Phuket nine-year-old wins two first-place awards at coding Olympiad in Rome

A nine-year-old student from Phuket has won two first-place awards at the International STEM Olympiad & Coding Olympiad Grand Final 2026 in Rome, Italy, after competing against students several years older from around the world.

Pavin “Pace” Pattanavekin, a Grade 3 student at True Coding School Phuket, competed in the Grades 3 to 11 category. The school announced his achievement in a Facebook post published on July 12, saying he was one of the youngest competitors in the category.

According to the school, this year’s event brought together participants from more than 153 countries, representing over 1,700 schools, 2,100 teachers and more than 38,000 students. True Coding School Phuket described the competition as one of the world’s largest international events for young programmers.

The achievement was not Pace’s first international success. In 2025, he won three gold medals at the Coding Olympiad Grand Final in New York City.

Pace’s latest awards drew widespread congratulations on social media, with Thai users praising his talent and saying his success had brought pride to Thailand. The school wrote that “Age is never a limit to achieving success on the world stage.”

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also acknowledged the achievement, according to Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek. She said Anutin praised Pace’s talent, perseverance and determination while attending the World AI Conference in Shanghai, and congratulated his family, teachers and others who supported his development.

The prime minister said Pace’s success showed that Thai children can compete internationally when they receive appropriate opportunities and support. He encouraged young people to believe in themselves, embrace creativity and continue learning, saying opportunities exist regardless of where they are born or raised. Rachada said Anutin also linked the achievement to Thailand’s ambitions in technology and innovation.