Winning art

The competition, open to all students, was seen a step to becoming a professional artist.

"It was like a door to the public arena for me," said Pachara Piyasongsoot, top winner in the two-dimensional art category.

The number of contestants trebled from about 300 in 2004, the first year of the competition, to almost 900 this year.

Therefore, it was a tough job for art experts who invited to judge the awards as well as each contestant who show their creative thinking and talented.

"Judges say the new artists seem to have developed a great deal, showing a uniqueness and excellence in their renditions," says Suranuch Thongsila, manager of the Siam Cement Foundation.

The competition was divided into six categories, mainly two- and three-dimensional art, photography, film, literature and music composition.

This year, many contestants presented works reflecting social problems and the crisis in Thailand's Southern provinces. For instance, the winner in the photography category, Ampannee Satoh, addressed Muslim women living under the threat of terrorism through a series called "Under the Hijab".

"The work is outstanding even though she didn't use too many special effects. I appreciate that she's dared to address a touchy topic like this," says Manit Sriwanichpoom, a top Thai photographer.

"I've read about Muslim women becoming insurgents, and feel that I want people to change their attitude. So, I went back to my hometown in Pattani and chose to present life there the way it really is," Ampannee explained.

The Grand Prize winners are...

Two-dimensional art: Pachara Piyasongsoot, "You Are What You Eat" (Silpakorn University)

Three-dimensional art: Karn Kwankaew, "Family Happiness" (King Mongkut Institute of Technology Latkrabang)

Photography: Ampannee Satoh, "Under the Hijab" (Rangsit University)

Film: Sitthisak Jiampotjaman, "A Little Piece of Memory" (Silpakorn University)

Literature: Chetawat Thuaprakhon, "A New God in the Villages of Day and Night" (Kasetsart University)

There were no Grand Prize winners in the music category.

The top winners were awarded Bt300,000 each, while the runners up or the Distinguished Prize winners won Bt50,000 each. Winners were also given a bachelor's degree scholarship under the SCG Foundation's regulations.

For more information, visit www.scgfoundation.org.

By Suwicha Chanitnun