angko k Pa t ana S c ho o l

p ub lishe d t hre e time s p e r ye ar and dist rib ut e d t o 20 0 0 subs c rib e rs wit hin t he
S c ho o l communit y. Re p ro du c tion of ar tic l e s, ar t wo r k and illust ra tions by w rit t en
Matt G. Mills
p e rmis sion onl y. Head of School

Term 1 2008/09 3

Sporting involvement may form a large part of students CAS requirements.
cas:
What is it good for?
Jackie Houghton
CAS Coordinator
Educational instit utions are
not orious f or t heir use of
acrony ms KS1, IB, DT, IC T
PE etc. C AS is an acrony m t hat
you ma y he ar w he n you p ass
t he S e nior St udies Blo ck he re
at B angkok Pat ana S c ho ol.
Whe n you he ar it, it ma y als o
b e acco mp anie d by questions
suc h as, H ow many hours d o we
g et ? and What d o es it count
f or cre ativit y, action or se r vice ?
4
The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l
W
hat is CAS? CAS stands for Creativity, Action and Service and is an in-
tegral part of the Senior Studies programme at Bangkok Patana School.
The aims of the CAS programme are clear. CAS aims to challenge and
extend the individual by developing a spirit of discovery, self reliance, as well as ad-
ditional skills. CAS is a framework for experiential learning, designed to involve a
person in exploring new roles. The emphasis is on learning by doing real tasks that
have real consequences and then reflecting on these experiences over time. The IB
learner profile is something that we have talked a great deal about here at Bangkok
Patana School in recent years and CAS provides one of the main vehicles to develop
many of the attributes described in the profile.
The CAS programme aims to develop students who are:
Reflective thinkers they understand their own strengths and limita-
tions, identify goals and devise strategies for personal growth
Willing to accept new challenges and new roles
Aware of themselves as members of communities with responsibilities
towards each other and the environment
Active participants in sustained, collaborative projects
Balanced they enjoy and find significance in a range of activities involv-
ing intellectual, physical, creative and emotional experiences
Many people mistakenly think that CAS is just about community service. This,
of course, is one of the most essential elements and is something that is promoted
throughout our school as being of great importance. Community service at Bangkok
Patana School can be seen at work in the Community Action Team coordinated by
Peter Hockley and the various Key Stage 3 and 4 community clubs emanating from
the Youth Club coordinated by Lorna Dolby. However, CAS is broader than service
as it ensures that students have to develop creatively as well as undertaking physical
challenges and activities. It is my belief that the CAS programme, which is at the
centre of our Senior Studies programme, makes the IB distinct from all the other
post-16 courses.
CAS, however, does not just begin in the Senior Studies years; in fact, it begins in
the Primary School, in classrooms and through the Extra-Curricular Activities pro-
gramme. Throughout the school, students work independently or collaboratively on
meaningful projects and activities to extend the whole individual. This is the essence
of what CAS is all about. Whether it is during community service projects, in pro-
ductions, on the sports field or in the classroom, all students are learning the skills
that will help them when they begin the official programme in Years 12 and 13.
W h at does C AS g ive stud ents ?
There are eight outcomes that must be present for a student to complete the CAS re-
quirement, all of which are fantastic preparation for life beyond school. Throughout
the two year programme students will have:
Increased their awareness of their own strengths and areas for growth
Undertaken new challenges
Planned and initiated activities
Worked collaboratively with others
Shown perseverance and commitment in their activities Students are encouraged to explore their
Engaged with issues of global importance creativity in a wide variety of ways, including
acting, or helping to design and produce
Considered the ethical implications of their actions school productions.
Developed new skills
There are the natural CAS students who rarely talk about the hours but who
plan and carry out a varied and balanced programme incorporating all the elements.
They initiate, they lead, they participate, they empathise, they reflect and they grow.
It comes to them instinctively and they thrive on the challenges involved. Then,
there are the students who find the whole experience daunting and if the CAS pro-
gramme was not compulsory they would not take on the challenge to step out of
their comfort zone. In fact, it is these students who probably gain the most from the
programme. We are talking about the reluctant sportswoman who decides to try out
for the volleyball team and to her surprise earns a place on the squad or the reserved
student who would never have imagined teaching English to Thai children at a local
school but does and then goes on to pursue a career in teaching. The benefits to the
individual and the community are endless.

CAS in practice
CREATIVITY: Arts, and other experiences that in-
volve creative thinking helping in a production,
writing articles, producing videos, taking up a new
language, learning a new musical instrument, sing-
CAS begins in the ing in the choir, performing in the Patana Classic,
Plugged or Unplugged the list is endless.
Primary School in classrooms, ACTION: Physical exertion contributing to a
and through the ECA healthy lifest yle, complementing academic work
Programme throughout elsewhere in the Diploma Programme partici-
the school, students work pating in a school sports teams, joining an IA
expedition, learning a new sport.
on meaningful projects and SERVICE: An unpaid and voluntar y exchange that
activities to extend the whole has a learning benefit for the student. The rights,
individual. dignit y and autonomy of all those involved are
respected helping at a local day care centre,
being part of Smile Club, joining a Habitat for
Humanit y team, teaching English at a local Gov-
ernment School, attending the annual trips to
Cambodia or Napo.

Term 1 2008/09 5
 The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l

CAS
S t ud ent Voices Co mm ents mad e b y
s t ud ent s in th eir fi nal evaluat i on s
A combination of creativity, action, and service was involved in my participation
in the Habitat for Humanity Club as President and in the Patana Fun Run as Vol-
unteer Coordinator. As President of the Habitat for Humanity Club, I have worked
immensely hard with the committee and student body to raise funds to sponsor the
building of two houses in less-affluent regions of Thailand. I was also appointed
Volunteer Coordinator of the Patana Fun Run to raise funds for this project. Being
a part of the club has greatly increased my awareness of the global poverty and the
differences in development and standard of living that exists in a country, i.e. Thai-
land. Because of this, I felt that it was fundamental to increase peoples awareness
of this present situation and encourage others to help solve it, in this situation, by
fund-raising, publicising, and building houses in these less-affluent regions. Having
thoroughly planned for the buildings trips, fund-raising events, and meetings with
the volunteers, to ensure the success of the club in improving peoples basic standard
of living, I have gained from being the leader of the club and this will definitely help The Smile Club raises money to provide cleft-
palate operations throughout Thailand.
me in other life situations. For example, the experience and skills gained from being
the leader of the club will definitely help me in my future career; organisation skills
will be very important not only in university life but also in working life; and time-
management is also important because it ensures that everything gets done in time,
no matter in university or in working life.
Anyaporn Tantasatityanon
The school CAS trip to Cambodia was a real eye opener. Although Bangkok could
be considered by many to be fairly dilapidated and deprived in regions, nothing could
compare to the poverty and despair I witnessed in Phnom Penh, Cambodias capital.
The children we encountered, despite these harsh conditions, maintained such a phe-
nomenal spirit and outlook on life. They have changed me for the better.
Bastian Saglid
For my CAS programme, I participated in a range of activities from a three-hour
stint at a charity bazaar to weekly sessions of fitness to months of preparation for the International Award cycling trip.
Senior production of Hedda Gabler. I believe that the process of evaluating each
activity, be it a brief or long-term commitment, has been the most significant part
of CAS. I had done such activities in the past, but the CAS programme forced me
to really reflect on what I was doing. If you are mindlessly executing a task or focus-
ing only on the enjoyable side (or conversely, the difficulties) of an activity, its easy
to overlook what is actually happening. By reflecting on my performance, whether
while playing basketball or planning an event for Operation Smile, I was able to
identify my weaknesses in the range of situations that CAS demands; the areas of
creativity, action and service. More importantly, I was able to determine how to
improve for succeeding activities.
Marie Lim

Students teaching English at Pong Ploy School.

In Term One, students organised

a trip to Koh Sak to take part in
International Reef Clean-up Day.
6
 C ro s s C a m p u s

1. Fun 2. Head of 3. Face 4. In the pool

B angkok Pat ana S c ho ols annual Day 2008 School, Matt paint, funny frolics were
welcomed over Mills and Leslie shades and a all part of the
f estival of smiles once a g ain 2,500 guests. Baldwin, Chair smoothie! fun!
of the Marketing
capt ure d t he ima gination of and Development
hundre ds of our st ud e nt s, p are nt s Subcommittee,
and her daughter.
and st af f !

S Patana
aturday November 8th dawned warm
and fine promising perfect Fun Day

FUn DAy 2008

weather. Weeks of hard work by the
PTG paid off as fair-goers poured in to en-
joy the rides, games, shopping, activities,
face painting, glorious food and brilliant
entertainment, a great deal of which was 1
provided by the incredibly talented staff
and student body of our school! The wa-
ter activities were particularly popular with
some teachers barely managing to stay dry
after volunteering to be dunkees at the
Dunk Tank stand.
On Fun Day the Secondary students
and staff were in charge of running some
of the the games stalls and a challenge had
been issued to the different stalls to see who
could raise the most money. Their competi-
tive spirits raised, the students were loud
and encouraging on their stalls, so cries of
three...two...one...splat the rat! rang out.
When all was said and done and the
event closed (just before the heavy storm 2 3
great timing!) and all the coupons counted,
the Secondary stall holders were very proud
of their days efforts as they had raised 47,
285 Baht! The Fair as a whole raised ap-
proximately 850,000 Baht.
The school would like to extend a huge
vote of thanks to the PTG and their help-
ers for organising a most successful day of
FUN. Special thanks to the Fun Day lead-
ership team; Kate Johnston, Shanna Brandt,
Lizzy West, Astrid Kuehner-Nehm, Khun
Jia, Irene Gray, Thalindra Welikala, Jay
Abai, Pat Cookson, Khun Vichien, Debo-
4
rah Lancaster, Liz Dobson and Aleid Rijks.
Wed also like to thank our major spon-
sors, Allied Pickfords, Coca Cola, Xen
Hotels and Resorts, Crown Relocations,
Fitness First, Transpo, La Salle Suites,
TCC Capital Land, Ayudyha Allianz CP,
Le Meridien Bangkok, Holiday Garden
Chiang Mai and Singha. We could not
have had such a successful day without
their valued support.

8
 I couldnt believe how many student activities
were on offer at the Fun Day. It was my familys
first Fun Day and we had a great time!
Matt G. Mills
Head of School
Term 1 2008/09 9
 The P ri m a r y S c h o o l

primary Music Camp

When is a musician not a musician?
When they already are one but dont know it yet.
Rachel Stead
Primary Music Coordinator

Wond e r f ul kickst ar t t o t he ye ar!

Gre at int e nsive musical training.
Fant astic ex p e rie nce !
These are s o me of t he co mme nt s
ma d e by p ar ticip ant s at t his
ye ar s Primar y Music Camp,
illustrating it s imme diat e ef f e ct
on t he c hildre n w ho at t e nd e d.
The c hildre n ret ur ne d ex haust e d
but wit h e nt husiasm, new skills,
a d e e p e r und e rst anding of how
music works and lot s of e ne rg y
f or music-making !

O
ne long-term objective of the camp is for the children to start viewing
themselves as real musicians (if they dont do so already); to consider mu-
sic and music-making as part of their self-identity.
Are we trying to turn non-musicians into musicians in three days? Well, what is a
musician anyway and what does it mean to be one?
The word musician is variously defined as, one who composes, conducts, or per-
forms music, especially instrumental music or, a person who plays or writes music.
It is sometimes regarded as one of those elitist things that only special people can
engage in.
To the Primary children I spoke with, a musician is someone who can read
music, someone who can just do it, someone who plays an instrument very well,
someone who does concerts.
All students at Bangkok Patana School learn music notation, musicianship and
skills in performing, composing, listening and appraising and all of our music camp-
ers are also members of one of our performing groups, so they are well on their way
to becoming the musicians of their own definitions.
It is important to consider what perceptions the children have formed about be-
ing a musician as it is their self-perceptions that are key here. Our Upper Primary
children are at the stage in their lives where they start to make many more choices
and so develop their individual identity. Choices may include what music they listen
to, what activities they would like to pursue, who they would like to be and become

Participating and experiencing success in

a musical group helps children to recognise and
identify with their musical talents.

10
Above and Below: After music camp students return to school to perform a concert showcasing what theyve learned.

and how they see themselves. They consider their strengths and weaknesses, their
ability in different areas and where they think their talents lie. It is also a time when
they are increasingly able to make music with others, including our instrumental
groups, enjoy the social side of music-making, and develop their music skills on a
more individual basis.
Theories of self-identity and ability can differ. Some people regard ability as
something that can be improved with effort whilst others regard ability as more in-
nate and fixed. Whichever view or mix of views is taken, it is clear that ones own
perception of ability is greatly influenced by the level of success enjoyed. Participat-
ing and experiencing success in a musical group helps children to recognise and
identify with their musical talents.
A good example of the success factor is the popular Music Camp Beginners
Groups programme. Students were given a mere five hours group-tuition on a new
instrument over the course of three days. Many of the students did not play an in-
strument apart from piano before music camp and the response was amazing. The
Proud Board was filled with messages that celebrated their success in mastering a
new tune on a new instrument, and reflected their excitement about playing the new
instrument as part of the Music Camp Concert.

Musical voices
So did these young people magically turn into musicians over the course of the camp? Well of
course, we in the music department would say they were musicians before they went. But do
the children consider being a musician a key part of their identit y? Is music-making part of
their talent base? Is it something theyre likely to continue pursuing? I certainly hope so and
these comments seem to make it a real possibilit y:
It was awesome ! I loved Music Camp, I cant wait to go next year.
Music camp was soooo fun!
Music camp was so much fun. It was the best.
Music camp was great I cant wait to go next year!
I had a brill time I so want to do it again!

Term 1 2008/09 11
 C ro s s C a m p u s

Patana
1

FUN Run
In the early hours of Sunday
morning the 650 people who took
part in the Annual Bangkok Patana
School Fun Run abandoned their
beds and ran, walked, pushed,
strolled and scooted around the
Ancient Cit y in aid of charit y.

W
ithin the beautiful, natural
surroundings of the Ancient
City, staff, students, parents
2 3
and friends of Bangkok Patana School
gave up their normal Sunday routine to
gather together to make a run through
history in order to raise money for the
school charities: Habitat for Humanity,
Interact and Smile Club.
The Fun Run attracted a large vari-
ety of participants from all over Bangkok
including runners from Harrow, RIS,
Thai Chinese School, Regents School
Bangkok and Regents Pattaya as well as
runners, joggers, walkers and bike riders
4
from the greater Patana Community.
The Fun Run Team would like to
take this opportunity to thank everyone
who got up very early to come along to
take part in this event and to the staff
and CAS Students who provided valu-
able support and helped make it a big
success. We would also like to thank our
main sponsor Lawton Asia and our other
sponsors including North Face, Nike,
1. Theyre 2. The 3. Steve 4. The
Nivea, Herbalife, Mothercare, Nestle, off! Students Bangkok McArthur and Ancient City
Singha, and Tesco Lotus. make a fast Patana Fun Jerome Kelly in Samut
start to the Run is an from Lawton Prakarn.
See you again next year and remem- Fun Run. affair for the Asia take a rest.
ber Dont just Sit, Get Fit. whole family.

12
Term 1 2008/09 13

Model united nations
cacmun, Egypt
Kevin Hoye
MUN Coordinator
Attaining Great Heights: Bangkok Patana School students are training to be tomorrows leaders.
O ve r t he O ct o b e r half-t e r m,
B angkok Pat ana S c ho ol se nt
it s first eve r MU N d e le g ation
t o at t e nd t he Cairo A me rican
Colle g e M o d e l Unit e d N ations
conf e re nce ( C ACMU N ).
14
The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l
T
he trip afforded the students
from the Bangkok Patana
School delegation a once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity to see the sights of
Ancient Egypt. In the frenetic three days
of activity before the conference began,
we sailed on the River Nile in a felucca
at sunset, visited the Citadel of Salah
al-Din and the Mosques of Al-Rifai,
haggled, bartered and bargained in the
exotic bazaar at Khan el Khalili and sur-
vived a sandstorm at the only remaining
wonder of the ancient world, the Great
Pyramid of Giza, which we also saw at
night illuminated by a spectacular sound
and light show.
CACMUN itself was, however, the
highlight of the trip. The conference was
well organised and the excellent quality
of debate set a high standard which our
students did not fail to live up to. The
Patana delegation consisted of Sichen
Wang and Demi Chan who represent-
ed the USA and Iceland in ECOSOC,
with Pong Pong Chua, Dion Russell and
Andrew Carlisle representing the coun-
tries of Finland, Cambodia and Costa
Rica in the General Assembly while
Vish Kaushik and Gerard Vistal had the
tough job of representing Libya in the
Security Council.
E COSO C
The Economic and Social Commit-
tee (ECOSOC) debated four topics:
Child Soldiers, The Situation of Refu-
gees in Darfur, The Global Increase in
Food Prices and The Reconstruction of
the Iraqi Economy and Infrastructure.
We were fortunate to be involved in in-
 The conference was well organised and the excellent
quality of debate set a high standard, which Bangkok Patana
School students did not fail to live up to.

tense and fruitful debate as there was

some tension between nations such as
Cuba and the USA! The MUN proce-
dures were somewhat different from the
rules we were used to but we soon settled
in. Overall the ECOSOC committee
produced some interesting debate, and,
in addition, we had the pleasure of lis-
tening to a presentation about the World
Food Programme (WFP) by Gian Pietro
Bordignon, the country director for the
WFP for Egypt.
G e n e ra l A sse mbly
The General Assembly (GA) dis-
cussed four topics: World-wide Water
Scarcity, Secure Borders in the Middle
East, The Destruction of Landmines
and Cluster Bombs, and The Abolition
of Torture as a Means of Cruel and De-
grading Punishment. Approximately 70
delegates took part in the GA, which
represented a small proportion of the
countries that would normally be part
of the UN. Nonetheless, the debate was Repo rt fr om t he S e curi t y Cou n cil
of a very high standard and all delegates The Security Council (SC) is said be to one of the most challenging committees
approached their task with an air of se- in the MUN, and the assembly of delegates in the CACMUN SC certainly lived
riousness and professionalism, as a result up to that expectation. The debate on four issues of significant importance created
of which we were able to pass two reso- a milieu of disagreement and hostility: matters like the issue of nuclear proliferation
lutions that forbade torture and the use in the Middle East sparked debate from most nations in the committee, while more
of landmines that were undetectable. On specific matters such as the legitimacy of the independence of Kosovo provoked
the final day of the conference we also more detailed responses from the nations most immediately affected. It was awe
discussed an Emergency Issue concern- inspiring to be in the presence of delegates whose skill and expertise went beyond
ing an Iranian and Palestinian backed simply knowing their topic well and it was a deeply satisfying experience to be able
terrorist attack on Israel. During a frantic to work together to contribute towards developing a solution for some of the worlds
half hour of lobbying and clause writing, most sensitive problems. As members of the Security Council, students have learnt
the delegate of Iran tried to unite the en- that its not just research that enables a delegate to excel in MUN, but also the ability
tire Middle East against Israel, while the to voice opinions with firm belief and flair.
EU and NATO nations worked on send- The conference ended with an Emergency Issue which gave the students an op-
ing a small peace-keeping force to bring portunity to test their diplomatic skills to the limit by responding to a simulated in-
an end to the fighting. Unfortunately, vasion of Israel by the Hezbollah who were in turn backed by Iran and other Middle
we did not manage to find a successful Eastern nations. All three committees debated the topic separately and, despite the
resolution to this issue and the difficulty occasionally outrageous actions suggested by some of the more aggressive members
of trying to find common ground made of the UN, this emergency simulation ensured that the conference ended with the
it clear just how hard the delegates in the same high degree of intensity with which it had begun. Our trip to CACMUN was
real UN have to work when trying to an amazing experience and one which all aspiring MUN-sters should set their sights
find solutions to problems like this. on attending.

Term 1 2008/09 15
 The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l

House The H ouse Swimming G alas t o ok place on t he 13t h and

swimming
14t h O ct o b e r 20 08. Te nsion brewe d as co mp etit ors
and p e r f or me rs arrive d at t he p o ol t o find it ha d b e e n

galas co mplet e ly revamp e d in t he H ouse colours of Phuket,

L ant a, S amui and Chang !

16
T
his years Gala events were typified by excellent all-round performances! Those not competing gave raucous support,
spurring on their House mates to even better performances and the days were certainly an excellent advertisement for
the high level of performance, support and sportsmanship at Bangkok Patana School. The overall winners were Koh
Phuket, ably led by Ms Hanbidge, who not only out-scored the other Houses in terms of performance, but were also the House
team most represented by their students. Thanks to all concerned and especially the Buildings and Grounds Department for their
usual efficient and excellent set up.

The Galas
were excellent
events, made
possible by the
hard work of
the Secondary
PE Faculty, ably
supported by
the Tiger Sharks
Swim staff.

Term 1 2008/09 17

the power and
importance of play
Thinking of my childhood evokes
many happy memories. Hours
spent with siblings and friends
rummaging through my mothers
wardrobe, dressing up and acting
out versions of the fair y stories
we had heard so many times.
Building pirate ships, castles and
witchs dens with no household
possessions lef t untouched;
sheets used for sails, chairs for
structures, mops and brooms for
masts, plus diligent hours spent
creating signs and notices; Keep
out, the Dragons Den, Entr y by
password only signed the giant !
18
The P ri m a r y S c h o o l
Jennifer McLaughlin
Assistant Principal, Primary
W
as this just childhood play that filled the hours between formal instruc-
tion and adulthood? Indeed it was play, very rich and meaningful play
that involved the use of imagination and higher-order thinking skills, as
well as the practice and exploration of mathematical and scientific concepts. In ad-
dition it provided opportunities for the development of emotional, social, language
and physical skills.
Research is telling us that children learn best through their play. Children need
to interact with the environment around them, they need to make choices and to
select resources to help them act out what they have seen and heard. Through play,
children can gradually begin to make sense of the world around them and to develop
the essential skills they will need for life and further learning.
For young children learning is not compartmentalised, it is holistic. This means
their learning is not broken into neat and tidy sections. It is adults who have put
learning into subject areas for the ease of curriculum building and organisation. In
real life no subject is completely independent of other areas of learning, so for young
children play is an integrating mechanism that allows them to explore many differ-
ent areas of learning at one time.
Earlier this term we were very fortunate to have Fran Paffard with us from the
University of Cumbria. While with us Fran explored the ways in which children
discover and learn about the world around them whilst playing in a variety of con-
texts. To help us determine what good quality play looks like she shared with us the
following features that help us identify high quality play which provides maximum
opportunity for learning.
 Through play,
children can gradually
begin to make sense of
the world around them
and to develop the
essential skills they
will need for life and
further learning.

High Quality Play Features Children need time to play alone, time to play with other
Children choosing to play children and time to play with their parents and the other
Children engaged in first hand experiences grown ups in their lives. Parents are very important in the role
Children making and using play props they take in their childrens play. If parents show their children
Children pretending and using their imagination they value their play, their childrens play will be richer and
while playing learning will be enhanced. Parents can achieve this by showing
Children making up their own rules to guide their play an interest in their childrens play, by taking up their childrens
Children rehearsing their future in their play offer to join their play, or by just ensuring there is time and
Children playing alone or with others space for their youngsters to play.
Children self initiating their play Play is not only valuable for very young children but for
Children becoming deeply involved and engrossed in older children too. All Primary School children benefit from
their play having time to engage in self-initiated play, where they can
Children trying out their most recent learning in safely take responsibility for the direction of their play and
their play make choices in the resources they use.
Children coordinating their feelings and ideas in Remember, play is a childs work, but it should provide
their play great happiness, enjoyment and wonderful childhood memo-
ries, as well as successful learning.
Fran also reminded us of the Learning Theories of Jean Piag-
et, Lev Vygotsky, and Jerome Bruner and of the influential pio-
neers of early childhood education Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel,
Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner and Reggio Emilia.
All of them have stressed the importance of developing the
whole child through active interaction with the environment
where children are given responsibility and choices. Therefore,
one can easily understand why play is so highly regarded as a
tool for learning by early years practitioners.
So please provide time and space for your children to play.
Play is fundamental to their learning. It is also essential for
their emotional well being. Play does not necessarily mean
providing your children with lots of highly expensive toys in
fact, giving them access to every day objects often generates
more creative play. A box full of a variety of equipment such
as pieces of material, string, laundry pegs, pebbles, blocks,
wheels, tubing should enable your children to be more inven- Mrs Fran Paffard from the University of Cumbria visited Bangkok
tive in their play. Patana School to provide her insights into discovery through play.

Term 1 2008/09 19
 C ro s s
Tiger Spirit Day
T
uesday November 4th saw the whole school throw it-
self into the true spirit of Tiger Spirit Day, with every-
one coming to school dressed in all shades and variet-
ies of orange and black. Their costumes were certainly creative
and gave the day a special feel.
Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 started the day with
their Tiger Parade allowing all to admire the way in which
participants (teachers included) had so creatively interpreted
the Tiger theme. At lunchtime, Key Stage 2 enjoyed cheering
their teachers on in the Annual staff volleyball competition.
The afternoon assembly demonstrated ample Tiger Spirit. Stu-
art Nombluez added deft scratches to The Eye of The Tiger as
20
C a m p u s
the Sports Hall filled with over a thousand folk clad in black
and orange. Mr MacArthur invited up the sports teams due to
perform in the coming SEASAC tournaments.
Then came, for many, the absolute highlight: The trampo-
line ECA students demonstrated their skills before a particu-
larly bouncy tiger flipped and somersaulted to a rapturous ap-
plause. And so Mrs McArthur unleashed a spontaneous rush
of Tiger Spirit from the audience. Mr Shand congratulated all
those who had competed at the Swim Gala, underlining the
fact that the winners, Phuket, did so on account of their full
participation!
 Tiger Day was
awesome! It was terrific we
worked with the year 1s...it
was so much fun!

Term 1 2008/09 21

Global Young Leaders
Conference
D uring t he 20 08 summe r
holid a ys f our of our se nior
st ud e nt s tra ve le d t o Washingt on
DC and N ew York t o acce pt an
invit ation f ro m t he US Congress
t o b e p ar t of t he Glo b al Young
L e a d e rs Conf e re nce.
They we re L a v ini a S e ow,
K rin a M e ht a, J oy
R i an t a wan and V iru t ( Po p )
S u p h an t arid a.
S o me ref le ctions on t heir
ex p e rie nces are prese nt e d he re.
22
The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l
Lavinia Seow 13V
I
have to admit that at first, I was reluctant to go to the Global Young Leaders
Conference. The first hour of meeting all 403 people at the conference in Wash-
ington was daunting. I was so intimidated by the clever and beautiful people all
around me! And it seemed like they all knew each other. However, this was not the
case. Everyone was just very friendly. There were over 50 nations represented at the
conference, with people from South Africa, Saudi Arabia to Trinidad and Tobago,
who were all welcoming and thrilled to be there.
My Leadership Group represented Japan, and consisted of 22 people randomly
put together to spend two hours a day getting to know each other. These 21 people
became my closest friends, and within 12 days, we were all laughing as if we had
known each other for years. Together, our Leadership Group planned for United
Nations conferences, a Security Council trade talk, as well as a Global Summit with
all 16 representing countries in the actual United Nations Headquarters!
Of course, our free time was not actually free time, but packed full of amazing
experiences I would not have had, if not for GYLC. Some of the places we went to
were Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty, the Rockefeller Centre, the Washington
Monument and the World Bank. We also watched a Broadway show, Cirque Dreams:
A Jungle Fantasy, as part of the programme. The wonderful experience ended with a
night out on a GYLC cruise, where we partied on the waters of New York City.
We were all sad to part on the last day, and although it had been less than two
weeks, there were tears and sad goodbyes. Promises were exchanged to stay in touch
and reunite in the future, despite everyone living thousands of miles away from each
other. GYLC showed me the world in so many different ways, and I have learnt so
much, not only about others, but about myself as well. For that, GYLC was worth
it in every single way.
Joy Riantawan 13V
I
began the conference completely unaware of what to expect and what challenges
and obstacles I had, willingly, signed myself up for. Little did I know that over
the course of the next 12 days I would meet, at the very least, tens of people who
seemed destined for political, social, and economic greatness. I was pushed into a
room with over 400 scholars of various different nationalities, cultures, and person-
alities, all with only one common goal: to understand why the world is the way it is,
and to do something about it. Every single person I met was a great thinker, speaker,
and had extremely strong views and personalities. Was it strange? Yeah, it took a
little getting used to.
To my surprise, the days passed by quickly, and I found myself befriending ev-
erybody I came across: meeting people from countries Id, embarrassingly enough,
never even heard of, became a common occurrence and was a great learning experi-
ence for me. We had the opportunity to go to such places as The World Bank, the
U.S. Department of State, and the United Nations Headquarters, where we even
held our very own Global Summit in one of the conference rooms. I began learn-
ing things Id never even dreamed of learning. Discussing a variety of world issues,
from trade disputes over sovereign wealth funds, to the question of e-commerce and
the digital divide between developed and undeveloped nations, we learned to create
resolutions, debate, and adopt the role and views of the country we represented. The
GYLC really was an intense way for me to spend my summer, but I wouldnt have
had it any other way.
 Virut (Pop) Suphantarida 13W

Simply a life changing experience. Attending the GYLC was one of the best deci-
sions that I have ever made in my 17-year-long life. The GYLC brings along with it
new friendships, better leadership skills and debating skills. It also creates an oppor-
tunity to hold a conference at the United Nations Headquarters, and visit various
beautiful sites around New York City and Washington DC. I have had a great time
there and I would strongly recommend fellow students to attend the GYLC.

Krina Mehta 13R

T
he Global Young Leaders conference was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The conference consisted of 400 students from a total of 48 different nation-
alities. For this reason, the appreciation of different countries and cultures
only grew throughout the conference. Sixteen significant world countries were rep-
resented and three major global issues were debated. Through the preparation and
practice for these global simulations, I have worked and learned with people from all
over the world. During simulations, we had to debate and defend our country. Rep-
resenting China made these simulations a lot more challenging. However, research-
ing, speaking and negotiating with other delegates were skills I learned and used to
the fullest during the conference.
Apart from these three simulations, keynote speakers came to encourage us and
give us a true perspective of what happens in reality. I learnt how a simple desire to
help can be turned into reality if there is the determination for it. One of my favourite
keynote speakers was Dr. Gary Weaver, a Professor of International Communication
School of International Service, who explained why there are misunderstandings
between different races of people: faults in cross-cultural communication. Moreover,
there is the need for people to understand and respect other cultures, thoughts and
decisions before judging them according to their own views and beliefs. This struck
me as a very true statement and made me realize that there will always be people
whose views you do not understand. You need to take a step back and try and figure
out why they have that particular opinion.
After reading so far, it may seem like this conference was an intense course on
leadership skills and politics. I would say it was, but the interaction was not only
between keynote speakers and faculty advisors: the main interactions were between
students, both in and out of group meetings. Outside group meetings were the most

I personally learnt a lot from the key note speakers,

moreover I learned a tremendous amount from fellow
delegates about different cultures, views, ideas and even
the delegates themselves.
memorable moments. The students got to know each other and talk about both com-
plex matters in current affairs in addition to simple matters such as likes and dislikes
including things like sports and the love for food from around the world!
Overall the GYLC experience was an interesting, informative, and exciting con-
ference. Even though there was seriousness in the work, we always had fun in the
learning process. I personally learnt a lot from the keynote speakers, moreover I
learned a tremendous amount from fellow delegates about different cultures, views,
ideas and even the delegates themselves. I would recommend this conference to any-
one interested in interacting with others and learning new things. You do not have
to want to be a diplomat or a politician to learn the leadership skills gained from
this conference.
A worth while experience no doubt!
Term 1 2008/09 23

shanghai Trip
October 2008
Lawrence Lancaster
Year 12E
S
unday 19 October 2008 and 24
students and three teachers left
Bangkok bound for Shanghai.
After a brief visit to Burger King,
we all congregated on China Eastern
flight MU 542 to begin our four hour
flight to Shanghai and the best time
of our lives. Upon landing in Shang-
hai we met our guide Mr Richard and
our driver Mr Nee, from there we went
to our luxurious hotel, the Best West-
ern Long Men, which being new was
fabulously furnished and perfect for a
good nights sleep. From there we went
to dinner at the Red Rooster, a local
Chinese restaurant.
Day One. Mr Richard took us to the
Urban Planning Centre where we found
out some interesting information regard-
ing the geography of Shanghai. It has a
population of 18 million people, the
largest population in all of China, but is
only a third of the size of Beijing mak-
ing it a very cramped area. We saw the
giant model of Shanghai, which includes
future developments as well as existing
buildings. From the Urban Planning
24
The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l
Centre we walked a small distance to
the Museum of Chinese Antiquities,
the second largest collection of Chi-
nese antiques worldwide, second only
to the Palace Museum in Taipei. Here
we saw the oldest discovered pottery in
existence; a 7000 year-old pot. Besides
ceramics there were over ten exhibitions:
bronze, calligraphy and the stamp col-
lection were all interesting and full of
historical value. After a brisk lunch we
attended a lecture on the Bund by Mr
Wood, our tour leader. The Bund is eas-
ily Shanghais most renowned attraction
with the exception of the TV Tower.
We walked along The Bund and learned
about some the famous buildings that
are located there. The HSBC bank
building, which is now the home of the
Pudong Development Bank is famed for
its Italian marble and its octagonal ceil-
ing adorned with a mosaic depicting the
Greek gods; Artemis, Helios and Ceres.
Two other famous buildings are hotels,
The Peace Hotel and The Palace hotel.
The Palace Hotel gained a rather maca-
bre reputation due to a number of guests
committing suicide there, whereas The
Peace Hotel is renowned for its parties
and famous guests in the 1930s: visitors
included Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fair-
banks and Mary Pickford. After an en-
joyable boat ride and dinner we attended
an Acrobatics show. There is no word to
describe how amazing the show was; the
flexibility, strength and coordination of
the acrobats was both unique and awe-
inspiring, and for most people this was
probably the highlight of the trip.
Day Two. First on the agenda was the
thoroughly interesting Shanghai Muse-
um of Science and Technology. This gar-
gantuan museum boasts a whole host of
interesting exhibits, with the robotics and
space navigation being the highlights.
The special exhibition was also worth
checking out, consisting of a display of
E-art and E-landscapes, which were thor-
oughly inspiring as well as being mind-
bendingly complex. After lunch we went
to the Shanghai TV Tower, considered
the third tallest tower in the world. It
was colossal up-close and the view from
its observation deck provided a phenom-
enal panoramic view of the city. Next we
had a short shopping trip to the Super
Brand Mall, where many people flocked
to well known brands such as H&M
and Espirit. Following this we attended
a Chinese tea shop where we had a tea-
tasting session followed by a chance to
buy some of Chinas famous produce.
This was the last event of the day before
dinner and back to the hotel in anticipa-
tion of another great day.
Day Three. We were unable to attend
the usual visit to a car manufacturing
plant, so Mr Richard organised a trip
to the Coca Cola factory in Shanghai,
which raised many cheers. The plant is
owned by Shanghai Shin Mei which has
sole bottling rights for Shanghai and its
surrounding cities. The factory produces
as many as 1500 cans of Coke per min-
ute, which is a lot of Coke.
After another Chinese lunch we vis-
ited the homes of two famous Chinese
revolutionaries, Soong Ching Ling and
Sun Yatsen. Sun Yatsen was the first
non-royal leader of China; he attained
this role through being the leader of the
revolution in 1911. Soong Ching Ling
was his wife, a good friend of Maos and
a firm supporter of the communist re-
gime. Both are greatly respected in the
Chinese community. The group contin-
ued to explore the French Concession,
which is well known for its beautiful
red and grey brick buildings and open
cafs. Next, we visited the birthplace of
the Chinese Communist Party, a small
room in an all girls school, we also saw
the first communist propaganda ever to
be published in China, as well as wax
models of the people at the meeting.

This brings us to our last full day in Shanghai; first we went to the Jade Buddha
temple which showed some very fine examples of Buddhist statues. The groups next
destination was Nanjing Road, one of Shanghais most up-market shopping districts.
It was an interesting change from the old style buildings which we had seen near the
Buddhist temple. After lunch, we went to the Yu Yuan Gardens to visit the market and
see the gardens. Finally we departed to our last meal in China, before getting back
on the bus and travelling to the Maglev train station for our journey to the airport.
The magnetic levitation train in Shanghai is the fastest train in the world capable of
moving in excess of 400 kilometers per hour. After only a seven-minute journey to the
airport we got on our flight back to Bangkok, everyone thoroughly tired and happy
with the way that the trip went. Touching down in Bangkok just after midnight, be-
fore going our separate ways we all conveyed our thanks to Miss Cupitt, Mr McKenna
and Mr Wood, without whom we would not have been given the chance to go on this
trip, for the betterment of our knowledge and understanding.

Term 1 2008/09 25
 The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l

O n Frid a y 17t h O ct o b e r 20 08
af t e r a long and c halle nging
half t e r m, 41 st ud e nt s and five
st af f he a d e d of f t o Ra yong
f or a c halle ng e of a dif f e re nt
kind : t he annual H abit at f or
Humanit y Build.

Habitat for
Humanity Build

A
ll the hard work involved in fund
raising and preparing for the
event had taken place and now it
was time for action. The group was rar-
ing to go and entered into the spirit with
great enthusiasm. A good many activities
began with the cry, make a line! which
was proceeded with everyone, however
tired, joining in to move bricks, soil or
concrete. This became a rallying call
during, and even after, the building.
In addition to the practical skills de-
veloped, the build involved a great deal

The five days

included digging holes,
shoveling and shifting
of fun, camaraderie, team work and en-
dirt, mixing cement, durance. Everyone gained from the CAS
making concrete and experience as it was real and purposeful
laying bricks. Physically with genuine and significant outcomes.
Though we have joined Habitat on many
demanding, spiritually builds over the last few years the emo-
rewarding and fun! tional impact of working alongside the
homeowners and handing over the keys
in the final ceremony never fails to deep-
ly move the students and staff.
Thanks to all those students and staff
who joined the Habitat Build October
2008. They did a fantastic job!

26
Term 1 2008/09 27
 The S e c o n d a r y S c h o o l

Vietnam history tour

2127 June 2008

Ha n oi Highlig hts
Haina Pattaramalai 10S
Excited students, harried parents, and
nervous teachers clustered around the
check-in. Joy and energy deluged the
airport as students prepared to board a
plane that would send them on a once-
in-a-lifetime adventure with 40 friends
and four teachers. Now how could they
not be excited? Before long, the Year 9s
were aboard the plane, looking down at
Bangkoks hectic streets. Two hours flew
by and they were welcomed to Hanoi,
Vietnam, a city so different from where
they came from.
There were no fancy malls or cool
cars in Hanoi. Its architecture and stan-
dard of living reflected the countrys his-
tory. The importance of the war and its
impact was suddenly realised by all.
The cluster of students and teach-
ers were greeted by Viet, the super-guide.
Viets father was a secret Vietminh agent
during the war with the French. During take pictures of the tanks and jets that were used in the war. The prison wasnt any less
the ride to Hoa Binh hotel, Viet gave us an fascinating. There were horrendous facts and dark, claustrophobic jails. The experi-
eye-witness account of the Vietnam war. ences and understanding the group gained was more than any PowerPoint or textbook
Not long after the group settled in could give.
they went out for a tour of the city. Ev- In the evening we celebrated Mr Woods birthday with a big cake and watched a
eryone had a cyclo to themselves. They delightful water-puppet show, ending a beautiful day.
relaxed through the interesting sightsee,
visiting the old quarter. Passing rows of Ho i An a n d A r ou n d
bustling shops, Hanoi seemed to be simi- Dimitri Cautain 10D
lar to what Bangkok was 50 years ago. That day, 23rd June 2008, was worth remembering. The day started at 4:00am when
The first day of Patanas 15th history everyone was in a state of drowsiness. The streets of Hanoi remained dark yet the
trip in Vietnam ended with a pleasant temperature was still hot as the bus glided peacefully to the airport.
musical performance at Thang Long Most of us slept through the early morning flight. We arrived at Da Nang Airport
Restaurant and 44 well-filled tummies. which was once the second busiest in the world, but today it is very calm (and hot!)
The students couldnt have asked for a After arrival everyone rushed to the small restaurant for breakfast.
better introduction to Vietnam. With our bellies full of delicious baguettes or fabulous noodles, we left the airport
The second day of the trip was a full- to visit the French-built Cham Museum. The Cham were a Hindu trading-people
day expedition visiting several museums.
The group started the day with Ho Chi
Minhs mausoleum. The Vietnamese he-
ros body was preserved and laid in a glass
case for everyone to see, and his wooden
house on stilts was open to the public. Ho
Chi Minh was humble and never changed
his lifestyle.
Both teachers and students enjoyed an
appetising American lunch at Koto res-
taurant. Then, they set off for the Army
Museum and the Hanoi Hilton prison.
Girls and boys shifted around to pose and
28
who were almost completely wiped out by
the warrior Vietnamese. The French built
the Cham Museum to preserve what was
left of the Cham temples. There are many
interesting statues and the museum is a
lovely, open, French-style building.
We left the museum and drove out
of Da Nang, stopping to climb Marble
Mountain. After running up a couple hun-
dred steps we arrived at a view point where
we saw an impressive vista of Da Nang.
We took a group photo and paid a visit to a
big cave lit by holes in the cave ceiling. We
continued our route to Hoi An.
Before entering the city we had to buy
tickets and the bus wasnt allowed in (the
horror!) But why? Simply because most
of Hoi An is protected by UNESCO as
a World Heritage City. To preserve and
manage Hoi An, visitors need to buy a
ticket and no four-wheeled motorised
vehicles are allowed in the town. We
walked along peaceful streets lined with
beautifully coloured tailors and souve-
nir shops, under the shade of gracious
trees, to our restaurant.
Lunch was the best so far, with the Saig on Me m ori e s
choice of amazing pizza or delicious Fabian Grimm 10H
Vietnamese noodles, and everything in After what had been four fantastic days in Hanoi and Hoi An, it was with great enthu-
between. siasm and eagerness that we headed to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Once in Saigon,
The next stop was the Pho Hoi Riv- we stopped at Mr Binhs noodle shop. The exquisite taste of the noodles wasnt the only
erside Resort. The rooms were exquisite. thing that made this shop so special. During the war, the second floor of the shop was
Soon everyone hopped on the bus bound a Viet Cong meeting point, and it was there that they planned the Tet Offensive.
for China Beach, and after a couple of Following lunch, we set off to the Presidential Palace. Lying within the extensive
hours of sand and saltwater, we headed palace grounds were the two tanks that crushed the gates in 1975 to declare the end
back to the resort pool and relaxed, re- of the war and a communist victory. Inside, we went for a guided tour of the luxu-
covering from our 4:00am wake up. rious rooms and internal cinema. The basement was also a highlight, with strong,
The next day we drove to My Lai. sturdy, steel-reinforced walls that ran in all directions through small corridors. All
My Lai is a small coastal village where these things made this palace a perfect stronghold for the South Vietnamese presi-
the My Lai Massacre took place. We dent to rule from. The final activity of Day 5 was the War Remnants Museum in
had studied this event in class but actu- which a variety of grotesque pictures and objects were on display. Mr Wood had
ally being where US soldiers murdered warned us that the museum was not for the faint hearted, and once again, he was
approximately 500 Vietnamese was a right. The deformed foetuses which were a result of chemical spray were enough to
very different feeling from talking about dampen what was so far a joyful day.
it in class. The feeling at My Lai was so On our last complete day in Saigon we took a one-hour bus ride took us to Cu
unique and strong that it is impossible to Chi, where the Viet Cong built tunnels in three layers, over 200 km to protect
recreate using words. In the museum at artillery, hospitals and themselves from US bombing. As we got out of the bus, we
My Lai we learnt that there were some walked through a beautiful reforested area that represented the dense foliage and
American soldiers such as Hugh Thomp- vegetation present during the war. After watching a short movie we headed to the
son who rescued some of the Vietnamese Cu Chi Tunnels. Level One was relatively easy as the tunnel walls were widened
villagers from the killing carried out by and consolidated. It wasnt until Level Two that people started to question their
American marines. eagerness as fear and claustrophobia took over. For the people who ventured into the
lowest level it will remain as one of the highlights of this trip as the 100 meter tunnel
generated a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Before leaving Cu Chi, we had a look
at the horrendous traps that the Viet Cong used to snare enemy soldiers.
On behalf of all the students, I would like to thank the teachers for putting up
with 40 of us, and our guide Viet for making this trip so special. Of course, a special
thank you goes to Mr Wood for organising such a wonderful trip.

Term 1 2008/09 29
 C ro s s C a m p u s

Bangkok PAtana Alumni

Karyn Walker
Development, Alumni & Marketing Manager

T
erm 1 started off with an
Alumni get-together at Red
Restaurant, Thonglor. Lots
of Alumni braved the traffic and en-
joyed an evening of delicious food
and chat. It was a great opportunity
for Matt Mills, Head of School, to
meet so many former students and
hear about they had been doing since
Graduation. Patana Alumni form a
huge global network and I think it is
fantastic to have regular get-togethers
like this. We really like to hear what
our former students have been doing
so please keep in touch and come
back and see us at school!
T e n nis Success
Kelsey Stevensens life since leaving
the school in 2007 has been a busy
round of training and competing in
high level tennis tournaments around
the world. He recently took time Kelsey Stevensen (left) meets up with Head of School, Matt Mills.
out of his gruelling schedule to visit
school and give us an update of his progress. He has competed in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand
and Japan all high level international tournament where players in the top 10 in the world were playing. I was lucky enough
to win some matches, getting to the finals in one semi and quarter finals in two. Kelsey also competed at events in Europe,
winning a tournament in Romania. But one of my biggest achievements was playing in the qualifying rounds for the Juniors in
the US Open this year I lost in the first round but it was still a really good experience. More training awaits Kelsey and after
two more Junior tournaments he is due to join the professional circuit. We wish him congratulations for all his achievements
and the best of luck for the future!

S e c on d Gen eratio n Stud ents

History is repeating itself for many Bangkok Patana School

families with several children now attending their parents for-
mer school. One of these second generation students is Caro-
lyn Suradejvibul. Her father, Philip, attended Bangkok Patana
School from 19711976. He has fond memories of the old Soi
Navin campus and the quaint wooden classrooms, and recalls
great excitement at the opening of new classrooms which had
the ultimate luxury airconditioning! I remember being ter-
rified of the geckos which would scurry around on the ceiling at
naptime and of having to cope with the flooded soi during the
rainy season. Philip is delighted that Carolyn has the opportu-
nity to attend his former school and says she cant wait to go to Philip with daughter Carolyn who is now in K2 and enjoying her
school each morning. second year at Bangkok Patana School.

Stay in touch with Patana Alumni: Dont forget to sign up on the Patana Alumni site: www.patana.ac.th/alumni so that we can let
you know about reunions and Alumni activities.
We would also like to hear your news and suggestions about Alumni activities, email me on kawa@patana.ac.th.

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 The P ri m a r y S c h o o l

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The Jungle The glit z, excit e me nt and glam our of B olly wo o d came
t o B angkok Pat ana S c ho ol wit h t he Ye ar 4s out st anding

Book original pro duction of The Jungle B o ok.

O
ctobers exuberant Year 4 pro-
duction of The Jungle Book
took the audience on a tour of
Incredible India, from the deepest jun-
gles of the south to the bustling bazaars
of the cities and even to the hotly con-
tested cricket pitches of the new Indian
Super League! The costumes, designed
and created by the hardworking teach-
ers and parents of Year 4, were dazzlingly
colourful and beautifully detailed but the
highlights of the show were the stunning
dance numbers which drew on the dance
traditions from all over this vibrant coun-
try. A big thank you to Himisha Mehta
who single-handedly choreographed the
entire show, on top of helping with the
designs for the costumes.

The Bollywood production was very good and everyone enjoyed it. The good things
were the dancing because it was great fun, singing because the audience had smiles on their
faces and the talking was very clear. I enjoyed the bit when Shere Khan jumped out of the
box because everyone was surprised.
Adam 4K

Term 1 2008/09 33
 C ro s s C a m p u s

The bangkok patana

school annual fund
Providing extra opportunities

Karyn Walker
Development, Alumni & Marketing Manager

Bangkok Patana
School is keen to provide
extra opportunities for
students to have more
hands-on experiences
as they study the
environment and a range
of associated issues.

Thank you so much to ever yone in the Bangkok Patana School communit y for your ongoing support for the
Annual Fund. The response to this years Fund has been tremendous and donations are still coming in.

T
his year the focus for the Fund is the environment, reflecting the increasing
focus on the environment and environmental issues in education. The school
is keen to provide extra opportunities for students to have more hands-on ex-
periences as they study the environment and a range of associated issues.
One of the major items on the Funds wish list is the development of a dedicated
eco-classroom with space for project work and to showcase sustainable technolo-
gies. As an initial step an outdoor teaching sala and freshwater pond is planned for
land adjacent to the playing fields opposite the school. The PTG has generously sup-
ported this project and it is hoped the Annual Fund will be able to help in various
ways, including providing basic instruments for meteorological measurements such
as evaporation tanks and pollution measuring equipment. Also on the wish list are
the development of more plant and tree-growing areas where students from Primary
and Secondary can engage in hands-on growing and observation projects.
Once again, our sincere thanks to all those who have so generously contributed
to the Annual Fund and supported the environmental initiatives. The Fund contin-
ues throughout the year and your support is always very welcome.

Further Information
If you would like to find out more about the schools Annual Fund please visit the Annual Fund
homepage at w w w.patana.ac.th/annualfund or contact me on kawa @ patana.ac.th.

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