BANGKOK — Siblings Arin “In” Thongtang and Arisa “Aim” Thongtang were among 1,292 outstanding youths honored by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Government House on January 8, receiving recognition for their remarkable environmental conservation efforts.
The Shrewsbury International School Bangkok students earned acclaim through their organization “Below the Tides,” which has spearheaded several successful marine conservation initiatives.
The duo’s scientific achievements include winning a gold medal at the 2024 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry conference and first place in high school research for their project “Green Secrets Unveiled.” They also developed an innovative AI-powered sustainable tourism initiative in Samut Songkhram province.
Here there are several notable achievements:
- Won gold medal at the 2024 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) conference
- Secured first place in high school research competition with their project “Green Secrets Unveiled”
- Developed “Echoes of the Past” sustainable tourism initiative in Samut Songkhram
- Founded “Below the Tides” organization focusing on marine conservation with projects including:
- Raised 600,000 baht for endangered sea turtle conservation
- Collected over 300,000 baht for coral restoration at Koh Mak
- Leading “Long Live Dugongs” project to protect endangered dugongs
Their latest project, “Long Live Dugongs,” focuses on protecting endangered dugongs affected by climate change, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to marine conservation and environmental sustainability.
Beyond conservation, the siblings dedicate their Sundays to teaching underprivileged children and were recently awarded the prestigious “Marine Conservation Excellence” recognition by the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources for their continued environmental advocacy.
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