Narongchai Saeng–akanee, a second-year Education student majoring in the Thai Language for Secondary Education, Chulalongkorn University, and the writer of “Every Tree Was Once a Seedling”, has received an honourable mention prize from the 2021 Book Award Contest. The book was submitted under the poetry category for young adults (age 12-18).
Narongchai, with his talents in Thai language and poetry, previously put together a book of poetry, “Every Tree Was Once a Seedling, which won the first runner-up of the 2020 Seven Book Awards contest in the young writer’s category. Furthermore, his poetry, “In the Little World”, received an excellence award from the 2020 Young Artist Award in the poetry category. Other awards he received were the Royal award “Grateful Children for Their Mothers 2020” and the National Outstanding Youth Award 2019.
Organized by the Office of the Basic Education Commission, Ministry of Education, this year’s Book Award Contest was, for the first time, open to all published books. Over 33 stories were submitted by writers, publishers and institutes in a variety of categories, including documentary books, novels, poetry, short stories, books for children ages 3-5, books for ages 6-11, young adults ages 12-18, cartoons and picture books.