Bangkok – Thailand, aspiring to become Asia`s fashion capital, has found the most unusual way to attract the worlds` attention seting up an Italian academy in a Bangkok temple. "I got the idea about eight years ago, when I met two Italians who came to sculpt a jade Buddha image for this temple. It was very different from others in Thailand, the Italian design was so smart, bringing the statue to life," said head monk Luangphor Viriyang Sirintharo.

For the past three years the 84-year-old has been watching over the one and only internationally recognised fashion school at the Wat Dammamongkol temple.

"I am a Buddhist monk, but I am also a Thai person and I love my country and if I can help I will. Around Thailand no one has set up a top 10 design school for students and I want Thai design students to have the very best."

The temple, which houses the worlds largest jade Buddha, looks set to play a key role in Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's campaign to transform the capital into the Paris of Asia.

"About 50 or 60 years ago all education in Thailand was done in the temple, so there is no problem about teaching fashion here, but some designs we can't do in the temple and also female mannequins so we have a classroom just outside for those things," says Luangphor Viriyang in his humble office at the temple.

The school is run by the Accademia Italiana design institute, which sends teachers from its Florence headquarters to instruct Thai students in fashion and interior design.