Speech and Debate

The Debate Club teaches students public speaking, argumentation, and a working knowledge of world events. The students meet every Wednesday at activity period and follow it up with two days of after school training. There are workshops and competitions throughout the year culminating in Thailand National Team try-outs. This year, the team selected M2 Arnencha Pradabkaew to the 12-person team pool.  She proceeded to train and compete with the National Team Pool. Although not in the top five for the 2018 Croatia World Championships, she will be trying for 2019 Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The first tournament of the year was the 12th European Union Thailand Intervarsity Debate Championships held at Chula.  Running four teams, the PHS 1 team advanced to the Quarterfinals. This is the only debate tournament in Thailand to have university debaters competing with high school debaters in the preliminary rounds.  Our teams beat teams from KMUTT, Chula, and Thammasat.

For our new debaters, Panyarat organized a high school circuit revolving around four different schools.  Each school would host a two round competition reserved only for rookie debaters. The circuit included the following: Triamudomsuksa Debate Challenge, the Anglo Singapore International Debate Challenge, the Patumwan Demonstration School Debate Challenge, and our own Panyarat High School Debate Challenge.

The highlight of the year is the Thailand World School Debating Championships held at our school.  PHS 1 with M4 Romtam Kangsawiwat, M4 Thittiporn Siripowsuwunkul, and new promoted M1 Wiracha Veerakachen advanced to the Semifinals of the tournament while the PHS 3 team of M3 Bhornbijja Boonasasakul, Chyna Denise Tan, and Arnencha Pradabkaew finished the tournament 4-1 in the preliminary rounds and a number one seeding into the play-offs but were upset in the Semifinals.

The club continues to grow and expand.  Alumni have returned to help train and adjudicate.  With over forty members, the Panyarat High School debate club looks forward to 2018 and years to come.