“A case competition is a place where you fail until you succeed,” says Panisara Bussabarati (Mavin), who recently proved this philosophy by taking first place in the prestigious Case of Thammasat 2025 competition.
The annual Case of Thammasat challenges students to develop innovative solutions for real university problems through a rigorous process of workshops, team collaboration, and final pitches. This year, participants could choose between creating an innovation for students (TU Starter Pack) or developing a policy to enhance student wellbeing (Policy for TU).
Mavin, along with her diverse team of collaborators, impressed judges with their project “TU WINWIN” — a comprehensive policy and application designed to solve motorcycle taxi issues at Thammasat University by creating mutual benefits for both riders and drivers.
The Journey to Victory: Interview with Panisara
We sat down with Mavin to learn about her path to success and how her GSSE education prepared her for this achievement.
What drew you to this competition?
“Case competitions offer an accelerated path to developing both technical and interpersonal skills. They simulate real-world problem-solving scenarios and highlight areas for personal growth. The competitive environment pushes you beyond your comfort zone, while you simultaneously learn from workshops, teammates, mentors, competitors, and even your mistakes.
Case of Thammasat stands out because it combines the case competition with training workshops and an incubation process. My interests in policy innovation and data analytics made this program particularly appealing.”
Tell us about the workshop experience.
“The CoT program follows the motto ‘Unlock Future Skills’ and delivers three specialized workshops on case studies, data analysis, and pitching techniques. All participants are randomly assigned to teams from the first workshop, giving us the chance to discover each other’s strengths and work styles throughout the incubation period.
Each workshop presented us with different scenarios requiring unique perspectives. We solved customer service challenges as café owners, analyzed consumer behavior as mall managers, and developed marketing strategies for online coding courses. These varied exercises mirrored the complex challenges innovators face in the real world.
My two years of active learning in GSSE provided an excellent foundation that helped me maximize what I gained from these workshops.”
Why did your team choose the Policy for TU track?
“Our winning project, ‘TU WINWIN,’ centers around a policy framework and application that addresses motorcycle taxi issues at Thammasat University. We aim to create mutual benefits for both riders and drivers.
Initially, we were attracted to the innovation-focused TU Starter Pack track, but realized our concept didn’t align with its business development goals. We recognized that successful innovation implementation requires strong policy support, which led us to shift our focus to policy innovation instead.”
How did you approach developing your solution?
“We embraced a human-centered design methodology throughout our process. The first step was breaking down empathy barriers by conducting surveys to understand the challenges different stakeholders face. We’re committed to involving end-users throughout development and continuously refining TU WINWIN based on their feedback. Our goal is creating a sustainable long-term solution without unintended consequences or conflicts between stakeholder interests.
For team dynamics, I applied knowledge leadership principles from my GSSE Knowledge Management course, focusing on building trust and leveraging team diversity. Each member contributed unique knowledge and experiences from their different faculties, resulting in a more comprehensive solution. As a GSSE student serving as the team’s UX/UI designer, I used design thinking principles to collaborate on policy development and translate our ideas into a digital interface. The supportive team environment we created together was truly rewarding.”
What was your strategy for the final presentation?
“Our primary consideration was crafting the right message and selecting the most effective delivery method for our audience – the Thammasat University committee. We emphasized how our project would significantly improve student well-being.
Creating an engaging narrative required careful sequencing of information. We followed the ‘less is more’ principle with clean, visually appealing slides that communicated essential points, relegating detailed information to appendices. Extensive practice was crucial for developing a smooth presentation flow and building our confidence for the pitch.”
What advice would you share with future competitors?
“If you feel you lack experience or skills, participate anyway! Case competitions are learning environments where failure is part of the path to success. Embrace the learning process, have fun with it, and you’ll develop into the skilled professional you aspire to become. You absolutely can do it!”
Learn More About TU WINWIN
Want to explore Mavin’s winning project and the Case of Thammasat competition in detail? Access the TU WINWIN pitch deck and the CoT handbook through our department website resources section Pitch Deck & CoT handbook.
