Nine-Year-Old Phuket Student Wins Double Gold at International Coding Olympiad in Italy

A nine-year-old student from Phuket has earned international recognition after winning two first-place awards at the International STEM Olympiad & Coding Olympiad – Grand Final 2026 in Rome, Italy.

Pavin "Pace" Pattanavekin, a Grade 3 student at True Coding School Phuket, achieved the outstanding result while competing against students significantly older than himself. The school announced his success on July 12, and the achievement has since attracted widespread attention across Thailand.

Although Pace is only in primary school, he competed in the Grades 3–11 division, facing participants from around the world who were several years older.

Despite the age difference, he secured two championship titles.

According to True Coding School Phuket, the International STEM Olympiad & Coding Olympiad is among the world's largest competitions for young programmers. This year's Grand Final brought together participants from more than 153 countries, representing over 1,700 schools, 2,100 teachers, and 38,000 students.

The school also highlighted that this is not Pace's first success on the international stage. In 2025, he captured three gold medals at the Coding Olympiad Grand Final held in New York City.

Celebrating his latest victory, the school wrote:

"Age is never a limit to achieving success on the world stage."

Following the announcement, thousands of Thai social media users congratulated the young programmer, describing his accomplishment as a source of national pride.

The achievement also received recognition from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Government spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek said the prime minister acknowledged Pace's success while attending the World AI Conference in Shanghai.

According to the spokesperson, the prime minister praised the student's talent, dedication and perseverance, while also congratulating his parents, teachers and everyone involved in supporting his development.

He noted that Pace's achievement demonstrates the ability of Thai children to compete successfully on the international stage when provided with quality education and opportunities.

The prime minister also encouraged young people across Thailand to believe in their abilities, continue learning and embrace innovation, regardless of where they come from.

Officials added that the student's success reflects Thailand's growing ambitions in science, technology and artificial intelligence, areas that remain a priority for the country's future development.