Asian Crime and Society Review

FACTORS INFLUENCING SUBSTANCE USE IN CHIANG RAI, THAILAND

Khemtida PETCHTAM, Anusorn PAYAKKAKOM, Seung Chun PAEK — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This study was designed as a pilot project and stratified sampling that divided the target population into legal and illegal substance use. The objective is to identify factors contributing to substance use and potential harm reduction strategies. Results showed that factors that influence substance use were individual, socioeconomic status, social inequality and vulnerability, and accessibility and availability of substances. 89% of the sample size reported that they perceived accessibility of drugs relatively easy. 25% of respondents use four types of substances daily. Addressing drug prevalence in Chiang Rai requires a holistic and inclusive approach that acknowledges the region’s unique challenges. Integrating evidence-based harm reduction strategies, community engagement, and policy reforms creates a comprehensive framework that promotes the health and well-being of indigenous individuals. Evidence-based research is needed to gain a broader understanding of the efficacy of harm reduction programs, explore how decriminalization impacts the legal system and incarceration rates, as well as examine whether societal attitude changes lead to decreased stigma against drug users.

A DISCURSIVE ANALYSIS ON THAILAND CONSTITUTION’S PREAMBLES: A POLITICAL LANGUAGE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAI POLITICAL ‘TRUTH’

Pixitthikun KAEW-NGAM — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Almost 90 years after the Siamese Revolution of 1932, Thailand promulgated 20 constitutions to legitimize the political power in Thailand. There were also 21 times of the successful and unsuccessful coup d’état which labeled Thailand as the ‘4^th most constitution changing country in the world’. A so-often coup d’états have affected Thailand Constitutions with more complexity, more categories, and a more statutory or constitutional interpretation. This article provides a brand-new approach to understanding Thai politics by connote-to-conceal the political intention behind the rich texts of Thailand Constitution’s Preambles. The purpose is to reveal the power relation effecting in the legal and the social organization of the Kingdom of Thailand. This article applied ‘Foucauldian Discourse Analysis’ into the investigation process on 20 Thailand Constitution’s Preambles. The result found some crucial discourses indicating some substantive confluence between the National Security, The Army, and the King against the ‘Democratic’ People Participation. The synonymous between the ethical majestic of the Thai King, the peacemaker Junta, and the limitation of the King subject’s participation has been constituted as the ‘TRUTH’ in the legitimization of Thai political power while the people’s raising for democracy has been depreciated on the contrary.

EXAMINING GENDER EQUALITY IN GUATEMALA: A CASE STUDY OF GENDER EQUALITY IN THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF GUATEMALA

Mirna Amanda Alvarado NAVAS, Sasiphattra SIRIWATO — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Gender equality has been identified as the 5^th Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations, aiming to end violence against women and girls, establish fairness in the distribution of capabilities, and promote women in decision-making positions. The Global Gender Gap Report of 2023 revealed that Guatemala ranked the lowest in Latin America, and 117^th among the 146 countries measured in the report. This research aims to identify the gender equality challenges experienced by women in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala and propose recommendations for improvement of the situation, especially in gaining promotions. A qualitative design was utilized in this research, and semi-structured interviews were employed among nine participants holding executive positions in the Ministry. The data revealed two main challenges in the study. The first is Guatemala has no governing authority to enforce gender laws to the fullest extent. The second is strong patriarchal norms affect executive roles and skills training opportunities among women. This study proposes three recommendations. The first is to pass the bill for the creation of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to fully enforce the law and create a system for gender-responsive actions. The second is to employ a gender quota policy to achieve a fairer distribution of executive roles within the government. The final recommendation is to provide flexible work options and support facilities for working women. This would enable women to cope with work and family obligations and afford nursing or care facilities while training and networking.

THE ROLE OF WECHAT APPLICATION IN CHINESE FAMILY COMMUNICATION: A CASE STUDY OF CHENGDU CITY, SICHUAN, CHINA

Ru XU, Kornkanok NINDUM — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0700

In this research, the objectives aimed to find out the factors influence Chinese family using WeChat to communicate. Participants were Chinese people who live in the Chengdu City of Sichuan Province, and use WeChat groups to communicate with their family members. With the qualitative and quantitative combined for this research, 20 interviewees have been interviewed, and 417 respondents have completed the questionnaires by using purposive and snowball sampling methods to collect the data. The findings reveal that individual factors such as personal preferences and technological ease play a significant role in the adoption and sustained use of WeChat for family interactions. Additionally, the study highlights the influence of WeChat's unique features, like instant messaging and social media integration, which facilitate frequent and flexible communication among family members, thus supporting the maintenance of familial bonds across geographical distances.