Igniting Creative Power: Two BUCA Students Win First Place at Awakening Digital Literacy Creator 2026
Help drive Thailand’s digital society toward greater safety and sustainability
From the classroom to the national stage — a success story that began with taking action. Congratulations to Ms. Maneerat Suthon (Merry) and Mr. Nattapon Sroijaturon (Aim), two students from School of Communication Arts, competing as Team ONE TO TWO, for winning first place at the “Awakening Digital Literacy Creator 2026 – Igniting Ideas, Passing on Knowledge to the Digital Society” competition. The event opened up space for young people, especially Gen Z digital citizens, to compete with creative ideas for campaigns or activities that help drive Thailand’s digital society toward greater safety and sustainability. It was organized by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, in collaboration with the Thailand Knowledge Park (TK Park).
After joining the project, which gave them the opportunity to develop creative concepts by presenting social awareness campaigns, we had the chance to speak with Merry and Aim, who shared their thoughts on the project: “This was the first time we took part in a project like this, after being encouraged by our course instructor and seeing the announcement shared within the student activities group. Since we’re students who already enjoy taking part in activities and creating work, we saw this project as an important opportunity to build on the knowledge and experience we already had on a real stage — as well as a space to experiment with new ideas and develop our own potential beyond the classroom.”
“Coexist” — An Exhibition Inviting Young People to Find Solutions Together
“Our award-winning work took the form of an exhibition concept called ‘Coexist,’ which presented the idea of people living together and finding shared solutions in the digital age. It brought together three key issues: using AI with awareness, the problem of cyberbullying, and finding balance between technology and life. We chose to design it as an exhibition because we believe that creating an experience visitors can actively participate in can build awareness more effectively than communicating through ordinary media. The concept includes several learning zones designed to help visitors understand the impact of technology, before leading them to reflect on and adjust their own perspectives. We also aim for the exhibition to be able to expand to different provinces through collaboration between the education sector, the government, and the private sector — creating a continuous learning ecosystem rather than limiting it to a single event.”
From University Experience to Confidence on the Competition Stage
Merry and Aim shared: “Our experience as student activity organizers and studying at Bangkok University was a key factor that allowed us to compete confidently on the real stage. Being involved in activities since our first year gave us regular practice in developing concepts, planning activities, designing exhibitions, and presenting our work. Our instructors acted almost like our ‘first client,’ helping to ask questions, give advice, and push us to develop our work until it was ready for a real presentation. The presentation skills we continuously trained also became another strength that earned praise from the judges and participants, allowing us to communicate our ideas clearly and credibly — helping our work stand out among more than 50 competing teams from across the country.”
Creativity: A Value AI Cannot Replace
Merry and Aim shared: “Even though this competition touched on the use of AI, we both believe that what made our work different was starting from a ‘blank page’ and relying on human creativity, rather than depending solely on tools. We both believe AI is a great assistant, but it cannot truly understand human emotions, feelings, and experiences — which are at the heart of good design. Beyond that, creativity doesn’t come from talent alone, but from practice, taking action, and accumulating experience — both in the classroom, through university activities, and by going out to learn from the outside world — until inspiration can be turned into work that creates real, meaningful value for society.”
For both of them, this success isn’t just about the award they received — it’s proof that learning through real experience, support from instructors, and never stopping the development of creativity are the key ingredients that allowed them to proudly step onto the national stage.
