Now that the basic structure of Bangkok Pattana’s curriculum has been established, the goal is to bring the Thai language proficiency of the school’s Thai students to the level where they can pass the Cambridge University first language ICGSE examination at the end of year 11.

That is a tall order. The examination is no pushover. There are two papers, the first 150 minutes long and the second 75 minutes long. Both papers are entirely in Thai and dictionaries are not allowed.

This paper involves reading and directed writing. This year, the students read two non-fiction articles, the first about the Thai buffalo (kwaay) and the second on elephants. Each article covered in some detail topics like the animals’ physical appearance, life cycle, work habits, breeding, training and role in Thai history.

The students were asked to answer two questions:

1. Compare similar and different points from the information about Buffaloes and Elephants. (Don’t comment on writing or presenting methods.) Try to write in your own language as much as possible. The script should be one-and-a-half to two pages long. Write on every line.
2. Suppose you have a chance to visit a mother elephant and her almost 3-year-old baby. Use information from the article to write a script of an interview with a tender and/or a mahout on breeding, pregnancy, giving birth, bringing up a baby, and training methods for teaching young elephants to work. The script should be one-and-a half to two pages long. Write on every line.

In the second paper, students were required to write an essay of between 300 to 500 words, paying attention to punctuation, spelling and handwriting. They had a choose of nine topics. Below are four of them:

1. What are some of the factors making the tourist industry in Thailand more prosperous and popular among westerners than other countries in South Asia. Explain by examples.
2. Why are some addictive substances like coffee, cigarettes and liquor socially accepted, whereas amphethamines, heroin, marijuana and cocaine are not?
3. Thais should study language of neigbouring countries because they are easier and more useful to Thailand than western languages like English, French, German or Spanish. Do you agree with this idea?
4. Describe the last general election of the country you live in, the government’s main policy together with a profile of the new prime minister and what people expect from the new leader.