Punnawat's Blog

My IELTS Experience

The IELTS test is a test required by many international universities in Thailand. You can either choose to take IELTS or Toefl. IELTS test is from UK and Australia in the other hand Toefl is from the US. For me I took IELTS because I think it’s simpler than Toefl. The IELTS are scored from 0-9 the higher the better.

IELTS are separated into 2 type Academic and General training, if you will use to apply to university then choose academic. Both Academic and General training have 4 parts Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking each part are scored from 0-9 then combined together and find average then you will get overall result.

The time I went to took the test I didn’t really prepare I just practice one week before the test about 20 to 30 minutes a day with my friend after school. I took the test at Union Mall at Ladphrao. About 2 or 3 days before the test I received an Email about the testing site and what time should we arrive. The day came I reach Union Mall at 7:00am before the appointed time 1 hour I met my friend who came to take test with me, we sat down and talk for a bit then around 8:00am we were escorted into the testing site along with other people. The proctor then brief us about the instruction and told us to go into a room where we took a photo and scan our finger then another proctor leads us to our assigned table each table will have 2 people sitting on one side, but lucky for me the person who need to sit beside me didn’t show up on time and i got to take the whole table for my own. In the morning from 9:00 to 12:00 we took Listening, Reading, and Writing.

The Listening Part

Listening part is the easiest part of them all, you will get a headphone and audio file will be played then you need to fill in the black on the answer sheet. This part will take 30 minute excluding 10 minute after each section. If you want to improve your overall score you should focus in this part.

The Reading Part

Reading part in my opinion this is the second easiest part after Listening part, but this part you must practice to you English daily if you are not exposed to English text this will be one of the hardest part in the IELTS.

Writing Part

This is by far the hardest part of the test according to most of the test taker, but for me it is easier than I thought you just have to write 150 words in first task and another 250 words in another task in 1 hour, but still this is the lowest part I got only 6 in this part but I think I know my mistake I didn’t separate the text into paragraph and I think thats why I got low.

Speaking Part

This is the hardest part in my opinion maybe because I was nervous at the time and a little panic and rushed to answer but it came out better than I thought. I thought that I was going to get about 4 or 5 but when the result came out I got 6.5.

Results

These are my results

Overall 7.0
Listening 7.5
Reading 7.5
Writing 6.0
Speaking 6.5

It came out better than I thought, at first I estimated that I will get around 6.0 to 6.5.

Update with photo on weekend

Planting Mangrove Trees

In my school every students are required to do 40 hours community service in order to graduate. The school allowed us to collect hour when we reach grade 10, but for me that time I taught that it was a waste of my free time so I don’t bother to do it until I reach grade 12 I have only about 2 hours of community service I’ave done in the pass 3 years. One day my friend Peter invited me to join them to plant mangrove tree at Samutprakkan and it’s worth 14 hours I immediately accept his offer.

My friend told me that in order to join them I must register to a website called Thanakarn Jitarsa or in English meaning Volunteer Bank. I register and apply for the event and pay for traveling fee and food. Then I was invited into a line group where the organizer gives us information.

The day came my friend and I meet at our meeting point BTS Sanam Pao, then we got on Taxi and go to event meeting point at PTT Vipavadee which cost me around 50 baht (According to my friends I need to pay because I sat in front…) We meet with the organizer talk for a bit then we went to 7-11 to buy some snake while we travel.

The car we sat on that day was a car small car with modified trunk that can seat 6 people.

We got there at Bang Pu Army Learning Center and was introduced to a soldier who brief us on what to do and give us some knowledge about that learning center.

Then we proceed to plant mangrove tree each person will get 2 trees to plant. We must plant those trees with bamboo stick support in the planting site there are bamboo stick all around but we must find an empty spot for our tree. We dig hole with our feet beside bamboo stick then we put tree into that hole and cover it and lastly we tied the trees with bamboo stick.

How I Applied to Chulalongkorn University

This is the story of how I applied to Chulalongkorn University, but before we get in to the story I would to share with you first why did I choose to study here and its history.

Brief History

Chulalongkorn University is the first higher education institution in Thailand it is one of the most prestigious university in Thailand. Founded by King Vajiravudh with the name of Royal Pages School, then King Vijiravudh later changed the name to Civil Service College of King Chulalongkorn naming after his father King Chulalongkorn, and later it became university and renamed to Chulalongkorn University.

Why Did I Choose This University

As I’ve mention Chulalongkorn University is if not the most one of the most prestigious university in Thailand ranking 1st nationally most of the time passed, it is almost every Thai students’ dream to join this university. In addition my aunt also studied here too and she have a condo near the university and it makes transportation easier for me.

How I applied

First I went on to see the requirement in the major website, the major I choose is Biotechnology (This is the first year this major open too meaning that I will be the first batch of this major) the requirement for biotech early admission round are:

GPAX minimum of 2.75 and have taken at least one course in Biology.
Math test score

CU-AAT (Chulalongkorn University Academic Aptitude Test) (Math Section)	at least	450	or
SAT (Math)	at least	490	or
SAT II (Subject Test) (Math Level 2)	at least	600

I directly copied the requirement from the major website

3. English test score

TOEFL (Paper-based)	at least	550	or
TOEFL (Internet-based)	at least	79	or
IELTS	at least	6.0	or
SAT (Evident-Based Reading and Writing)	at least	450	or
CU-AAT (Chulalongkorn University Academic Aptitude Test) (Verbal Section)	at least	400	or
CU-TEP (Chulalongkorn University Test of English Proficiency)	at least	80

I directly copied the requirement from the major website

I have taken all these tests before and it meet the requirement so I apply using

SAT (Math) 570

IELTS 7

***I think that my score are relatively low compare to other students because I saw in the Facebook group that one student got 700 in SAT Subject Math and another student got 1350 in SAT and 780 in math part and compare to my score it very high. ***

and thats it I sent all the document to their Academic Affair department wait for interview announcement and go for interview. The selection criteria are Math score 30% English score 30% and Interview 40%, so even though you got low in some test you still have chance to be admitted in to this major.

Proudest Day of My Life

The proudest day of my life is January 13, 2020 because it is the day I got accepted into Faculty of Science Chulalongkorn University majoring in Biotechnology. On that day I was very excited and nervous I’m on my phone for whole day keep on refreshing the major website to see that I got accept or not. Around 17:55 their Facebook page posted the name of accepted candidate I quickly press on to see I scan through the list, at first I didn’t see my name and became a bit scared so I checked again then I saw my name on the first page I was very happy and excited. Then I walk around my house and told my sister that I got accepted then I called my parents, and grandparent that I got accepted. They congratulate me I say thank you to them. They promise me that they will being me to celebrate and let I choose where to celebrate but till this day I still don’t know where should celebrate, but I think that maybe it will be at Scala Restaurant one of my favorite restaurant.

Home Invader

May 16, 2019 I wake up start my day prepare myself for school take a shower, dress up in my uniform, but then when I finish preparing myself I open the door to my back kitchen… Then I saw a Home Invader!!! Its a neighbors cat!!!

Just posting for fun I really like this picture because not of the cat but because of its background. I have been cooking here almost everyday for the pass 5 to 6 years but in a couple of month I will have to move away and starting living in Bangkok to study at my university. I will miss this kitchen miss that table miss all those tree.

First Time Wining in a Sport fest

March 6, 2020 marked the first day Eagles(My house name) have ever won a house competition and it is my last year in this house before I move up to university. I have stayed in this house since my school start changing houses name from color name to mythical creature name(Even though eagles are not mythical) which are Dragon color blue, Eagles color red, Griffin color purple, Phoenix color green. It been 9 years I have stayed in this house and this house have never won any sport fest not even second place. Since the beginning the Eagles team only have never reach second place only third and fourth places, which is actually a bit of a shame because every other houses have at least won once or twice in the pass 9 years, only the Eagles that never won any, so this is actually a big day for Eagles. Thats was it I just wanted to share my first time winning.

My First Turning Pork

Whats Turning Pork?

You may get confused by the name of this dish and you may ask “What is Turning Pork?” but if you were Thai you will immediately know whats Turning Pork. Turning Pork or “หมูหัน (Moo-Han)” is a Chinese dish where you roast whole piglet (Already gutted) on a stick until the skin becomes crispy. But the Turning Pork I ate was Thai style Turning Pork normally the Chinese will use piglet age about 2-3 months old, but for Thai style, you choose the size, not age. You can choose whether adult pig or piglet and the price vary depending on the size like for example today my father ordered 9 kg pig which is still considered a piglet but it is definitely older than 3 months old and it cost 1550 baht which is about 9 to 10 people serving. This is also my first time trying this dish so I’m very excited to try, but according to my mom, she said that I have had this dish before when I was 2 or 3 years old so I think to myself how can I remember the taste of it. This year I’m turning 18 so the last time I tasted this dish was almost 15 years ago and I have no memory of it, so I will consider this time as my official first time having this dish.

The Struggle

The very first struggle was that the pork was already cold when we go and take it. So we have to figure out how can we reheat this giant pork. But we solved this by following my father’s friend’s advice (He also recommend the seller we brought) that we find a metal roof and heat up charcoal to re-roast the pork by hanging the pork between two chairs then spin it over the heat. The second struggle was the charcoal we had were low quality charcoal and have low temperatures when heating so we have to lower the pork and use an electric fan to blow the charcoal to create a bigger fire so that the skin will become crispy. Finally, our last struggle is how will we finish this giant pork as I mention before that pork this size are recommended for 9 to 10 serving we have eight people eating, you may think that eight people would be enough to finish 9 to10 serving but in this case, one of the eight people is my sister. My sister is a type of people who always have some food left over on the plate, she is very different from me I’m a big guy who eats a lot, my father like to say that she never eats her food but she only sniff it. But luckily most of my family members eat a lot too so we survive this battle against Turning Pork.

The Taste and Experience

The taste of the skin somehow remind me of crispy pork the texture, the smell, and the flavor are really close, but the Turning pork skin will be a bit more crunchy like biting into a very thin glass, and it has a bit more flavor because under the skin are fat it give more flavor and texture to the skin. The meat, in my opinion, is too salty eating with the sauce seller gave which I think that it is also too salty makes it even saltier, but overall it is a good experience to try this dish I learned a lot of new things like how to spin the pork, and how to crave it.

What You Need to Know Before Applying for University.

University application are one of the most intensiflying things a highschool students faced. As for me I recently got accepted to my dream university in Thailand and today I would like to share you my story and how I prepared for my application and what you need to know before you apply.

Know What You Want

The first step of every student to be ready for application is to know what you want to study know your passion is the key to know what you want. Try to think about what you like or what you are good at thats maybe your passion, and as for me I enjoys studying science so I applied for Biotechnology major.

Prepare What You Need

This is the most important step because in every university you need to reach the minimum requriment or else they will cut you out even before being evaluate. Most of Thai university like Chulalongkork, Thammasat, and Mahidol all of these universities requried you to take amplitude tests like SAT, and english proficiency tests IELTS or TOEFL. The score differ depending on what major you applied but the more the better. Some major may require more than that for example in engineering major you may need to take SAT Subject in Physics or in Medicine major you are requried to take BMAT.

Prepare For Interview

In some major interviwing will determine your fate whether you will be admitted or not, so be prepare for interview question. I personally use a guide for interviewing from a facebook group called “Learning Cafe” this guide really helped me alot in preparing for the interview. ***On the interview day if you are scared I recommend you to bring your parents or friend to go with you they will calm you down***

Who Am I

Picture taken when I was in grade 9 for science project looking back it was very cringe picture but everyone in my class took so its fine I guess

Hi Hello and Welcome to my blogging website the purpose for this website is for me to write. This blog will help me record my life what I have passed or simply this is my online diary. I will also use this website to share my experience the time I applied for university as a guide for my juniors. Thank you for visiting my website hope you will enjoy my content any suggestion are appreciated.