An honour

“This is a great honour to myself and my family. No one in my family has never studied in the university level.”

Dear members of the Bangkok Post Foundation Committee and the Mrs Prapaiparn,

I am Chalermpol Thongmee, the recipient of the Ouyang-Bangkok Post Scholarship since 2012. At present, I have completed the five-year course at the Chieng Mai university and I have already received both my degree and the teacher’s license.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Bangkok Post Foundation and the Ouyang Foundation, especially Mr Davidian Ouyang, for giving me the opportunity, for choosing me to receive the scholarship. Without your support, my education life would have ended. You have breathed new life to my education, enabling me to continue my dream, to be where I am now.

I would particularly like to thank Mrs Prapaipan (Khun Pah Prapaiparn) for always being on hand to give me precious advice, especially when I did something inappropriate. Khun Pah is strong with principles but very gentle and compassionate. As I have arrived at this point in my life, I would like to let you know that I have high respect for you, as if you were my own mother. And I will use your guidance to live my own life.

Even when I cannot return to teach in my hometown, but I will always uphold the principle that wherever I am, wherever I teach, whether the children are academically strong or not, I will do my best to teach with love and commitment indiscriminately. My goal is to foster the young generation to uphold morality and ethics more than just being good in textbook knowledge.

I promise that I will be a good teacher for our country to foster good children for Thailand. I will always remain in the country and give my best to my students — just like I have promised Khun Pa when we met in Chiang Mai.

I have decided to apply for a teaching position in Bangkok which offers 56 positions for teachers of Thai language. If I succeed with the application, I intend to work in Bangkok for a certain period of time before shifting to teaching the hill-tribes children in the North. And if I am lucky enough, I could return home to teach in Phitsanulok as I have always wanted.

Although I have not achieved the 4.00 grade point average, but I am very proud to have the grade point average of 3.53 which entitles me to receive first class honours. This is a great honour to myself and my family. No one in my family has never studied in the university level.

I would like to give this honour to the Bangkok Post Foundation and Mr Ouyang for the compassion, for helping this rural lad to have a good education enjoyed by other wealthy people. After this, no matter what I face in the future, one thing which will remain deep in my heart is the unforgettable kindness of the Bangkok Post Foundation and Mr Ouyang for giving me a new life.

I would like to express my thankfulness from the bottom of my heart.

Respectfully yours,

Chalermpol Thongmee
Scholarship recipient of Ouyang-Bangkok Post Scholarship, 2012