Dara School Launches Northern Thailand's First Alpha AI Assistant

Chiang Mai – Dara College has launched Alpha AI, the first AI assistant of its kind in Northern Thailand. This free, safe intelligent assistant is designed to help teachers and students with learning, tutoring, thinking, analysis, and creative work, advancing modern and engaging teaching and learning methods.

On September 14 at the Barbara McKinley Hall at Dara College in Muang District, Chiang Mai Province, Chutima Tapong, Director of Education Administration at Chiang Mai Provincial Administration, joined school director Saowalak Deekaew and Dr. Anant Seewitpattikitti, Director of the Teaching and Learning Innovation Center (TLIC) at Chiang Mai University, along with other distinguished guests, in formally opening Alpha AI. The AI assistant is designed to promote learning and guide students into the future.

Dara College partnered with Chiang Mai University's TLIC to develop and promote modern teaching and learning. Alpha AI functions like ChatGPT but is completely free. It was designed specifically to help teachers and students learn, think, analyze, and create safely while making teaching and learning more contemporary and engaging.

School Director Saowalak Deekaew stated, "We are the first school in Northern Thailand to have a school-specific AI that all teachers and students can access for free. What matters is that our students are diverse, and AI itself is diverse. Some AI requires a paid version to answer questions well and comprehensively, but Dara gives every child access to quality AI. Every student has the right to use it."

She explained the school's vision: "The world is changing, and with AI increasingly affecting students, we cannot avoid it. We needed an AI tailored to our school that also prioritizes student safety. Alpha AI does more than ensure safety—it becomes a thinking partner for students. Instead of giving direct answers, it prompts students to think and develops according to each student's potential. High-performing students face greater challenges to grow further. Students are excited because it's theirs."

The director added that teachers use Alpha AI to design personalized learning and assess individual student progress. On safety, the AI is locked to prevent inappropriate questions—if one is asked, it will not answer directly but instead will say the question is inappropriate and direct the student to contact a teacher. "We are confident in this safe system," she said.

Dr. Anant Seewitpattikitti noted that while Alpha AI is not technologically different from other AIs, what sets it apart is human oversight. The school and university work together to guide how the AI is used to benefit student learning. Beyond simply chatting, they train proper learning techniques and create a safe space. Since AI has both positive and negative aspects, the school participates closely in designing the system—deciding what students can and cannot discuss. Alpha AI was developed in close collaboration between Chiang Mai University and Dara College.