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CHATROOM Photographs courtesy of AFP/Bangkok Post Letter of The Week LONELY PLANET
Since the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, terrorism seems to be increasing everywhere. Bombings and killings, one after another, are tarnishing Mother Earth. When terrorists recently held children hostage in Russia, I felt very sorry for them. I saw soldiers rescuing small children on the TV � the children were naked and bloody. I saw mothers crying outside and wondered how some people can bear to torture such small children. There was also a bombing in Bangladesh that killed many innocent people. And even as I write this letter, there is news on the TV about a bomb at the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Bombings in Iraq are no longer news � to me, they seem to be happening every day. Recently, terrorists killed 12 Nepalese men who went to Iraq just to work. Why does this happen? Why can�t we give peace a chance? I really hope people stop showing their anger and instead show friendliness to everyone. I wish our beautiful world could be as beautiful from down here as it is from space one day. Amrita Saha, Niva International School, Bangkok Hello Amrita and thanks for a thoughtful letter. However, I can�t offer any easy explanations or solutions � the world is becoming a more dangerous and mixed-up place every day. At first glance, it�s easy to blame religion, but the actions of terrorists are usually rooted in personal extremism. It�s also easy to blame one country over another when the problems are occurring the world over. In fact, terrorism is actually rooted in taking religious and cultural differences and using them as justifications for violence. � Editor SPEEDY SERVICE
Siwaphan Sangaroon, Pathum Thani Hang on, Siwaphan � you live in Pathum Thani, 46 kilometres north of Bangkok, yet a bus took you all the way to Koh Kai and Sapam Bay in Phuket in just 15 minutes? Remind me to try out that bus service some time (or get a better map)! � Editor END RESULT
Watanasak Supaking, Trang Hello Watanasak. You don�t mention which university you�re at now � perhaps that�s a good thing. I wouldn�t like to start a war of words over which university is better than the other. Still, you do prove a point that despite bad first impressions and negative gut feelings, things often work out in the end. � Editor FIRST TIMERHello there, this is my first letter to Student Weekly. My name is Ketsarin Jinda-nha and I am studying in grade 9 at Suwanaphumpitayapaisarn School, Roi Et. There are 55 students in my class as well as 94 teachers and about 2,000 students in the school as a whole. At school, I liked English subject very much. First, because English is very interesting, and second, it is very important for me because I must use it all the time to communicate with foreigners. I study for three hours every week and really enjoy it. Ketsarin Jinda-nha, Roi-Et Thanks for the letter, Ketsarin � your first, but hopefully not your last. As you enjoy English so much, perhaps you�d like to tell us more about yourself and your school next time. � Editor We want to hear from you!For pen pals, letters and any general comments you have about Student Weekly, contact us at Bangkok Post Student Weekly, Bangkok Post Building, 136 Na Ranong Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110. You can also email us at [email protected]. Your words must be your own (except for quotations and well-known proverbs or sayings) and they may be edited. Letters of the Week win a prize of 150 baht! What do you think of this week�s Student Weekly?Let us know your thoughts at Vocabulary stun (v): in this use, to surprise or shock somebody
so much that they cannot think clearly or speak Idiom gut feeling: a strong feeling based upon what you think will happen in the future
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Our planet looks so incredibly beautiful from space, with
its blue and green colours. But this is only what the world looks like from
outer space. The current terrorist threats in this beautiful world are causing
its beauty to fade.
When I finished Matayom 6 at my school, my friends and I
went to Koh Kai for three days. On the first day, we met at our school and then
took a bus to Sapam Bay, which took about 15 minutes. Then we took our bags
onto three boats and we went to the island. Koh Kai is a beautiful island with
beaches surrounded by clear blue water. We then had our lunch and spent the
afternoon walking and swimming. Later on, we saw a movie about ghosts. On the
second day, I got up late because I had been afraid of the ghosts the previous
night. But later on, I swam and played volleyball with my friends. In the
evening, we sang songs and explored the hotel where we were staying. Although
the time went quickly, I felt very happy and had a great time because I did
many exciting activities with my friends.
Dear Editor. After I passed my entrance exam, I got ready
for an interview at the university I wanted to attend. I expected to have to
answer a lot of questions about the department or university. On the day of the
interview, I went to the department on time, but I was worried because there
was a serious atmosphere there. Then the teacher called me and I went into the
interview room. The teacher saw my resume and asked, in a loud voice, �Who came
with you?� I was confused. �I came alone,� I answered. �You came from Trang
alone, so where are you staying here?� they asked. �I am staying with my
friend�s brother, who lives at Ramkhamhaeng University�, I answered.
�Ramkhamhaeng?� the teacher said. �Why don�t you study at Ramkhamhaeng
University? This major is difficult.� I was stunned and answered, �But this
university is my dream.� After the interview, I was so worried. I talked with
my friends as to why the teacher didn�t ask any questions about the major or
the university. I thought that I might not pass because I answered the
questions badly. But finally I am here, at the university that I dreamed of.