BANGKOK, July 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture of Thailand together with ICONCRAFT, ICON SIAM's creative handicrafts and art zone encourages entrepreneurs to join with The Tribal Project to promote and create added value and contemporary products to the local culture capturing the new generation consumers. The Tribal Project focuses on tribal groups in Thailand which are considered a minority despites their strong cultures. This project helps support the tribal groups to be able to enhance their existing culture by further developing products into a contemporary design that fits with current consumer behaviors. The tribal products will be introduced to the new generation market both domestically and internationally along with marketing and sales promotion. This collaboration will also create alternative careers and increased income leading to the preservation of the strong culture of the tribes in Thailand.

Mr. Chai Nakhonchai, Director-General of the Department of Cultural Promotion, said, "The Department of Cultural Promotion is mainly responsible for the country's intellectual and cultural heritages. To inherit, preserve, extend, and disseminate Thai cultural heritages to the international level is an important mission to unveil the country's diverse cultural potential and with this important mission, the Department of Cultural Promotion foresees the need to build the foundation of cultural products and cooperate with both public and private sectors to support each other to create country's economic added value, that is the origin of the Tribal Project."

The Tribal Project has organized exchange learning activities using knowledge from research on future consumer trends between tribes, design specialists, and marketers as a guide in product development to generate more income. The Department of Cultural Promotion and ICONCRAFT launched 20 tribal products from 4 tribal groups, which are Tai Lue Tribe, Lamphun Province, Karen Pow Tribe, Uthai Thani Province, Pakagenyor Tribe, Lamphun Province, and Lua Tribe, Mae Hong Son Province.

The press conference and products launch was joined by the notable Thai experts and designers including Chaiyong Rattanaangkun, fabric expert/Luminary, founder of TEMPLE House creative, and Lamphun City Lab project leader, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Singh Intharachuto, Head of the Creative Center for Eco-Design, Kasetsart University, and Head of RISC by MQDC advisory board, Anyamanee Matayaboon, Designer, Lamphun City Lab, Yujaaret Somna, Founder of De Quarr Co., Ltd. Asst. Prof. Naphakamol Phimonket, Lecturer at Department of Industrial Art, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. These experts discussed and exchanged the inspirations on product design.

Parisa Jataniphan, General Manager of retail concept shop business group, Siam Piwat Company Limited, said that "This support counted as one of the activities that reflect the commitment of "ICONCRAFT" that wants to present the value of Thainess to all people around the world by gathering various types of contemporary Thai arts and crafts in one place provide opportunities for Thai craftsmen to expand their talents, added value to their work as well as increase opportunities and exhibition space, promote the distribution of products in various projects both offline and online formats to be a destination for tourists from all over the world, ICONCRAFT is ready to support information, exchanging knowledge, list of entrepreneurs and various designers as well as idea between departments to create flexibility and also provide the venue for disseminating marketing promotion activities,  and public relations to make sure that the designer's work has distribution channels."

Products of the 4 tribes are available at ICONCRAFT, 4th floor, ICONSIAM from July 15, 2022 onwards, and online purchase is also available on facebook pages as following details:

Awesome OMU Tote Bag in the OMU OMU collection, Pakagenyau tribe, Lamphun province.

Products are available to view and order at

Facebook Page: Lumphon City Lab

Contact phone number: +6691-8545705

Phuk Phingjai cushions in the PIXELUE collection, Tai Lue tribe, Lamphun province.

Products are available to view and order at

Facebook Page: Lumphon City Lab

Contact phone number: +6691-8545705

Tumbler holder (gives your water bottle a unique characteristic) in The Journey collection, Lua tribe, Mae Hong Son province.

Products are available to view and order at

Facebook Page: Craft de Quarr Shop @Chiangmai

Contact phone number: +6665-4146925

A blanket that warms your heart in the TASTE FOR TELL collection of the Karen Pow tribe, Uthai Thani Province.

Products are available to view and order at

Facebook Page : madeemeesook

Contact phone number: +6690-9945136 or +6687-7144292

SOURCE Department of Cultural Promotion of Thailand