Congratulations to students from the School of Entrepreneurship and Business Administration competing as Team Pha Mai (ผ้าไหม๊), who received 100,000 baht in development funding plus a special prize of 30,000 baht, and students from the Financial and Investment Planning Program competing as Team Ram Hunt (รำฮันท์), who received 100,000 baht in development funding. Both teams advanced to the Top 10 finalists of the "Hug Mae Hackathon" national competition.
Team Pha Mai: Jutamas Chammark, Pimtada Charnanudej, Pimnipa Watanyoo, Wanaskan Thanaakaraipaisal and Supakorn Saetang
Team Ram Hunt: Chananchida Chaibut, Apinya Nuchmon, Pichayatida Mueangchuang, Nipada Am-iam and Romon Eiffel Jirachaiyasophon
The "Hug Mae Hackathon: Carrying Forward the Legacy of the Mother of the Land Toward Community Economy" is a national innovation competition drawing on the royal initiatives and vision of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, applying them through innovation, technology, and creativity for sustainable social and community benefit. From 126 teams nationwide, only 21 advanced to the Bootcamp round with expert mentor coaching, and 10 were selected as finalists.
The Inspiring Ideas
The Phaimai Team shared: "The idea originated from recognizing a 'provincial gem' through one of our team members from Surat Thani Province, who brought up Phumriang Silk — a traditional hand-woven fabric of the province that is gradually fading into obscurity — as the foundation for a concept centered on preservation and modernization for the new generation. Through on-site fieldwork, the team discovered that the challenges went beyond mere awareness; they were systemic in nature — a declining number of weavers, limited consumer accessibility, and constraints on everyday usability. The team therefore designed a structured solution, coordinating with government agencies to raise awareness and promote wearing of the fabric, while also reaching out to and supporting additional weavers to sustain and build upon this local wisdom. On the product side, the team developed the brand 'Phum' to adapt the silk into more lifestyle-oriented items such as clothing, trousers, and accessories, alongside a website that will allow customers to select and customize color tones in the future. Looking ahead, the team plans to integrate AI technology to enable virtual try-on experiences through an online platform, and to develop a Photo Booth to create a new and engaging way for people to connect with Phumriang Silk."
Team Ram Hunt shared: "We started from the observation that younger generations rarely know or have access to Thai classical dance — many don't even know it is a form of movement art tied to music and heritage. This sparked our idea under the Creativity, Culture, Wisdom, and Creative Economy theme: how could the beautiful movements of Thai dance be extended into something genuinely useful?"
The Work They're Proud Of
Team Pha Mai: "We went deep — conducting fieldwork to understand real problems and how to communicate them. Interviewing weavers on-site gave us insider knowledge impossible to find online, such as weaving techniques and background stories. We built a backend inventory management system for the community and created a website for promotion and sales. The judges were impressed. Our standout quality was creativity — distinct from teams that focused purely on technology or academia."
Team Ram Hunt: "Our project surprised everyone — we made a VR fighting game where moves are based on Thai classical dance postures, making the art form memorable, learnable, and genuinely fun. It's currently a demo, but we hope to develop it into a game playable by everyone, of all genders and ages."
Valuable Experiences
Team Pha Mai: "One hour before presenting, some slides disappeared. We split the content, memorized it on the spot, and delivered smoothly — proving our ability to problem-solve under pressure. We also built connections with expert coaches, stepped out of our comfort zones, and discovered we were more capable than we thought. Most importantly, we saw that university knowledge — even things we thought we'd never use — ultimately has real-world application."
Team Ram Hunt: "Our 5 members each came from different teams. What united us was a shared commitment to making something real — not just finishing a project. We divided responsibilities professionally: legal, finance, creative, and art direction. We listened to each other, shared ideas openly, and never blamed one another for disagreements — because we weren't doing this for any one person. We were doing it for the team and for something bigger."
