This week's connect topics are...

Editor's note
It's no secret that people in developed and developing countries are generally getting fatter, and Thailand is no exception as our story on page 12 shows. However, it has not always been so: a World Health Organization study from 2001 described obesity (fatness) as "rare" in Thailand. Yet by November 2002, a nationwide survey of 4,197 students by Mahidol University found that 6.2 percent of the students were overweight.

Write on : SCHOOL DAZE
My name is Aina Ardae. I am studying at Saiburi Islam Wittaya, which is in Pattani province. My school is big and it has many students. Because my school is such a big school, there are many problems. For example, my school often makes announcements over the loudspeakers while we are in class studying.