Mahidol University International College (MUIC), playing host to this year’s 13th EU-TH Intervarsity Debate Championship, won 2nd Place / Finalist and also garnered the Best Speaker and Best Adjudicator Awards on August 4, 2018.
Team 3 comprising Mr. Chun Heng Sae Saeh, Mr. Dikshant Konwar Prasai, and Mr. Shalom Wu En Ping took up the Opposition to the motion “The West should covertly support moderate political parties in Europe.”
Mr. Chun Heng Sae Saeh was given the Best Speaker Award while Mr. Dikshant Konwar Prasai won the 2nd Best Speaker. Their team mate Mr. Shalom Wu En Ping was adjudged 5th Best Speaker. Mr. Dechathorn Sae-Ho on the other hand was selected as the Best Adjudicator.
MUIC Team 3 yielded to Chulalongkorn Team 2. In the high school division, Team 1 from Anglo-Singapore International School won the championship.
In his speech, Dr. Colin Steinbach, Head of the Political, Press and Information Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Thailand, praised the “eloquent and high-spirited” debaters. “You showed passion combined with politeness,” he said, adding that aside from “creativity, logic, eloquence,” the most important virtue of a debater is “empathy [which we need] in order to get reconciliation.”
He also thanked MUIC’s officials and Debate Club officers, members and volunteers for the successful hosting of the event.
Prof. Dr. Banchong Mahaisavariya, Acting President of Mahidol University, said he is deeply impressed with the strong skills of the debaters, adding that their participation in this premiere debating event “is an opportunity to demonstrate your capacity, widen your network, and gain valuable experience.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phitaya Charupoonphol, MUIC Dean, along with several college executives and officials, also attended the championship event.
The debate tournament ran from July 31 to August 4, participated in by 10 high schools and six universities. MUIC fielded four teams this year.
