TAT hosts Thailand Academy III to promote exquisite Thai textiles to the world’s stage

BANGKOK - The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) hosted some of the world’s leading fashion designers, fashion design students, bloggers and the press to the special ‘Thailand Academy III’ educational project to offer an insight into Thailand’s textile heritage with an objective of inspiring participants to help promote the use of Thai textiles in the world’s fashion industry.

Mrs. Juthaporn Rerngronasa, TAT Acting Governor and Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas of TAT said, “The Thailand Academy project is aimed to promote Thai cultural heritage to the world. In the third year, we highlight Thai textiles, which is one of the kingdom’s most admired cultural treasures. In addition, as TAT is promoting the 2015 Discover Thainess campaign, all participants will have the chance to explore Thai textile heritage as well as famous attractions in our 12 hidden-gem destinations, which are renowned for their unique history, culture and lifestyle.”

To inspire international fashion designers to integrate Thai textiles into the world of design, the Thailand Academy III project brought 36 fashion designers and students from the UAE, UK, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Israel, France, Sweden, and Finland as well as 13 international media and bloggers to explore Thailand’s textile cultural routes in the North, Northeast and South during 18-23 April, 2015.

Participants learned how local communities handmade their traditional cloth at the Mo Hom-weaving community in Phrae and at the Thai Lue weaving community in Nan

Mrs. Juthaporn said, “We’ve also received the honours from world-renowned designers to join this year’s Thailand Academy trip, including Mr. Christophe Guillarme, the French fashion designer who designs gowns for celebrities joining the Cannes International Film Festival; Mr. Thierry Marsaux, his co-designer and public relations director, and Mr. Romuald Bertrand, who designed the national costume for Miss France during this year’s Miss Universe Pageant in Miami.”

The five-day Thailand Academy III trip started at the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in Bangkok to learn the history of Thailand’s time-honoured arts and local wisdom. In the North, participants learned how local communities handmade their traditional cloth at the Mo Hom-weaving community in Phrae and the Thai Lue weaving community in Nan. They also visited the region’s important Buddhist temples.

In the Northeast, participants explored unique Thai textile culture at Ban Tha Sawang, which is best known for its Yok Thong or golden-coloured silk, Queen Sirikit Sericulture Centre under Her Majesty the Queen’s patronage, Ban Ta Klang Elephant Village, and Silverware Village in Khwao Sinarin district in Surin. The trip to this unique Isan region also included stopovers at the famous historic sites of Prasat Hin Phanom Rung and Muang Tam Sanctuary in Buriram.

Participants explored unique Thai textile culture in Surin

In the South, participants learned the techniques of tie-dye cloth and explored the history of traditional textiles of Nakhon Si Thammarat. They also visited the local silverware community and the Kiriwong community as well as the provincial old town community.

On the last day of the trip (23 April, 2015), participants presented their designs using Thai textiles based on their experience and impression of the trip for a competition. Throughout the trip, participants also shared their experiences through their social media networks.

The Thailand Academy project was first organised in 2013 to introduce seven new themes of Thailand’s tourism products based on Chic, Thainess, Wellness, Easy N’ Slow Life, Breezy, Adventure and Family. In 2014, the project highlighted genuine Thai culture experiences; such as, Thai kick-boxing lesson, a home-stay experience at Mae Klang Luang community in Chiang Mai and Ban Ko Klang community in Krabi, and an environmental-conservation activation of coral reef planting at Ko Tao in Chumphon.

sourced:traveldailynews.asia