A talk with TIDA president Korakoth Kunalungkarn on turning soft power of Thai design into real power

Just as great architecture requires a solid foundation, a sustainable design industry must begin with its people. Korakoth believes that preparing university students for the professional world is not merely about providing a space for expression, but creating a platform connected to the realities of the industry.

"The TIDA Thesis Awards act as our upstream initiative, where we incubate talent right from the academic level. We look at how students integrate creativity with other disciplines and assess the functionality of their designs," she explains.

This programme is tailored to unlock opportunities and enhance students' potential for professional practice. It serves as an arena where their work directly reaches employers, entrepreneurs, and industry veterans, clearly reflecting the calibre of the new generation.

A prime example is the TIDA Thesis Awards 2025, which gathered entries from 23 institutions nationwide. The projects showcased diverse concepts, ranging from mental health-centric spaces to community hubs for teenage boys. The winner, Rigzen Dema from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, presented a commercial fresh seafood hub that seamlessly blended local lifestyles with modern design.

The programme also opens doors to international opportunities. Winners are awarded a study trip and a Lighting Course in Wismar, Germany. TIDA further pushes students to participate in international workshops with Asian institutions like the Asia Interior Design Institute Association (AIDIA). Exchanging perspectives with international peers broadens their horizons, allows them to absorb different educational systems, builds their confidence, and helps them realise their own potential.

"I witnessed firsthand that our youth are highly competitive. They are bold, proactive, and willing to dive right in... And lately, their English proficiency is excellent, and they fear nothing. They have great intuition and leadership skills," Korakoth recounts proudly. "They possess a distinct Thai identity and cultural foundation. I think it’s an exchange—a refined sensibility that is easily absorbed without having to shout or announce, 'Look at me, I'm doing soft power.'"

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Despite brimming with passion, the transition from academia to the real world is often a pitfall for young designers. Issues like office management, project pricing, and handling commercial pressures can be stumbling blocks. TIDA steps in as an intimate exchange platform via the TIDA Club—a community that invites seasoned design idols to share behind-the-scenes experiences of running a firm and managing clients. This exposes juniors to the reality that the working world isn't always as flawless as a classroom render.

As the industry faces the wave of AI disruption, Korakoth and TIDA choose not to reject it, but rather to pose sharp questions. For instance, at the recent ASA Expo, the 'TIDA Salone 2026' exhibition ran under the theme 'IA AI: Interior Architecture | Artificial Intelligence'. The booth, designed by pbm studio, became an experiential space hiding the letters 'IA' and 'AI' within its structure, which gradually revealed themselves as viewers changed their perspective. It was an interpretation of the coexistence between external artificial intelligence and human internal awareness.

"Our stance is that AI is a design tool, not the be-all and end-all. You are the one inputting the prompts... Therefore, human creativity remains paramount," Korakoth notes.

This concept was expanded through the 'Interface of Awareness' zone, pairing 10 design teams with 10 supplier brands to create installations challenging the senses. For example, Lupine studio collaborated with Craft Concrete to interpret 'memory' through a concrete draughts-playing bench. Meanwhile, Integrated Field teamed up with Thick and Thin to celebrate 'imperfection' by repairing discarded sawmill timber using traditional joinery, deliberately showcasing the wood's flaws and knots. These exhibitions serve as a reminder that human touch, experience, and emotion are elements AI cannot yet replicate.

Even with masterpiece creations, securing the right government support requires a paradigm shift. TIDA acts as a mediator bridging the gap between designers and policymakers. A notable effort is their collaboration with the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) for the DEmark awards. Previously, the competition was geared primarily towards product exports, which meant interior design projects were often overlooked or couldn't fully articulate their value within the traditional framework.

TIDA intervened to educate and reframe the understanding that interior design is the export of a 'service'. Dismantling and adjusting these backend criteria unlocked old constraints. Consequently, the latest edition saw a massive leap, with over 50 Thai interior design projects submitted.

The downstream destination of this journey is declaring the prowess of Thai interior design on the global market. Partnering with Fiera Milano, a world-class exhibition organiser, to bring the FIND Design Fair Asia to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok in late 2026 is a monumental step.

What is highly commendable is TIDA's determination to maintain the event's focus on design and innovation, rather than letting it become just another building materials promo. The Association also negotiated a dedicated space for Thai designers under the banner 'TIDA BY TIDA' (Thailand International Design and Art) to encompass a broader spectrum of local talent.

Korakoth explains that the success of this grand convergence stems from a working philosophy that views everyone in the ecosystem as a 'good friend'—be it veteran designers, newcomers, supplier brands, the government, or international partners.

"We are an association driven entirely by heart. We don't gain anything financially; it's a gathering of peers working genuinely for the profession. That’s our advantage—there's no politics. We speak candidly. There is nothing we can't discuss; if we argue, we argue, but we talk it out. It fosters a friendly atmosphere... So when TIDA calls, everyone is more than happy to help."

In a time when 'soft power' is on everyone's lips, TIDA is proving that the true power of Thai design doesn't come from merely announcing our presence on the global stage. It stems from building a systemic ecosystem where Thai designers have the space to grow, a voice to be heard, and a platform to prove that the 'power' of this profession is undeniably real.

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