Nguon Phuongtepsonich, 19, decided to leave her over caring family and find a future by studying international business in Thailand.

But her dream to study international business abroad was her parents’ nightmare.

Sonich recalls: “The decision to go to study in Thailand was plainly rejected by my parents and relatives because of the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.”

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But passion and determination spurred her to ask her parents many more times to study in Thailand until she finally got her wish. In her two years in Thailand, Sonich has soared to unforeseen heights. She ranked first among around 2,000 Thai and foreign students who study international business in her year at Mahasarakham University.

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“I always try my best to prove to my family that allowing me to go to Thailand was the right decision,” she humbly says.​

Sonich’s key to success is reading. She reads before class and re-reads lesson material. But Sonich also reads online news to monitor world developments.

Not only academic knowledge makes Sonich the great student she is but also her soft skills. She won first prize in an English presentation contest at her faculty in 2012. She was also invited to present at the University of Advertising and on Thai television channel TV3. ​

In the near future, she wants to pursue a master’s degree in international business to broaden her knowledge and experience and to develop new business perspectives before she starts her own business.

Her tip: “If you have small ambitions, you can’t be a successful businessperson. Don’t dream about being an employee – dream about being a boss.”