Thai Students Excel! Sweep 6 Awards at World Science Competition

Thai students excel! Sweeping 6 awards from the world science competition stage "REGENERON ISEF 2026" in the United States. Princes Royal's College showcases exceptional talent and captures the world's top ranking with an innovation for "malaria detection covering all 5 major species." On May 17, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona, the United States, an international science and engineering project competition REGENERON ISEF 2026 (Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair) was held—the world's largest youth science competition organized by Society for Science, the National Science Museum (NSM), the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), and the Thai Science Association under royal patronage. Thailand sent 8 youth teams to compete against approximately 1,800 young scientists from 60 countries worldwide between May 9-15, 2026.

Competition results showed that Princes Royal's College in Chiang Mai, composed of Nathpong Thawornnai, Nathdanai Suksri, and Phumjai Pongsrivatana as project creators, with advisors Rungkan Wangbun, Kritipon Wachirankul, and Dr. Katiya Piyarangsee, won the Grand Award first place for the project "Automatic Malaria Diagnostic System Using Artificial Intelligence and Smart Low-Cost Microscopy for Remote Areas." This innovation can detect all 5 major malaria species, enabling rapid and accurate disease diagnosis with convenient and portable use, while efficiently reducing diagnostic time. The award prize was 6,000 US dollars.

Beyond this, Thai youth teams have brought honor to Thailand by sweeping a total of 6 awards, including 2 Grand Awards second place with 2,400 US dollars prize each from Princes Royal's College in Chiang Mai in the Medical Science category for the project "Quantitative Cervical Cancer Screening System with Verified Detection for Accessible and Inclusive Diagnosis," with creators Daichi Tanaka, Pongkun Fuchuen, and Kao Thitijamreun, and advisors Rungkan Wangbun, Kritipon Wachirankul, and Dr. Katiya Piyarangsee, and from Bangkok Christian College in Bangkok in the Zoology category for the project "Comprehensive Coral Restoration Innovation Integrating Molecular-Level Repair with Artificial Coral Frameworks Monitored by Satellite Data," with creators Sanyaphat Akkjirawat, Naphudol Sriratana, and Prodpran Chanthammapituk, and advisors Chanan Kiertsirisan and Suwanna Amprondanai.

Thai youth representatives also received 3 Special Awards totaling 12,300 US dollars or approximately 401,964 baht. Bangkok Christian College in Bangkok won the first Special Award from the King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, sponsored by Mawhiba, providing full scholarship from King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia, for the project "Comprehensive Coral Restoration Innovation Integrating Molecular-Level Repair with Artificial Coral Frameworks Monitored by Satellite Data," with creators Sanyaphat Akkjirawat, Naphudol Sriratana, and Prodpran Chanthammapituk, and advisors Chanan Kiertsirisan and Suwanna Amprondanai.