Bangkok Post Foundation: Three decades of giving educational opportunities in Thailand

It’s no exaggeration to say the Bangkok Post Foundation is a part of 26-year-old Khatawut Wisreethippakorn’s life, as the foundation has supported his education for 13 years, from Prathom 5 until he completed his bachelor’s degree.

A vision of self-motivation

“Education is the door to opportunity. If I did not have a bachelor’s degree I wouldn’t be able to reach this point,” says Nattapum Saengprasit, who is congenitally blind and has been working at Advance Info Services’ call centre for over seven years.

A passion for farming

After graduating from the Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University in mid-2015, Saharath Kuakul, 23, landed a job as an environmental officer with CK Power Plc, a subsidiary of CH Karnchang Plc, which is working with the Laotian government to build the Xayaburi hydropower dam. His work in the neighbouring country focuses on fish migration in the Mekong river.

Valuable life lessons

“I am now a Thai language teacher at Bangkok Wittaya Mooniti School, but I am due to be transferred to a new school on Nov 11 as a full-fledged civil servant. Once I have worked the required number of years I will be able to transfer back to my home town which is what I want to do.

Lofty medical ambitions

Most children have happy childhoods. But for Thundron Parkminakom and his older half-brother, growing up was an ordeal.

Healing the poor

“We can’t choose how we are born. But we can choose to work harder and to improve ourselves. We should set our aim in life and act upon it. Whenever we are tired and discouraged we should think of our target in life and set upon it with determination,” says Dr Warin Yuyangate.

Son of the good earth

Orphaned since he was in primary class 5, Waroot went on to become one of the first Bangkok Post Foundation scholars to embark on a postgraduate course, successfully completing a master’s degree at Chiang Mai University.

Future teacher

“When I graduate, I would like to get a job as a government teacher, I will certainly carry out my duties to help the society”

An honour

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

Nursing her community

Ampika Pukam’s childhood taught her the virtues of hard work and self-sacrifice.

From model student to engineer

Anusorn Pinsuwan, a former Bangkok Post Foundation scholarship student, is now an engineer at the Provincial Waterworks Authority in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

Growing up in a family of low-income rice farmers, Kalyakorn never dreamed of having a higher education, let alone picturing where she is today.