Fashion, Reed Mats, and Freedom: ‘IddChoo–Issara’ Blends Chanthaburi Wisdom with Contemporary Design on Thailand’s Road to WorldPride 2030
- IddChoo Issara Choopakdee, founder of KORKOK and Naruemit Ambassador 2026
- IddChoo transforms traditional Chanthaburi reed mats into bags and contemporary fashion products, showing that local wisdom can grow alongside the modern world.
- After experiencing hurtful remarks and bullying, the joy of being authentic and expressing identity through creative work became a source of strength that helped IddChoo move beyond fear.
- Working with artisans across generations and participating in Chanthaburi Pride demonstrate how diversity can connect younger people, communities, and cultural roots.
- IddChoo believes acceptance must begin in the family before extending to schools, communities, and society—and dreams of bringing the “walking reed mat” concept to a global runway on the road to WorldPride 2030.
IddChoo Issara Choopakdee, founder of KORKOK and a Naruemit Ambassador 2026, is a new-generation creative from Chanthaburi who brings contemporary design together with local wisdom. By transforming traditional Chanthaburi reed mats—once familiar mainly as household floor mats—into bags and modern fashion pieces, IddChoo shows that cultural roots do not have to remain fixed; they can evolve, grow, and move forward with a changing world.
IddChoo once faced hurtful remarks and bullying that created a cage of fear and made it difficult to express their full potential. Through creative work, however, they began placing more of their identity into each piece. The joy of being authentic gradually became a source of strength—helping IddChoo move beyond those limitations and inspiring younger people who may still be afraid to step outside the boundaries imposed on them.
Working with the community has allowed IddChoo to experience diversity across generations, gender identities, and forms of craftsmanship. Collaboration between younger creatives and senior artisans not only brings traditional crafts into the present, but also restores pride and joy to the people who have preserved this knowledge for decades. IddChoo’s involvement with Chanthaburi Pride further affirms that LGBTQIAN+ people have a place in society, possess valuable potential, and can create something new without abandoning their cultural heritage.
For IddChoo, acceptance must begin in the smallest and most important space: the family. When parents listen with openness and support their children in living authentically, that emotional foundation can strengthen schools, communities, and society at the provincial level. Giving younger generations room to share ideas and demonstrate their abilities—without allowing gender identity to become a barrier—is grassroots power that can build national readiness for the global stage.
IddChoo dreams of bringing the concept of a “walking reed mat” to a real fashion runway—showcasing Chanthaburi’s identity to audiences around the world. Human diversity is a strength that becomes even more powerful when different experiences are woven together. On Thailand’s road to hosting WorldPride 2030, creative work rooted in local identity can show the world that Thailand is a place of freedom, where diversity, wisdom, and the future can come together beautifully.
IddChoo Issara Choopakdee is the founder of KORKOK and a Naruemit Ambassador 2026. Through fashion and craftsmanship, they reimagine Chanthaburi reed mats, connect generations, and advocate for acceptance that begins in the family and grows throughout the community—bringing Thai local identity onto the road to WorldPride 2030.
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