''Wittaya Subphayuth'' (also spelled ''Vittaya'', th, วิทยสัประยุทธ์, , ) is a Thai educational
game show initiated and sponsored by the
Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology
The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) is a Thai state agency, founded in 1972. Its responsibilities include the development of national science and mathematics curricula, and sponsorship of science education, as ...
(IPST) and produced by
Workpoint Entertainment under the vision and direction of IPST. The programme features competitions between upper-secondary school students to create a machine to perform various tasks. It was broadcast weekly on
Channel 5, for two seasons, from 2011 to 2013.
Production
''Wittaya Subphayuth'' is produced by Workpoint Entertainment in cooperation with its main sponsor, the Thai Ministry of Education's
Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology
The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST) is a Thai state agency, founded in 1972. Its responsibilities include the development of national science and mathematics curricula, and sponsorship of science education, as ...
(IPST). The programme's stated objectives include to promote science education and to publicize the scientific potential of Thai students. It was broadcast weekly on Saturdays at 18:00 on Channel 5, beginning on 5 March 2011. It was shown for two seasons, the last episode being broadcast on 23 February 2013.
Format
The programme features upper-secondary student representatives from forty-eight schools countrywide, in teams of three, competing in
single-elimination tournaments. Each episode consists of a match between two schools, whose teams are assigned to design and build a
machine
A machine is a physical system using Power (physics), power to apply Force, forces and control Motion, movement to perform an action. The term is commonly applied to artificial devices, such as those employing engines or motors, but also to na ...
to complete a specific task, sometimes in
Rube Goldberg
Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (July 4, 1883 – December 7, 1970), known best as Rube Goldberg, was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor.
Goldberg is best known for his popular cartoons depicting complicated gadge ...
fashion. For example, the problem for the episode broadcast on 27 August 2011 was to determine the weight of a
tuk-tuk using a regular market weighing scale.
The programme is presented by
Nattee Kosolpisit. Each episode consists of four sections: two showing each team's construction of the machine, one showing the competitors' presentations of their machines' concepts, and one showing actual application of the machines. The teams are scored depending on their success in completing the task, as well as by audience votes and by a panel of three or four judges, depending on the round. The two regular judges are Surachate Limkumnerd and Worawarong Rakreungdet, physicists at
Chulalongkorn University and
, respectively.
Reception and results
''Wittaya Subphayuth'' won the Best Game or Quiz Programme category in the 2011
Asian Television Awards, beating ''India Minute to Win It'' Season 1 (Episode 2) and Workpoint's other nominee ''Ratcharod Ma Koey''. It also won Thailand's Golden Television Award in the general educational programme category.
The first season, which concluded on 10 March 2012, was won by students from the
Prince Royal's College
The Prince Royal's College ( th, โรงเรียนปรินส์รอยแยลส์วิทยาลัย) is a private Christian school serving the education needs of over 6,000 students per year in grades kindergarten through ...
, Chiang Mai.
References
{{reflist
External links
Official websiteProgramme page at Workpoint Entertainment website including videos
Thai game shows
Television series by Workpoint Entertainment
2011 Thai television series debuts
2013 Thai television series endings
2010s Thai television series
Channel 5 (Thailand) original programming