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MONTFORT STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Montfort College sponsors an international program wherein we welcome student groups with teacher chaperones from abroad to come visit us, attend our classes and tour Northern Thailand. We also seek arrangements that allow groups of our students to visit your school and your city.
For more information chick here.
YEAR 2008
Visit from Ringwood Secondary School – 23 June – 6
The year 2008 is the 12th consecutive year that Montfort College has an exchange program with Ringwood Secondary School from Melbourne, Australia. The bond between the two schools is ever more outstanding and fruitful.
This year we saw the largest group of students – aside from the visit of the Ringwood Band every 3 years that brings over 40 students – with 15 students and two teachers. The teachers on this trip were Ms. Anna Benson and Sjnett Elliott.
MC administrators welcomed the Australian students in the morning of 24 June with a brief cultural information of Thailand and Chiang Mai followed by the school visit.
The program of their stay was said by the students to be an exciting one. They participated in various school activities and class involvements but also with numerous field trips such as that to the elephant camp and bamboo rafting at Mae Tang, to Doi Suthep, to the Umbrella Village, Baan Thawai handicraft center, local markets among many other interesting places.
The group visited to Agape Home which gives shelter to AIDS orphan children. The Australian students collected a sum of money to be donated to the home by doing a few concrete activities in the school.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to Chiang Rai via Fang, Mae Salong were they visited the famous long-necked village; Doi Tung park, Mae Sai and the Golden Triangle with a traditional boat ride in the Maekong River.
All Australian students were happy and quite many would like to come back to Chiang Mai. They established a good relationship with their Thai student hosts and families.
A Kantoke dinner was held at the Chiang Mai Old Cultural Center for all guests and their hosts on Friday 4 July. They all departed Chiang Mai on Sunday 6 July.
MC visit to Australia
From October 7 to 28 Mr. Prawit Wanawatanakun, Mrs. Wilawan Khankaew and Mr. Thirawat Chittham accompanied 13 MC students to visit Ringwood Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia.
The trip was considered a successful one. Students and teachers alike enjoyed very much their stay in Australian and had a good impression of the relationship that bond Montfort and Ringwood throughout of this past years. Comments received by Ringwood administrators, teachers and parents underlined the capability of the Thai teachers of leading the group abroad as well their good skills in the English language. They also praised the good conduct and politeness of the group.
Mrs. Lynda Cody was for the first time the organizer of our trip to Melbourne following the retirement of Kathryn Hurley, International Registrar, who organized all the successful previous trips to Ringwood.
Montfort students were from grade 7, 8, 9 and 10 making a very heterogeneous group. They easily became friends and helped each other in all matters related to this trip. They were warmly welcomed by Ringwood staff on arrival at the Melbourne airport and enjoyed the friendship and hospitality of the Aussie families and peers throughout the 20 days in Australia.
In addition to the usual home stay and the various sightseeing trips in and around Melbourne city, the group was exposed to English lessons administered by Mrs. Fay Maloney who taught in Montfort a few years back. Students gave high importance to the lessons gaining extra knowledge and confidence in speaking English.
Among the sightseeing trips we can mention the Aquarium, the Victoria Market, the Healesville Sanctuary, the Puffing Billy and an overnight stay at Phillip Island. A farewell BBQ was organized at Lynda Cody’s home. A traditional dinner at a Thai restaurant was also enjoyed by all.
The name of the Montfort contingent is as follows:
Nathaphat Na Chiangmai(M.1), Tanakorn Prempunya (M.4), Panuvat Tovijit (M.3), Konphisith Sirinirans (M.4), Krit Vikan (M.4), Chatcharat Sirinirundr (M.4), patchara Proomseranee (M.1), Thagon Chatuthai (M.1), Kannika Uttyawalee (M.4), Sureelak Kanchanakamol (M.4), Phiangrawi Damnoensawat (M.4), Suchada Phuengtua (M.4) and Chatmonkon Moonninta (M.2).
The program was considered successfully done by the school administrators from Montfort and Ringwood alike.
Year 2007
Visit of Ringwood Secondary College to Montfort
From 26 June to 7 July Montfort welcomed Mrs. Sue Gooch and Ms. Anna Benson teachers from Ringwood Secondary College in Melbourne who accompanied 9 students from age 14 to 17 years old.
Bro. Wicharn Saengharn and Mr. Roberto Signor gave the contingent the first welcome in MC premises on 26 June early afternoon. Students then were sent home paired with their Thai host.
The Australian students joined various activities at school such as Thai music, Thai dance, Thai cooking and yoga class. They also joined English classes at the English Program interacting with MC students.
The Aussies also touched the Thai culture of the North of Thailand on various other outdoor activities organized by the Foreign Relations Department including visits to temples, handicraft factories and villages.
A highlight of this trip was the two days journey to Chiang Rai visiting the Karen Longnecked tribe in Chiang Dao, the Fang hot spring, the Kings’ mother garden in Doi Tung, Mae Sai town, the Golden Triangle, aside from a boat ride on the Mekong River. Another important event was the visit to Agape Home, the center for HIV/AIDS abandoned children in Chiang Mai. Students played with the children, gave gifts and a significant donation to foster the center.
All Thai host students and their families took very good care of their visitors giving them all special attention with the traditional Thai hospitality. Parents were particularly happy with their sons and daughters being exposed to the English language.
Friday 6 July a farewell ceremony was organized at school. MC students take turn in various performances such as the school band, ‘kong sabatchai drams’ by the Thai music department, songs and dances from the Chinese department among others.
Bro. Philip Neri, representing the Brother Director, presented Ringwood with a gift. The farewell continued in the evening with the traditional ‘kantoke’ dinner were all experienced once again the fine dance and songs of the northern Thai culture.
Teachers and students departed happily and enriched by this trip experience.
 
 
 
 
MC Visit to Ringwood Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia :
From October 10 - 30 nine students accompanied by Mr. Charkkrit Sarakarn visited Ringwood Secondary College making this the 12th consecutive year of MC visits to that school.
A very warm welcome was given to our group by the school teachers, administrators and the host families. All students were very happy with trip arrangements especially the experience with the host families. Highlights of the trip were the relationship with their Aussies piers, visit to Healsville Sanctuary and Phillip Island. A novelty for many was seeing koalas, kangaroos and penguins for the first time.
There was also the traditional dinner with all host students and families at a Thai restaurant in Melbourne. The farewell party was equally exciting and moving.
The group spent 3 nights in Singapore visiting the main spots of the city state. As a result of this trip the students are more courageous of speaking English.
The names of the participant students in this trip are:
- Mr. SRETT SANTITHARANGKUN – (Menghai) - (M.1/2)
- Mr. NAERAMIT PRACHONPACHANUK – (Jo) - (M.1/2)
- Mr. CHANCHAI WILAILAKLOET – (To) - (M.5/2)
- Mr. MARUT PHURININNAT- (M) - (M.5/7)
- Mr. TANAPAT JAMSAWANG – (Ton) - (M.5/5)
- Ms. ORNJANA BOSEREEWONG (Mill) (M.5/9)
- Ms. SIRISAKUL SUEBRASDR Pakboong) - (M.5/9)
- Ms. PHORNBENYA CHUWATTANAKOON – (Sompor) - (M.5/9)
- Ms. WIKANDA NIRATTARADORN- (Golf)- (M4/5)
 
 
Visit of Ringwood Secondary Band
Montfort College was the last leg trip performance of Ringwood World Tour 2007 with a contingent composed of 7 teachers and 40 students headed by Mr. Robert Motton the Director of Performing Arts from April 4 to 7, 2007.
Before coming to Chiang Mai the performing group has being in New Zealand, Canada, UK, France and the Czech Republic.
This trip brought along Mr. Philips the principal of Ringwood Secondary School and his wife and son.
The contingent had two performances at the big hall of our college. The Montfort band also joined in some parts of the show. The first performance was in the morning of April 5 for all M4 students, about 700 of them. The second performance took place in the evening for teachers, parents and students of other levels.
The concert was entitled “This is Melbourne, Australia!”, an entertaining journey through the history and lifestyle that is unique to ‘The Land Down-under’.
Mr. Robert Motton all all appreciated very much the trip organization by Montfort. Mr. Motton would like to see the Montfort Band in Australia sometime soon.
All 40 students were introduced to their Thai hosts and enjoyed their hospitality and friendship aside from a day trip to the elephant camp where all rode elephants and went rafting ending up with a traditional Kantok dinner.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
YEAR 2006:
YEAR 2005 :
YEAR 2004 :
- SCECGS REDLANDS in Sydney, Australia :
Mrs. Wilawan Suwanna-At and Ms. Suchawadee Suphanpayak accompanied four Mathayom 1 students to Sydney from July 31st to August 15th. From Sydney the contingent proceed to Singapore for a city-state tour for 2 nights/3 days.
Relationship with Redlands date back to 1994. Exchanges resumed this year after a break of 4 years as requested by the foreign school
Our group enjoyed visiting Sydney Harbor with the famous Opera House, the Rocks, Queen Victoria Building and Harbor Bridge. They took a ferry boat to Manly and Palm Beaches and had a day journey to the Blue Mountains among many other activities.
Students and teachers enjoyed meeting new friends in Sydney and had a good exposure to English language.
 
 
- Ringwood Secondary College, Melbourne, Australia :
After a successful visit of Ringwood Performing Band to MC early April followed by a visit of 7 students accompanied by 2 teachers(Mrs. Kate Hurley and Mrs. Sue Gooch) and their Principal Mr. Michael Phillips from June 22nd to July 3rd , a group of 12 MC students(with Ms. Apinan Dechagan and Ms. Suchawadee Suphanpayak ) visited Melbourne from October 5th to 26th.
The MC students visited the Maroondah Civic Center, meeting Councilor Joanne Taylor, have being attending English classes with Mrs. Fay Maloney (actually teaching at Montfort), been to Victoria Market, Healesville Sanctuary, the Government House, Phillip Island among many other activities.
A highlight was the welcome dinner at the Sweet Chilli Thai Restaurant.
All got to touch the Kangaroos and Koalas, typical Australian animals.
Our students performed at the International/LOTE Concert which was enjoyed by all.
The weather was quite cold for our contingent. They experience a changeable weather, from a sunny warm day to thunders and lightning in a rainy day.
Friendships were soon established making it hard to say goodbye.
- RINGWOOD SECONDARY COLLEGE(MELBOURNE-AUSTRALIA) :
After a successful World Tour in the year 2000, the Ringwood Concert Band came back to Montfort from April 7th to 10th with 40 students and 5 teachers lead by Mr. Robert Motton. Two joint concerts were performed, one at the school premises and the other one at Kadsuankaew in Chiang Mai.
 
 
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To celebrate the 10th anniversary of exchanges with Ringwood we had the special visit of Mr. Michael Phillips, the actual school Principal. With him a group of 7 students accompanied by Mrs. Kate Hurley and Sue Gooch stayed in Montfort from June 22nd to July 3rd.
 
YEAR 2003 :
YEAR 2002 :
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