Fashion subcommittee’s shocking resignation rocks national soft power strategy committee
The entire fashion subcommittee of the prestigious National Soft Power Strategy Committee (NSPSC) handed in their resignations last night, leaving the committee in turmoil.
The fashion moguls, including sustainable fashion activist and subcommittee president Kamonnart Ongwandee, cited insurmountable challenges in meeting the policy goals set by the ruling Pheu Thai Party, compelling them to prioritise their businesses.
The bombshell resignation letter, exclusively obtained by The Nation, was signed by Kamonnart Ongwandee, who, aside from leading the fashion subcommittee, is a prominent figure in the sustainable fashion movement. The committee cited the overwhelming demands of project management, asserting that these responsibilities would surpass their capabilities and compromise their commitments to their ventures.
This dramatic departure comes just two weeks after Kamonnart openly criticised the NSPSC and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) over plans to host a week-long Guinness World Record challenge at Siam Paragon. Kamonnart dismissed the challenge as having nothing to do with the fashion subcommittee, sharing a satirical depiction on her Facebook page to drive home her point.
Surapong Suebwonglee, the secretary-general of the NSPSC, expressed gratitude for Kamonnart’s contributions while confirming plans to nominate new members at the NSPSC meeting on February 9. Surapong disclosed that Kamonnart had previously informed him about her time constraints in December, prompting him to reach out to others in the fashion industry for potential replacements, reported The Nation.
This development is a significant blow to the NSPSC, with the fashion subcommittee receiving a mere 5% of the committee’s substantial 5.3-billion-baht budget. The repercussions of this high-profile resignation are sure to reverberate across the soft power landscape, impacting future policy decisions and the committee’s ability to influence the nation’s cultural narrative.
In related news, National Soft Power Strategy Committee Deputy Chairperson Paetongtarn Shinawatra is championing the cause for the integral Thai martial art, Muay Thai, to be recognised as an Olympic sport. Paetongtarn sees the inclusion of Muay Thai in the Olympics as part of a broader strategy to elevate martial arts as a key tool of Thailand’s soft power.
