Female inmates at a Thai prison were given cooking lessons for them to become chefs after serving their sentences.

The women learned how to prepare cheap, healthy meals through the initiative arranged by the jail in Nakhon Pathom province.

Officials opened a sleek kitchen, well-furnished kitchen studio at the correctional institute on September 5, where the training sessions were recorded.

Local food stylist Suthipong Suriya, better known as Ajarn Karb, visited the prison and taught the inmates how to make simple but tasty Thai dishes like sweet basil omelette and chicken breast fried rice.

Nakhon Pathom Central Prison director Kwanchai Santiparapob said: 'We hope to invite skilled trainers to create instructional videos at the prison's studio. These videos can be distributed to smaller prisons to provide a faster and cheaper way to disseminate skills to inmates.'

He added that the studio is also available for the government and individuals from the private sector who want to hold workshops for prisoners.

Food stylist Suthipong said he participated in the project to help the women better adjust when they leave jail and re-enter society.

He said: 'These people are often overlooked and underprivileged. I wanted to empower them, especially in the culinary field, so that they can lead happy lives when they leave jail.'

The chef also hoped his training videos would impart useful techniques to benefit cooks working at the prison.

Rehabilitation of prisoners through education and skills training is believed to be one of the best ways to reform convicts and prepare them for a productive life outside the jail walls.