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Patana
NEWS
Friday 21st August 2020
Volume 23 Issue 1
www.patana.ac.th
WE’RE BAAACK....
Mr Mills’ First Blog of the Year
Page 2
Also in this issue...
Meet the New Swim Coach/New Car Park/The Challenges of University Choices 21/08/2020
Bangkok Patana School News
Bangkok Patana is a not-for-profit IB World School accredited by CIS
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The Warmest of Welcomes……. Greetings Everyone, I am delighted to welcome you all back to the 2020-2021 academic year. A special welcome to any new families joining us this August, we are so pleased you chose Bangkok Patana School. I am starting my 13th year as Head of School and 36th year in education and it is really an honour to lead such an amazing school. The new academic year has started very smoothly, and I have observed lots of happy/relaxed students and teachers. It seems an extra-long summer break this year as most of us experienced internal travel options rather than taking long-haul flights back to family and loved ones. I got to spend a little time at the beach and in the mountains and it always amazes me what a stunningly beautiful country Thailand is. Mask wearing now seems part of our daily life and reading all the research, it seems a no brainer that mask wearing is imperative to support our health and well-being at this place and time. COVID-19 is going to be around a lot longer than we all predicted/ expected and as a top international school we have to do all we can to support our students in a caring and purposeful way. We are confident with all of the extra health and safety procedures/resources we have put in place at our school to protect your child at all times. We are also confident that we have a high-quality online learning programme that we can revert back to at any time that it is required. Feedback on our CSL programme has been positive and the Microsoft Teams technology support has been very well received by all of our community users. The school is now operating pretty much as normal but we will, however, still be strictly adhering to what I call the 3 Ws: Wash hands regularly Watch your distance at all time Wear your mask at all times. To the students heading back to school this week, I challenge you to make the most of this new learning opportunity. Ask yourself what you want to achieve this year – be honest – and then plan the steps you will take to realise your ambition. I do hope you have a BRILLIANT year ahead!
“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai.
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New Students We have 230 new students starting Bangkok Patana School this year! We do have a number of students that are still stuck overseas or are currently in quarantine and we will be supporting their learning through our CSL programme. We hope your transition is a smooth one and we are so glad you are joining the Patana community! Our total school population is 2,206 students and we are the largest international school in Thailand. We have 28 new staff joining us for this academic year, the new staff have already spent a week at school attending a very well organised and informative staff induction programme which Katherine Hume and her team has done a superb job planning! We are so fortunate that we were able to get all our new teachers safely into the country and they have all completed the mandatory 14-day quarantine period.
IB Diploma/ IB Courses Results 2020 As you will be well aware the issue of results for the Graduating Class of 2020 was unprecedented in that it was done without students taking final examinations, which normally account for between 60 and 80 percent of final grades. Instead the International Baccalaureate Organisation used a statistical model to award grades based on externally assessed coursework and historical data. Pleasingly, for most students, this resulted in results in line with our expectations and our wonderful graduates were recognised for the outstanding scholars that they are, being awarded our highest ever average points score of 37 out of a possible 45 with a pass rate of 98 percent (worldwide figures are 30 and 80 percent respectively at the time of publication). Notable and important to celebrate are the fantastic achievements of 31percent of the cohort who achieved more than 40 points, far higher than the worldwide average of 10 percent. Special mention must also be made of Kelly-Ann Tan, who achieved a maximum 45-point score, and counts herself amongst only 140 students worldwide to do so. While important to acknowledge the wonderful attainment of this cohort, it must also be noted that the system for awarding grades was not uniformly pleasing, and there are a number of students and subjects for whom the results issued do not appropriately reflect their achievements. These continue to be subject to review via channels that the IBO have established for this session, and we are working hard to seek redress to ensure that outcomes are fair and appropriate for all our students. We wish the Graduating Class of 2020 the very best with their future studies at their chosen universities and look forward to hearing their stories when they come back to visit us.
Pass Rate
Patana Global 98% 80%
Average Score out of 45 Points
1 student scored a perfect 45 points
Patana 37 points
Global 30 points
Students who scored over 40 Points
Patana 31% Global 10%
Andy Roff - IB Coordinator 2019/20
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IGCSE Results 2020 This year’s exceptional arrangements with the cancellation of the IGCSE exams meant that initially grades were awarded based on Centre Assessed Grades along with a standardisation process set by the exam boards. However, as this was not as fair to all students globally as was hoped, the board broadened their criteria to accept the higher grade from Centre Assessed Grades and those generated by the exam board. Thankfully with school only closing in April, just a short while before Songkran, our students had completed all their courses and had covered all aspects of the syllabi; therefore, the grades achieved should be viewed equally to previous IGCSEs. The grades awarded, although not decided by examinations, are ones that we and our students should be extremely proud of. We are delighted that for the cohort in general, the results are very closely in line with our expectations. Collectively they achieved an overall pass rate of 96.5% A*-C/9-5 and our grades awarded for A*- B/9-6 was 86.6%, an excellent achievement for a non-selective school. Impressively, 59% of the cohort received all their IGCSE grades at A* - B/9-6. Overall, the proportion of the highest grades of A*-A/9-7 is an impressive 65%, and 10 students currently have a full house of A*s, 9s or 8s. Whilst you will have read much in the press about the challenges of succeeding in creating a fair grade awarding process this year (which no exam board globally has managed to achieve), our students’ grades in the main, are a very fair reflection. The school has tried to ensure we achieve the very best and just grades for each student. No students’ progress to the IB Diploma has been affected by the grades and all students will continue with the subjects of their choice. Following the exam cancellations in Term 3, for further challenge, Grad22 engaged in a “Preparation for IB Programme” (PIP). This involved them working independently, as well as joining live classes, to study all aspects of their chosen IB courses. This means that they are our best prepared IB students ever, ready for a deep dive into IB and life in Senior Studies; we look forward to welcoming them back to school next week. Suzanne Lindley- Assistant Principal Curriculum and Assessment
Summer Works 2020 As with every school and especially large schools like Bangkok Patana, an enormous amount of work has taken place while you have been on summer holidays. We obviously cut back on the number of projects this summer because of the pandemic. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Khun Prawit, our Buildings and Grounds Manager and all of our hard-working team for all of the good work they have done making sure the school was fully prepared as we welcomed back all of our students on Wednesday 19th August. This year’s major summer projects include: • Primary Library extension • Primary Art rooms extension • Primary Music rooms refurbishment • Thai Sala roof re-tiling • Secondary Arts office refurbishment • Secondary EAL/Thai collaboration space • Creation of a swimmer’s gym
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• New floor covering for many classrooms and the Conference Centre • Youth Club refurbishment
Great Educational Articles to Share At my first whole staff welcome back meeting, I talked about the importance of empathy not only for our students but for staff and parents as well. You will notice it is clearly showcased in our school’s vision: I showed a brief video entitled “Understanding Empathy” which I hope you will get something out of as I certainly did. It is presented by one of my all-time favourite public speakers Simon Sinek who is a British-born American author and motivational speaker. He is the author of five books, including Start with Why and The Infinite Game. During this very challenging Covid-19 pandemic that we are all experiencing in different shapes and forms, there is no better time to role model the innate ability to care and show empathy.
Finally, Bangkok Patana is a school that encourages initiative, competition and success and it is a school where every individual is cared for in an empathetic way and feels part of the social group. Only when a student feels connected and happy with their lot, can they learn effectively. I want them to learn in the most effective way possible. Enjoy your first weekend of this academic year. Matt Mills Head of School
School will be open 4th and 7th of September 2020/21 CALENDAR 21/08/2020
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The Latest Three Ws isn’t the World Wide Web!
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t’s Wear a Mask, Wash Your Hands and Watch Your Distance! Students are reminded to follow the three Ws while in school (and outside!) to maintain a safe and healthy climate for everyone. Heat scanners are in place at the Front Gate as well as at the gates at Foundation Stage, Year 3-4, Nursery and Gate 7 near the Front Hard Court. In addition to encouraging regular hand-washing, alcohol gel stations are in place around the school. Please be aware that your child must wear a mask to school every single day.
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Thai Basic Conversational Course for Adults (Parent) in Block 1/2020
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he course is designed for non -Thai speakers who have absolutely no previous experience in the Thai language. Students will learn how to greet and introduce themselves, basic vocabulary for social contexts including food, drinks, shopping, asking for directions, the date, the time and engagement with Thai culture. Block 1/ 2020 Day: Every Thursday Time: 8.00 - 10.00 am. Period : 17th September - 29th October (6 sessions) Cost: 4,800 Baht (800 baht/session)
Places : 6-12 Teacher: Khun Nittaya Venue: CON 426 Please email thai@patana.ac.th to register by Monday 31st August 2020. The invoice will be submitted in class.
! e t a d e h t Save
The Fun Run is going Virtual in 2020! Registration is only THB 100 per person. Entry will give you a unique completion medal and a chance to win prizes! Registrants can also opt to purchase a souvenir event shirt for THB 300. Registration will be open soon. You can register for a 3K or a 5K. You must complete your run between 26th September and 4th October and upload a screenshot recording your run. The Fun Run is a charity fundraiser for the school’s charity clubs. Sponsorships are available from THB 5,000. More info on sponsorships here! Stay tuned to find out how you can win a prize at the Fun Run 2020!
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Meet the New Swim Coach! Richard Molloy, Cross Campus Head of Sport
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s we start the new school year, there have been a number of staff movements within the school. The TigerSharks programme is one of the longest running Sports Academies and it is ushering in a new era with Coach Tim stepping up to become Head Coach. As with all of our academies, the Head Coach provides a vision for how the team will develop and evolve within our school environment. The TigerSharks is home to more than 200 swimmers from TigerPrawns through to National Performance and direction is essential to it’s continual growth. How are you feeling about the new school year in your new role?
Can you give us some hints as to what these might be? There is a wider variety of opportunity for our youngest swimmers in Year 1 and 2 to access after school swimming, utilising our incredible splash pool! This will open up space at the 25m pool for further Recreational Swimming sessions each afternoon too. I am also excited to spend some time with different squads this year, giving our development squad swimmers access to me personally once a week. It is a great chance for me to work with our staff and help them develop as coaches, whilst helping the swimmers too. Who will be taking your role this year? Coach Joe joined us this August. We had a lot of interest and really strong candidates from across the world so we had to make some tough calls, but at every stage, Joe really stood out. Joe had been working with the incredibly successful Hamilton Aquatics Club in the Middle East and is excited for the new challenges here at Bangkok Patana School. He is a huge asset to the programme with an excellent background in running CPL classes for coaches, parents and swimmers, leading Strength and Conditioning programmes and developing swimmers from Learn to Swim through to international honours.
I couldn’t be more excited. I have had two years to get acquainted with the team and work closely with Coach Rich on key areas within the programme. We have been through a pretty steep update to our performance squads Finally, what’s been your favourite moment in your over the last three years and have seen the benefits to this first two years with the school? in our racing nationally and internationally. I can’t wait to A performance highlight for me was seeing our Senior see this group of exciting swimmers progress towards their goals and we will be a real force once again at Thailand girls win their first SEASAC relay after a number of years of narrowly missing out. It was one of the first events of Nationals and of course SEASAC next year. the meet and set the team up for a weekend of incredible What is your Vision for the programme moving for- racing. I believe it was a huge moment in the Senior girls’ ward? march onto winning the title in 2019. I believe we still have plenty more to deliver as a programme and we have put some key changes in place. My vision for swimming is to offer a swim programme which recognises all different levels of swimmer - from Learn to Swim, to development, to performance and recreational. We must strive to offer the best possible opportunities at each stage and I feel we are moving towards that.
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From a team perspective I have great memories of the Christmas pool party at the end of Feeding Frenzy 2019. We don’t often have our entire team merge together due to the varied groups and high numbers that we work with. When these moments do happen, it is great to see our team all integrate with each other and shows another side to them away from the competitive environment that we usually see them in.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TRYOUTS, TRAINING SCHEDULE AND SIGN UP ON FIREFLY HERE
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UNI COUNSELORS’ CORNER
The Challenges of University Choices Kevin Keller, Head of Careers and Universities
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elcome back Bangkok Patana School! The Careers and Universities team is very much looking forward to fantastic school year full of success for all of our students. The 2019/20 school year turned out to be like nothing any of us expected or could possibly imagine. In true Patana spirit, we persevered and I was proud of our students, especially Grad’20, for the grace and grit with which they met every challenge that was presented to them.
They will take with them a solid work ethic and the values of Bangkok Patana School to university campuses around the globe. For that, we could not be more proud. Students will not only be pursuing courses in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, but also Product Design, Geography, Philosophy and Veterinary Sciences. We can’t wait to hear about the achievements and positive personal development that will no doubt occur during their university journey and beyond.
While I’m unable to address the entire community at the opening assembly as I usually would, I think it’s still important to recognise the achievements of Grad’20 and look forward to the coming year. As you’ll recall, for Grad’20 the year started as usual. They finalised their research, polished their personal statements and submitted university applications that highlighted years of achievements to admission officers globally. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic put almost every aspect of university admission into question; from exam cancellations to visa restrictions, from online-only university instruction, to limited contact with admission officers. Much of this uncertainty still exists for our recent graduates and some questions may not be answered for quite some time. I, along with the whole school, was impressed with the determination and resilience shown by all of Grad’20 as they persevered through every imaginable twist and turn that was presented on their unexpected journey.
I’m particularly pleased with the focus on university “fit” that Grad’20 had as they made their final university choices. Our students realised, through the guidance of our Careers and University Counsellors, that their success at university is weighed heavily by a thoughtful, informed and independent decision to attend an institution that fits their personal, academic and social needs and profile. It’s sometimes difficult for teenagers to shed the pressures presented by those around them and cast off the assumption that only certain universities can ever lead to success. I’m confident that our students, past, present and future, use the plethora of resources they have here at Bangkok Patana School to find universities with qualities that will cultivate their unique personal talents into personal and professional success. The time students spend getting to know themselves, their needs and the universities who can support them will be repaid with achievement and a sense of belonging during their time at a best-fit university.
FABULOUS UNIVERSITY OFFERS Through it all, Grad’20 achieved more than 470 admission offers from selective universities in 14 countries. Our graduates will be attending universities in the US, UK, Thailand, Canada, Ireland, Italy and Australia, among others.
As we look forward to guiding Grad’21 along their final path to university, we are also acutely aware there are even more uncertainties to come. What will my exams be like? How will the application process be changed? How many spaces are available in the course? Will I even
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be able to be present on a university campus next year? Some of these answers will come with time and some will simply rely on the progression of the international community in their fight against COVID-19. What students and parents should be assured that the Careers and Universities team will work to make sure that all of our students have the most up-to-date and accurate information and guidance as possible, even as university policies and recommendations are constantly evolving.
I wish Grad’20 all the best in their future endeavours and want them to know that the Careers and Universities faculty will continue to support them in any way that we are able. I know they will make all of Bangkok Patana School proud, no matter what future hurdles they will need to overcome. We look forward to an exciting and rewarding year and wish each student all the best as they begin this new journey.
In the Spotlight... The University of Glasgow
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he University of Glasgow is in the top 15 universities in the United Kingdom and in the top 100 according to the Times Higher World University Rankings. Established in the historic city of Glasgow, the university has over 19,000 undergraduate students and offers degrees ranging from Medicine to Education. A member of the Russell group of leading UK research universities, it is well-known for its strength in Medicine and Life Sciences and has produced two Nobel laureates in Medicine. Additionally, the university has had four Nobel prize winners in Chemistry and one Nobel Peace Prize winner. Famed economist Adam Smith attended Glasgow as did surgeon John Lister. More currently, the First Minister of Scotland is a University of Glasgow alumni along with actor Gerard Butler, screenwriter and producer Steven Moffat and authors William Boyd and Karen Campbell.
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STUDENTS SPEAK
Sleep Tight Praewa Taylor, 11B
“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” William Blake
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eenagers tend to sleep either too often, or not often enough and when you wake them, they won’t always exactly be in a desirable mood. You may dislike this pattern of behaving after long naps and think it unreasonable as you compare it to your own happy waking. So, you think this post-nap moodiness may just be a result of puberty and the overall common gloomy behaviour present in most teenagers; but the truth is that it happens with everyone and will depend on your sleep cycle. The sleep cycle consists of four stages and will altogether average approximately 90 minutes per full cycle. The first three stages are classified as NREM (non-Rapid eye movement) stages of sleep whilst the fourth is REM (Rapid eye movement) sleep. These two types of sleep allow your brain to progress sequentially through each stage. Stage 1 is the transition from wakefulness to being asleep. Your eye movement, heart rate and respiration begin to slow down and your muscles start to relax. Your body temperature drops and your brain waves slow. Stage 2 is a very light sleep where your breathing continues to slow down and your muscles relax further. Your eye movement stops altogether here as your body prepares for a deeper sleep. Stage 3 is where your body falls into a deep sleep. Your heart rate and breathing are slowed to their lowest levels in this stage while your muscles are completely relaxed. Your body releases repair hormones and tissue growth and cell repair will take place in this stage. Stage 4 is the REM stage of sleep and as can be inferred from its name, your eyes will move rapidly from side to side under your eyelids in this stage. Your brain wave activity has mixed frequency and gets closer to your wakefulness state. Breathing quickens and your blood pressure and heart rate increase to near waking levels. Most of your dreams occur in this stage and your muscles are paralyzed to ensure you don’t act out your dreams. The REM stage of sleep increases in duration as the night (your nap) goes on and since your brain processes and synthesizes your emotions and memories in this stage, it is important to get longer amounts of sleep. It may seem counter-intuitive but sleeping for 6 hours will result in you feeling more well rested and awake afterwards than if you woke from an eight hour slumber. This is because after six hours, you will likely be at the end of a sleep cycle whereas after eight hours, you will likely be entering Stage 3 of sleep so once woken, you will likely feel groggy and dis-orientated. Therefore, sometimes shorter naps can result in more desirable moods when woken. 12
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Tensegrity structures
Kaeo Lumentut, 7H found out about “tensegrity structures” while browsing some science videos. It amazed me how an object can seemingly “float” using only ropes or strings. After researching about tensegrity structures, I finally know how they can seemingly “defy gravity”.
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A tensegrity structure works through tensegrity. Tensegrity comes from the words tensional and integrity. The term “tensegrity” was coined by R. Buckminster Fuller, an artist, inventor and mathematician. According to him, tensegrity is a self-supporting system and a self-correcting system, which does not require any internal supporting structures and contains isolated, non-touching compression struts within a continuous system. All of those rules allow a tensegrity structure to look like it’s “defying gravity”, when the only things at play are physics. Using this knowledge I created a tensegrity structure using popsicle sticks and string, combining them into a rectangular box that could hold up a small package.
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Japanese at Bangkok Patana PATANA JAPANESE GROUP 【ジャパニーズグループに参加しませんか】 バンコクパタナスクールのジャパニーズグループは、 日本人の父親あるいは母親を持つ生徒の保護者によ り運営されているグループです。 現在69家族が加入しており、 毎年行われるインターナショナルデーなどの 学校活動に協力しています。 また、情報交換の場として親睦会を年に数回行っています。 参加ご希望の方 は、 日野までご連絡ください。 Maya.siam@gmail.com We are the Japanese group of Bangkok Patana School with our current members made up of 69 families. We actively take part in an International Day and other fun school activities, and occasionally hold get-togethers to get to know each other better! If you are a Japanese or your spouse is, or if you would like to inquire more information about us, please email to Mrs. Maya Hino at Maya.siam@gmail.com JAPANESE LANGUAGE ECA 【ＥＣＡ日本語のご案内】 日本人または日本語を母国語とする親を持つ生徒のためのＥＣＡ日本語が、新学期も引き続き開講され ます。 外部からの国語教師が授業を担当します。 これを機会に子供たちの日本語力を高めませんか。 詳細 はＥＣＡ登録画面で確認願います。 A Japanese language ECA will be offered to all students who are Japanese natives or those whose parents are Japanese speakers. A Japanese teacher (from outside Patana) will lead the ECA classes and help your child improve their Japanese skills. Please refer to the current ECA sign-up site for more details. Kind regards from Yuko Bunsokuwan Japanese group 2020/21. Those interested in joining sessions of the Japanese ECA may check the contents of the Japanese ECA in the ECA sign-up site and may apply during this Block 1 sign up period. 14
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Desert Island Discs With James Dallas, Primary Art Teacher
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his column follows in the style of the famed BBC podcast which features a celebrity every week – here we feature our own Bangkok Patana celebrities! What eight songs, one luxury item and one book would you take with you if you were stuck on a desert island? Today James Dallas, Art Teacher, is stuck on a desert island. after having completed her IBs! MR DALLAS, IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WHAT EIGHT PIECES OF MUSIC WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? Unforgettable – Nat King Cole You’re All I Need to Get By - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell A Boy Names Sue – Johnny Cash Moonage Daydream – David Echoes – Pink Floyd How Soon is Now – The Smiths
Listen to Mr Dallas’ playlist here
Unfinished Sympathy (Paul Oakenfold Remix) – Massive Attack Trans Fatty Acid (K&D Sessions Remix) – Lamb – Kruder & Dorfmeister PICK ONE LUXURY ITEM YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU. THIS ITEM MUST BE INANIMATE AND OF NO USE IN ESCAPING THE ISLAND OR ALLOWING COMMUNICATION FROM OUTSIDE. 2019 Winnebago Forza 36G WHICH ONE BOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO HAVE WITH YOU? White Fang - Jack London Catch the real Desert Island Discs on BBC. Now that you are stuck at home, what are you listening to? Have a list of your own? Let us know! Contact SHKN with your favourites.
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the m o r f t s e The lat
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PTG
Bangkok Patana School News
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COMMUNITY
N E OP ITIONS 0 2 D 0 2 U S A SHOR T T C B ONL I NE F E ST
N O F O I VAL
LA P T C E-A
YS
AN
H T 0 3 T S U G U A 3 3 Y O A R T D S N I B U T S 3 A 3 I M P O 0 S T I 1:0 V M U K U S ON
Haven't been onstage for awhile? Miss the joy of working with other performers to create the magic of theatre? ---Come along and audition for a show featuring a range of one-act plays and physical theatre. ---To register for auditions, please email: Shorts@bangkokcommunitytheatre.com The minimum audition age is 16. The festival will be shown online.
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For daily updates, snapshots and news on life at school you can find us here...
643 Lasalle Road (Sukhumvit 105) Bangna Tai, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 THAILAND Tel: +66 (0) 2785 2200 Fax: +66 (0) 2785 2399 www.patana.ac.th Email: reception@patana.ac.th 18
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