The U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP)
Wat Chaiwatthanaram Conservation Project in Ayutthaya
2022 Thai University Student Intern Program with
World Monuments Fund
as part of a grant from
the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Bangkok, Thailand
Announcement
The World Monuments Fund and the Thai Ministry of Culture’s Fine Arts Department, in partnership with U.S. Embassy Bangkok, are pleased to announce the 2022 call for applications for the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Wat Chaiwatthanaram Conservation Project Internship Opportunity.
Since its inception in 2001, AFCP has helped preserve cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in Thailand and around the world. Cultural heritage endures as a reminder of the contributions and historical experiences of humanity. By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, the U.S. shows its respect for other cultures. AFCP-supported projects include the restoration of ancient and historic buildings, assessment and conservation of rare manuscripts and museum collections, preservation and protection of important archaeological sites, and the documentation of vanishing traditional craft techniques and indigenous languages.
Under the AFCP Grants Program, World Monuments Fund and the Fine Arts Department are undertaking a long-term collaborative project to preserve the 17th-century Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya. The Thai University Student Intern Program is part of the World Monuments Fund work with the U.S. Embassy’s Public Diplomacy educational outreach activities at Wat Chaiwatthanaram Conservation Project and is designed for students who are Thai citizens. In 2022, the internship will be offered for two (2) sessions.
Session 1: From April 4, 2022 through May 27, 2022
Session 2: From June 6, 2022 through July 29, 2022
Two (2) interns will be selected for each session (total of four interns) and internship duration is six weeks (40 hours per week). Only short-listed candidates will be invited for interviews and selected candidates will be notified by February 2, 2022.
Note that:
*This internship is an unpaid role, but housing and meals will be provided by the World Monuments Fund throughout the internship.
**Student interns will be offered an internship certificate after completing the program and passing an evaluation conducted by the project manager, conservators, and technicians.
**This internship program doesn’t guarantee a future employment at the Word Monuments Fund.
Interested students should submit an application form with verification of student status, transcript, fully vaccinated certificate and Thai ID card via email to afcpwatchai@gmail.com with the subject line: “2022 AFCP Wat Chai Intern Program – Applicant Name” by midnight of January 25, 2022.
Please download application form from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rWSJ8iwDu6VC9fi5ysfXBAw4RQVVmRpC/view?usp=sharing
To determine if your qualification fits into the internship requirements, interested applicants can email a short one-paragraph of their qualifications to afcpwatchai@gmail.com any time before the deadline for an initial review.
Job Location: Wat Chaiwatthanaram, Ayutthaya, Thailand
Applicant must meet the following criteria:
- Be a Thai citizen;
- Be a full-time third or fourth year undergraduate student at an accredited university located in Thailand, with at least one semester remaining before graduation/certification;
- Minimum 2.80 GPA;
- Proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (only WHO approved vaccines are accepted). In case, a vaccination proof cannot be acquired before an interview appointment, successful applicants can submit it before the internship starts.
- Possess working knowledge of English;
- Able to work outdoors;
- Able to work at height on scaffolding;
- Possess strong interpersonal skills and can adapt to people from different backgrounds, understanding and respecting diversity;
- Able to work in changeable weather and a physically-challenging environment;
- Must take care of the project’s shared assets, both at the Wat Chai worksite and the guesthouse.
Job Description:
- Assess and analyze material conditions and map deteriorations;
- Document conservation process and analyze material deterioration for future intervention;
- Assist with brick and stucco intervention;
- Assist with wood ceilings and their decorations intervention;
- Assist with Buddha statues, lacquered and decorated surfaces, wall painting intervention;
- Plan and conduct intervention plan (independent exercise) at Wat Chaiwatthanaram;
During the internship, the student is involved in all phases of the restoration process briefly described below:
- Preservation, design, diagnostics;
- Analysis of the state of preservation;
- Organization of the production process;
- Construction site/workshop set-up;
- Logistic, administrative and legislative aspects of the sector;
- Relationship with Works Management and Fine Arts Department;
- Knowledge of the legislative panorama in the field of safety;
- Knowledge of safety operating systems according to current regulations;
- Techniques and working methods for conservative restoration (bricks and stucco intervention, wood ceilings and Buddha statues with lacquered and decorated surfaces, wall paintings conservation);
- Practical experience;
- Knowledge of conservative materials in use;
- Systems of documentation, archiving and stratigraphic analysis, etc.
- Assist with Public Education Outreach activities (take/edit photos, write activity summary);
- Write blogs and reports about activities in Thai and English.
Skills Required:
- Demonstrate a proficiency in Microsoft office products and Internet;
- Basic photo editing skills;
- Good knowledge of social media, especially Facebook, Line and Instagram;
- Excellent communication skills, able to work well independently and as part of a group;
- Working knowledge of English language;
- Positive, can-do attitude.
Education:
- Candidate must be currently enrolled in a university majoring in arts/fine and applied arts, architecture, cultural management, or related fields to conservation work.
For more information, please contact Ms. Waraporn Suwatchotikul, WMF Project Architect and Manager, at Tel: 088-456-6219, Email: afcpwatchai@gmail.com or Ms. Kanchalee Jitjang, Senior Cultural Specialist at Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy Bangkok, at Tel: 02-205-4597.
For additional information about the AFCP Wat Chaiwatthanaram Conservation project, please visit the WMF website https://www.wmf.org/search/Wat%20Chaiwatthanaram, and for information about the AFCP Program, please visit https://eca.state.gov/cultural-heritage-center/ambassadors-fund-cultural-preservation.
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*Please use Windows OS when filling out Application form*
** Please send all documents in PDF format only**
*** Supporting documents on any Cloud Storage Provider (e.g. Google drive, One drive, Dropbox) are NOT acceptable***
