EDUCATION NEWS

Having faith in fashion

By Somporn Thapanachai

Luang Phor Viriyang Sirintharo, Wat Dhammamongkol.

It is no longer necessary to go abroad to study fashion or interior design. The Chanapatana Institute on Sukhumvit 101 has brought professors from the L�Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy to provide local training.

asian design centre

Located in the Dhammamongkol Temple, the institute was established three years ago by the temple�s abbot, Luang Phor Viriyang Sirintharo. He saw the need for Thailand to have talented designers to help Thai industries add value to their products.

��I want to see Thailand as an Asian design centre. Thai people have the potential to develop their design skills but there are no specialists to transfer the knowledge to them,�� said the abbot. ��We brought the professors from the Italian institute here. It is the same as studying in Italy but at a cheaper cost, he said.

The institute has a total of 40 students per year who study fashion design and interior and product design. Each student is required to have at least a high-school background and be able to communicate in English.

The cost of the programme is 50,000 baht per semester or 200,000 baht for the two-year programme.

Some of the women's clothing designs on display at the school.

The Luang Phor Viriyang Foundation will pay half the tuition fee for the first semester and if a student has an 80 percent class attendance, they will be eligible for a 50 percent reduction in fees for the whole programme. The foundation also grants two scholarships for graduates to continue their studies in Italy.

Kim Mira Giubba, director of L�Accademia Italiana said this was the first time the school had sent professors abroad to lecture. Luang Phor Viriyang said the institute now had its own brand called Luna to gain worldwide prestige for the institute.

Vocabulary

abbot (n): man who is the head of a church or temple
potential (n): qualities that exist and can be developed
tuition (n): money that you pay to be taught, especially in a college or university
eligible (adj): person who is eligible for something or to do something, is able to have or do it because they have the right qualifications, are the right age, etc.
prestige (n): the respect and admiration that somebody or something has because of their social position, or what they have done