Assoc.Prof. Dr. Thanuttkhul Mongkolaussavarat, President of Science Society of Thailand Under the Patronage of His Majesty the King (STT), Dr. Ganigar Chen, Vice President, National Science Museum Thailand (NSM), Mr. Somyot Kiataramkul, Deputy Director of the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand for Content Creation and Integration and Ms. Phakawadee Wongkhamsaen, Cultural Coordinator, Goethe-Institut Thailand, joined an opening ceremony of the 19th Youth Thai Science Ambassador or YTSA#19 held at Sangtien Sang Deaun Room, RAMA 9 Museum, with a theme of “Ecosystem Restoration”. The idea is to promote preservation and a revival of the global ecosystem, encourage the development of science communicators in higher education level, and build them higher ability of transferring science, technology and innovation knowledge and scientific stories effectively.
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Thanuttkhul Mongkolaussavarat, President, Science Society of Thailand Under the Patronage of His Majesty the King said “STT is another agency that has consecutively encouraged and cultivated scientific activities and science communication’s capability to the Thai society and Thai youth. Despite the importance of science to our daily life, we have, therefore relied on skilled science communicators to transfer knowledge of science to make the people aware that science is an amusing and easy understanding. In doing so, we have organized a project called Young Thai Science Ambassador with a well feedback from the interests. In this year, we still hope that the project will get more interests and receive more techniques of science communication with young science communicators who will step forward to be qualified science communicators for Thailand and the world.”
Dr. Ganigar Chen, NSM Vice President said “NSM’s mission is to raise scientific awareness in Thai society as an important input of country development. NSM has played its role in cultivating, transferring knowledge, and delivering science communication among youth and people, to have positive attitudes towards science, technology, and innovation (STI) through arranging science activities and exhibitions. The aim is at youth and people in all areas will be able to access information and pay more attention to STI matters in their lives.”
Mr. Somyot Kiataramkul, Deputy Director of the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand for Content Creation and Integration said “As a telecommunication agency taking responsible for offering a variety of communities and activities, we are ready to support, encourage and promote the increase of the effective communication skills of the Thai youth, especially in science that is vital to country development. We have realized that communication will add more value and benefits to the society and expected that the project will stimulate a sharing of knowledge, creative thinking, and innovative ideas. Science communication is, therefore, a key thing to help raising more awareness of people to absorb and understand their surround matters related their lives.”
Ms. Phakawadee Wongkhamsaen, Cultural Coordinator, Goethe-Institut Thailand said “Goethe-Institut Thailand, an international organization, has played its roles in exchanging Thai and Germany cultures, and be ready to support and encourage creative activities related education and science in Thailand. We have continually taken part in the project and expected to develop and see the youth to be grown up as effective science communicators who brought scientific matters to raise more awareness in easier ways as a scientific capital of our society, and further developing Thai science.”
The YTSA project has opened opportunities to the registered youth to join its training on science communication with skilled technical speakers, science communication expertise from many leading agencies. The expertise speakers will meet and exchange ideas with the youth ambassador participants in a variety of activities, for example, a workshop on science communication design by Dr. Chanin Suriyakul Na Ayudhya, Director of Science Communication and Public Engagement Division, National Center for Public Awareness of Science, NSM, A Story Telling Technique by Arjan Chayanee Chaladthanyakij, Siam University, and a special talk on Inspired by Science Communicator by speakers from TerraX: Lena Paul, Neslihan Feßler, Germany.
The 4 youth participants will be selected to be best science communicators to communicate more attractive scientific stories and raise awareness towards the public. They will also have an opportunity to join a fieldtrip on science communication in Germany in July, 2024.