CommMA

CommMA is honored and deeply grateful to the King Prajadhipok and Queen Rambhai Barni Memorial Foundation for recognising the value and potential of our student’s research.

We are proud to announce that Ms. Aree Sangsukiam has been awarded a scholarship from the Foundation in support of her Master’s thesis: “AH AR EI EE: The Development of Creative Learning Tools for Thai Primary School Students Who Struggle to Read and Write Vowels.” This project builds on her earlier work developed during her undergraduate studies at CommDe Chulalongkorn University

This recognition from a highly respected foundation affirms the significance of Aree’s research. Her work focuses on developing creative educational tools to support young learners facing literacy challenges, particularly by addressing gaps in vowel literacy through communication design.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Foundation for supporting Aree’s work and for its continued commitment to advancing academic research that contributes meaningfully to Thai society.

At CommMA, communication design extends beyond the classroom. Therefore, we provide the ‘Communication Design Field-trip’ course which offers opportunities to travel within Thailand and abroad—exploring diverse histories, cultures, and the relationships between art and design.

This year, students visited the Thailand Biennale Phuket for a three-day field study from 25 to 27 February. Together, they experienced works by international artists, engaged with local contexts, and expanded their understanding of contemporary art and design.

On April 27th, they brought their findings and reflections together in the form of an exhibition. The exhibition reveals how students from diverse cultural backgrounds interpret and respond to what they learned from the trip.

It reflects on the questions: How can design help us better understand place, identity, and community? And how might these insights shape the way we communicate within increasingly complex social and cultural contexts?

CommMA application is now open for class of 2026.
Application Deadline, May 10th, 2026.

The application form for CommMA is available at www.grad.chula.ac.th. A completed copy of the Application Form must be uploaded to the Admission Form, along with all required supporting materials.

The application deadline is May 10th, 2026.
For more details on how to prepare your documents, visit commma.co/apply.

Apply Now!

CommMA application is now open for class of 2026. Application Deadline, May 10th, 2026.

The MFA in Communication Design (CommMA) is a two-year international programme offered by the Department of Industrial Design within the Faculty of Architecture of Chulalongkorn University. Critically addressing contemporary design and the contexts of Southeast Asian cultures, CommMA aims to be a centre for the investigation, production and archiving of practices that shape design as research-driven, experimental and socially conscious.

Learn more about CommMA at www.commma.co.

From March 2nd to 6th, CommMA organized the workshop “Beyond the Frame: Advertisement and the Production of Sight” for a group of students from the University of Economics HCMC (UEH) from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The first session was led by Nattagorn Trirattanasuwan (TKO Bro) and his team. It focused on ideation strategies as part of the course “How Far Can a Big Idea Go?”

Following this, Somboon Piriyapukdeekul, co-founder and director of BigEye and Lighthouse Film Service Co., Ltd., provided students with hands-on experience involving filming equipment and cinematic production techniques.

The workshop concluded with lectures by Tawan Panusittikorn and Abhichoke Chandrasen, who shared their insights as professional directors and screenwriters. Students had the opportunity to engage in Q&A sessions, gaining valuable knowledge to help them enter the competitive advertising and film production markets.

CommMA welcomes collaborations with institutions worldwide and remains dedicated to exploring the intersection of media and culture.

CommMA application is now open for class of 2026. Application Deadline, May 10th, 2026.

CommMA Application Checklist! Submit all documents at [email protected].

Application deadline is May 10th, 2026. More details at commma.co/apply

Here is a collection of photographs from our second field trip since the program’s launch. From February 25th–27th, we took our students to Phuket to immerse themselves in design, art, and local culture, specifically through the lens of the ongoing Thailand Biennale.

Students visited various Biennale venues featuring diverse works by international artists. These creators were invited to produce pieces specifically in response to the unique environmental and social landscape of Phuket.

A highlight of the trip was visiting the Pearl Theater to see the work of our guest lecturer, Ajarn Tik Santi Lawrachawee . His project, ‘Phuket Nice to Meet You’, draws from his personal conversations with locals while working on the Biennale. The installation explores these interactions through various mediums, ranging from ceramic installations to printed publications.

We were also fortunate to have Ajarn Santi join us for the entire three-day trip, where he shared invaluable insights into contemporary art and design with the students.

CommMA organizes these onsite field trips every other year to provide students with hands-on learning experiences. We focus on locations within Asia and Southeast Asia, as the program views these regions as high-potential spaces for cultivating the future of design.

Apply Now! CommMA application is now open for class of 2026. Application Deadline, May 10th, 2026.

CommMA's recently graduated student Roger Kai Ho Ng took part in this conference.

https://culturalstudies.asia/on-the-geo-social-milieu-of-iacs-2025-reflections-from-the-organisers/?

On the Geo-social Milieu of IACS 2025: Reflections from the Organisers – Inter-Asia Cultural Studies It has been a little over six months since we said our goodbyes to new and old friends after the 2025 IACS conference held over the course of three days in Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand. Every edition of our biennial conference is both familiar and unique: familiar because of the friends....