Apiphoom “Phoom” Chuenchompoo - Computer Engineering and Digital Technology

Apiphoom “Phoom” Chuenchompoo has never been bound to a single hobby. His parents and grandmother encouraged him to pursue different interests — from playing music to board games — and that upbringing has shaped who he is today. At 19, Phoom is a musician, an award-winning app developer and the youngest Apple Certified Trainer in his country.

Giving others the kind of support that he receives from his family is what drives Phoom. “I want to inspire young people in my community to pursue their passions and reach their potential,” he says. “Not just in coding, but in anything they want to do in life.”

And he’s leading by example. He’s been creating iOS apps since he was 14 years old, after learning how to code using Swift Playgrounds in a programming class. Amazed at how easy and fun it was to create real-life apps using Swift and Xcode on Mac, Phoom founded a Swift coding club. It’s given him the opportunity to foster community with other young developers while he continues to create apps inspired by his love of board games.

Phoom’s won the Apple programming competition, Swift Student Challenge, not once, but three times. First in 2022, for his Sudokuza app, a spin on the classic game Sudoku. Then in 2023 for OthelloZ, a strategy-based board game app that inspires critical thinking. And finally in 2024 for FitJourney, a health app that promotes movement and strength — which garnered Phoom special attention, as he was recognised as a Swift Student Challenge Distinguished Winner.

“In Thailand, many parents still think that technology is a distraction, but it can be a way to make skills like pattern recognition and critical thinking fun. That’s why I like to create gaming-based apps, because I find that people learn quickly when something is fun,” says Phoom.

Despite a busy schedule, Phoom regularly prioritises playing and creating music with his friends. And during Covid lockdowns, when they had to to connect online, Phoom found an opportunity to intersect his two greatest interests. Disappointed by the lagging and poor audio quality of existing meeting apps, he developed an app using Xcode that enables musicians to play together remotely in a completely immersive and seamless way.

These days, in addition to completing a computer engineering degree and building apps, Phoom runs his own start-up business — an online platform that helps students prepare for their careers by connecting them with mentors and offering challenge-based learning courses. And in his spare time, he teaches coding classes to high school and university students in his work as an Apple Certified Trainer.