Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Studies

Artistic elements of the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall: Arts and beliefs about the monarch

Patsaweesiri Preamkulanan — 2025-01-10

The artistic elements of the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall embody popular beliefs about the monarch. First, the hall’s name refers to Tusita Heaven, the abode of Bodhisattvas, reflecting the common belief that kings are Bodhisattvas who have been reincarnated to perform good deeds before returning to heaven. The throne hall’s structural components include traditional Thai-style architecture with multi-tiered roof decorations, multi-coloured ceramic roof tiles, and tall spires. These reinforce the belief that this throne hall is a high-status building and an appropriate heavenly residence for kings regarded as Bodhisattvas in Theravāda Buddhism. Additionally, the throne hall contains objects like the royal throne, which rests on a gradually tapering high base with the sculptures of animals in the Himavanta Forest, and mural paintings that portray deities in the attitude of paying respect. These sacred objects represent ideas and meanings that amplify the monarch’s long-held sacrosanctity. The Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall is an important venue for various royal ceremonies directly connecting to the monarch from the moment of coronation until the King’s death.

Mathematical creative thinking skills: Using APOS theory to identify student errors in solving contextual problems

Khoerul Umam — 2025-01-21

Individuals with strong creative thinking abilities are particularly adept at effectively addressing mathematical contextual problems. However, students often need more vital creative thinking skills in the classroom, frequently due to errors they make themselves. This study aims to identify students’ specific errors when solving contextual problems related to integer operations. This research adopts a qualitative approach, using an exploratory and descriptive technique, focusing on sixth-grade elementary school students. Participants were selected based on the teacher’s recommendations, specifically targeting students with strong communication skills to comprehensively examine their errors in dealing with contextual problems and their creative thinking skills. The research utilized tests and interviews as instruments for data collection, incorporating methodologies such as testing, interviewing, and triangulation. The results indicate a significant deficiency in students’ innovative thinking skills, rendering them unable to solve problems effectively, which leads to an inability to meet the four criteria of creative thinking. Based on the Action-Process-Objects-Scheme (APOS) theory, the identified errors in students’ approaches to contextual mathematical problems can be categorized into four types: (1) interpretive errors, (2) errors in conceptual understanding, (3) procedural errors, and (4) computational or technical errors. The insight gained from this study can inform the design of integer learning activities, helping minimize contextual problem-solving mistakes that require creative thinking skills. Consequently, further research is essential to develop a mathematical learning model that can enhance students’ mathematical creative thinking abilities.

Proposed policy for strategic human resource management in the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board

Somboon Sirisunhirun — 2025-01-29

The objective of this study was to analyze the strategic plan of human resource management and formulate a policy proposal for human resource management regarding strategic plans 2022–2026, in the Office of the Cane and Sugar Board Ministry of Industry of Thailand (OCSB). The researchers used a policy research methodology where the data collection process consisted of seven steps as follows: 1) Research related to documents and studies 2) Workshops 3) Consulting team meetings based on expertise 4) In-depth interviews 5) Focus group discussions 6) Group meetings between executives and working groups of the OCSB. together with the researchers of this study, and 7) Organizing the public hearing; key informants in this research were executives, government officials, and personnel of the OCSB. The research results showed that: 1) The OCSB reached a consensus on formulating a strategic plan, which includes: vision, mission, strategic issues, goals and objectives, and various strategies for human resource management operations for the years 2022–2026. 2) Policy proposals for the Human Resource Management Strategic Plan 2022–2026 should be divided into three dimensions: a strategic dimension of human resource management strategy transfer, an implementation dimension of the supervision and monitoring of human resource management strategic plans, and dimensions of review and evaluation of human resource management strategic plans.

Tracing tourism business research trends in Scopus-indexed journals using corpus-based and judgement-based approaches

Piyapong Laosrirattanachai — 2025-02-14

Tourism research trends reveal the directions of research in the tourism industry contributing to the advancement and modernisation of research frameworks, avoiding delays, and generating academic benefits. This study proposed an alternative approach for analysing research trends in tourism. The proposed analytical approach integrated both corpus-based and judgement-based methodologies, offering an additional means of tracking trends in tourism research and complementing traditional statistical methods, systematic reviews, and bibliometric analyses. To conduct our analysis, we utilised the Tourism Research Abstract Corpus (TRAC), which comprises language data from research abstracts published in the top-10 Scopus-indexed journals in the first quartile (Q1) from 2013 to 2022, totalling 8,304 research abstracts containing 1,352,388 running words. The corpus-based approach involving keyword analysis, lexical profiling, and lemmatisation was applied to identify the major trends in tourism research. Subsequently, we utilised the judgement-based approach involving common and irrelevant keyword removal, as well as theme categorisation, to further elucidate these trends. Our findings highlighted keywords reflecting trends in tourism research each year, categorised into five themes: research topics, research intentions, related concepts, research participants, and research methods. Researchers should take into account these insights when designing studies, adapting methodologies, and in keeping abreast of evolving trends in the discipline.

The construction of social networks to tackle domestic violence: A case analysis of Huay Sam Pad Sub-district, Thailand

Pattanaphanu Tooltham — 2025-02-24

Domestic violence is a serious problem in Thailand, and social networks can play an important role in addressing it. This study aimed to explore the process of constructing a social network to address domestic violence in a Thai community and to inquire about the operational challenges of this social network in terms of its capacity to tackle issues surrounding household violence. Huay Sam Pad Sub-district, a rural community in Udon Thani Province, Thailand, was purposely selected as the area of inquiry due to the good practices of its area-based social network. The study draws on concepts surrounding social networks and adopts a socio-ecological perspective to analyze qualitative data acquired from community members belonging to the social network. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions with key informants, and encoded data were analyzed using thematic and interpretation analyses. Preliminary findings showed that the construction of the operating social network in Huay Sam Pad Sub-district has not been a linear process. Rather, according to the subjective perceptions of social network members, network construction has resulted from supportive factors associated with an academic institution, provincial policies, and the area-based center for violence resolution. Meanwhile, the area-based network has been facing many challenges that threaten to hinder sustainable network management. These challenges relate to informal (weak ties) network operations, the questionable effectiveness of therapy for violent perpetrators, and personnel and budget constraints, as well as inconsistency in project implementation. Addressing these factors will be crucial for effective domestic violence interventions amid uncertain and disruptive situations that persist in Thai society.

Prototype of a marine animal sculpture from plastic waste: Role in promoting the image of Thai tourism

Surachai Donprasri — 2025-03-06

Plastic waste poses a significant threat to communities and the environment. Urban waste overflow is a direct consequence of large-scale economic, social, and industrial expansion that prioritizes the mass production of plastics for everyday use. This has led to an accumulation of plastic waste that is difficult to dispose of and has contributed to the endangerment of marine species such as sea turtles, dolphins, whales, and dugongs. Moreover, plastic pollution has caused ecological degradation due to the contamination of microplastics, which pose risks to human health and negatively impact Thailand's tourism industry. This paper aims to design and create a prototype of a marine animal sculpture made from plastic waste for installation at Cha-am Beach, Phetchaburi Province. The objectives of this study are to create and evaluate a prototype of a marine animal sculpture made from plastic waste, assess tourists' awareness of responsible tourism through viewing the sculpture illuminated with nighttime lighting, and promote tourism and environmental awareness. This research incorporates the simulacra consumption theory and reviews relevant literature on art, particularly focusing on plastic whale sculptures. It is hoped that this creative artwork will enhance Thailand's tourism image and raise awareness among tourists about the issue of marine plastic pollution, which has led to ecological degradation due to microplastic contamination and has negatively impacted the tourism industry.

From tradition to transformation: Customary land dynamics and state protection in Manggarai, Indonesia

M. Nazir Salim — 2025-03-07

The global dynamics of indigenous, or customary law, communities have significantly changed, including in Indonesia. However, these changes do not necessarily signal the disappearance of indigenous communities in favor of modern society. This study investigates the Manggarai indigenous communities and the issues surrounding their customary land, known as ulayat land. Conducted in two villages in Manggarai Regency, the research used qualitative methods and a social anthropological approach, particularly ethnographic and normative juridical studies. The findings reveal that indigenous communities in Manggarai persist, though their presence is increasingly fragile, with distinct patterns of change across regions. For example, in Nao Village, the extent of ulayat land is steadily declining, whereas in Popo Village, ulayat land ownership has completely disappeared. These findings underscore the urgent need for state protection to safeguard indigenous communities in Manggarai, which can be achieved through local regulatory mechanisms in areas where such communities remain strong. Several alternatives for protecting ulayat land are proposed: first, granting collective land rights for privately held ulayat land; second, registering ulayat land for dual public and private ownership; and third, implementing a management rights scheme. Despite these challenges, Manggarai’s customary institutions remain robust and play a crucial role in preserving the community’s cultural heritage and ancestral legacy.

The phenomenon of animated characters: A Generation Z perspective

Natcha Juthamongkol — 2025-03-07

This study delves into the factors contributing to the popularity of animated characters among Generation Z viewers, a generation deeply immersed in the digital transformation of entertainment and media. To unravel the allure of animated characters for Generation Z, this research explores their emotional resonance, educational significance, and cultural relevance. The research objectives encompass examining Generation Z viewers' affinity for animated characters, utilizing a quantitative cross-sectional methodology. A sample was selected via convenience sampling, targeting animated movie enthusiasts aged 15 to 26, who participated in an online questionnaire. The study's findings were gathered through a rigorously quality-checked questionnaire, ensuring that the measurement models for both variables, character appearance and character attributes met good quality criteria. This achievement can be attributed to the rigorous development process, which ensured content validity. The results depict a sample predominantly comprised of female university students with a pronounced penchant for animated-style movies. Their preferences lean toward 3D animation and cartoons, particularly favoring animated films segmented into parts or episodes (spin-offs). In evaluating the characters' popularity based on appearance, male characters with endearing features, long hairstyles, superhuman abilities, and contemporary attire garnered the highest favor. Furthermore, when considering character roles, Generation Z respondents displayed a preference for main characters endowed with distinct labels, unique powers, and cheerful, sociable personalities. Characters with significant wealth also piqued their interest.

Enhancing the potential of creative community-based tourism to develop the area based on the local identity of the Si Ayutthaya group

Sawitree Jujia — 2025-03-10

The objectives of this research were: to enhance communication channels for community-based tourism marketing to target tourists within the community, and to strengthen the capacity of the community-based tourism management model and network for the sustainable development of the tourism network in the Si Ayutthaya group. This research was conducted using community-based research (CBR) and the participatory action research (PAR) methodology. The operational procedures involved three main components: first, developing tourism routes, programs, and a promotional website for the Ban Don Tanot community; second, training thirty elementary school students as local tour guides; and third, implementing the ASEAN Homestay Standard while pursuing certification for community-based tourism standards. The results demonstrated significant improvements in tourist satisfaction regarding destinations, services, facilities, accessibility, and pricing. Key achievements included the successful launch of a community tourism website, the development of promotional materials highlighting community-based tourism activities and products, and the training of thirty young community storytellers. Notably, thirteen households achieved ASEAN Homestay Standard certification. These outcomes emphasize the effectiveness of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) initiatives in fostering sustainable community development and enhancing local tourism competitiveness. The success of this research provides a valuable model for similar community-based tourism initiatives seeking to improve their marketing strategies and operational standards while maintaining authentic local experiences.

The influence of Chinese plant patterns on the development of Thai Buddhist plant patterns—A case study of the Bangkok dynasty period

Xinxuan Xie — 2025-03-10

Buddhist botanical motifs are an important visual art for spreading Buddhist teachings and cultures of different regions. Chinese culture has always influenced Thai culture, of which Buddhist plant motifs are a clear example. However, there are fewer studies on the influence of Chinese plant motifs on the development of Thai Buddhist plant motifs, which is not conducive to developing and disseminating Buddhist plant motifs in the two countries. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to (1) study the influence and reasons of Chinese botanical motifs on the development of Buddhist botanical motifs during the Bangkok Dynasty period in Thailand (2) study the role of Buddhist botanical motifs as visual art in cultural exchanges and Buddhism and (3) study the importance of cultural exchanges for cultural development. This study adopts: (1) literature research method, (2) historical analysis method, and (3) comparative analysis method. The study found that although both China and Thailand have incorporated plants in Buddhist art, each country has its own unique culture, history, and religious culture so there are differences in symbolism and artistic expression. Buddhist plant motifs also promote cultural exchange and artistic integration between the two countries, Chinese culture inspires Thai art, and the commonality between China and Thailand in Buddhist plant motifs strengthens the cultural identity of the East Asian Buddhist circle. By exploring these questions, the study emphasizes the cultural significance and artistic integration facilitated by Buddhist plant motifs. The findings highlight their value not only as religious symbols, but also as mediums for cross-cultural dialogue and artistic innovation, contributing to a deeper understanding of the interplay between art, culture, and religion in East Asia.

History and monumentalism of the Rejang Dewa dance in Bali, Indonesia

Ida Ayu Gede Sasrani Widyastuti — 2025-03-11

This study explores the evolutionary journey of the Rejang Dewa dance as a monumental dance of Bali. The objective is to elucidate the history of Rejang Dewa dance creation and identify important factors in its monumentalism process. A qualitative research model using a phenomenological approach was employed in this study. Data collection involved in-depth interviews with the dance and music creators of the Rejang Dewa dance, who served as informants, as well as an analysis of relevant audiovisual documents. We matched and analyzed the interview data interpretatively to produce a written draft, which was then validated by involving the informants. We arranged the research findings chronologically and systematically, based on the informants’ confirmatory feedback. The results indicate that three main factors support the monumentalism process of Rejang Dewa dance: (1) the influence of power and policy, (2) the role of academic institutions, and (3) the historical context and evolution of art. Movement and sacred art music serve as aesthetic sources contributing to the artistic richness of Rejang Dewa dance. This demonstrates the success of utilizing local resources to create distinctive art. The long journey of Rejang Dewa dance shows that it has passed through various important historical events that have shaped its characteristics and functions. Balinese Hindu communities in Indonesia commonly use this dance for both ritual and profane ceremonial purposes. These findings have implications for strengthening cultural identity through a deeper understanding of traditional art preservation.

Historical awareness of social science teachers in Albay community colleges

John Henry Briones — 2025-03-17

This study focused on the level of awareness of Social Science teachers in Albay community colleges. It addresses the following questions: 1) to determine the level of awareness of the faculty on historical distortion and historical fact, and 2) to propose training that could enhance the participants historical awareness. A descriptive mixed-method design was utilized along with a survey questionnaire, document review, and interview guide as a tool for data collection. The study participants were Social Science faculty teaching Readings in Philippine History in Albay community colleges. The frequency, weighted mean, and rank were used to interpret and quantify the collected data. The results showed that Social Science teachers were moderately aware of historical distortion. In addition, there is a consensus made by teachers that historical distortions are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. Consequently, the teachers believed that this illegitimate practice of revisionism required a careful strategy to counter the threat it posed to the nation’s moral fabric and consciousness. Concerning facts, the Social Science teachers demonstrated a high level of awareness, which signifies that they could identify the listed items as factual because they were part of their basic knowledge of history. Reasons and factors are provided to substantiate how Social Science teachers distinguish between historical distortions and facts. Moreover, training/workshops/symposia on the challenges faced by Philippine history is the preferred proposed training by the participants. Hence, historical awareness and training play an imperative role in confronting a pressing issue in the study of history: historical distortion.

Running a faculty’s cultural space: Case study of Art4C, gallery and creative learning space

Haisang Javanalikhikara — 2025-03-24

This research examines the operation of an art space of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Chulalongkorn University. The paper focuses on a case study, 'Art4C: Gallery and Creative Learning Space,' initiated by the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, the project began in early 2019 with the aim of creating a community gallery. On August 16, 2019, Art4C progressed into a physical space located in a prime area of Samyan, a popular ‘food’ district in Bangkok. The methodology employed for this space combined an analysis of existing university art spaces to identify an appropriate operational model with insights from personal experience and observation. The gallery and creative learning space operated for about six months before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. Since its opening, the author has served as the director of Art4C, overseeing its operations from its opening in August 2019 to the completion of this paper, a period of nearly five years. The initial concept was to establish a community-centric gallery that would seamlessly integrate and collaborate with its urban surroundings. However, the community and location did not perceive Art4C as anticipated. Furthermore, Art4C encountered several challenges that necessitated significant shifts in its operational model and initial direction. Despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, digital disruption, and financial sustainability issues, Art4C has managed to establish a successful operating model, merging art and business. This paper explores the strategies and adaptations that have enabled Art4C to meet these challenges, and highlights the key lessons to be learned from the case study.

Latvian Old Believer rite of baptism: Tradition and transformation under the impact of Soviet secularization (1940s–1980s)

Oksana Kovzele — 2025-03-27

This paper analyzes the specificity of the Old Believer (Eastern [Russian] Orthodox) rite of baptism – the sacrament of initiation into the Holy Church of Jesus Christ – rooted in the tradition of early Christianity. It is based on a literature review and narratives recorded in the eastern region of Latvia (Latgale) from the 1970s to 2021 during oral history, areal linguistic and folklore expeditions. The empirical evidence is selected from the collection of Daugavpils University Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences and reveals typical features of Old Believer baptism as well as changes in the performance of the traditional ritual in the middle and second half of the twentieth century under Soviet occupation (1940–1941; 1944/45–1990) and forced secularization. The use of oral history sources allows us to reconstruct historically, politically and socially significant past events from a subjective perspective. Being the carrier of specific religious, social and cultural information, the Old Believer rite of baptism remained of crucial significance for members of the religious community in Latvia in order to identify themselves with family, and denomination and pass down the values and traditions of their ancestors to the next generation. During the unfavourable conditions of forced secularization aimed at gradually eliminating religious belief, various forms of religiosity were suppressed and persecuted. Despite many limitations, for the Old Believers in Latvia the rite of baptism remained one of the crucial manifestations of their belief. However, due to changes in human behaviour, the baptismal ceremony became an individual family matter rather than a community event, as it was performed in secret.

The interplay of segmentals and suprasegmentals in the perception of L2 comprehensibility in Chinese-accented Thai

Peng Hou — 2025-04-08

Comprehensibility refers to the ease of understanding in second language (L2) speech. This paper examines the relative contribution of segmentals and suprasegmentals on perceived L2 comprehensibility. Fifteen Chinese speakers of Thai were asked to produce Thai segmentals and suprasegmentals in a picture description task. Acoustic analyses demonstrated that Chinese-accented Thai speech was distinct from native Thai speech in both segmentals and suprasegmentals. In addition, native Thai raters (n = 30) also evaluated the degree of comprehensibility using a 9-point Likert scale. A stepwise regression analysis revealed the joint predictiveness of segmentals and suprasegmentals on L2 comprehensibility, which collectively accounted for more than 50% of the variance in comprehensibility ratings. Specifically, suprasegmentals (i.e., filled pauses and speech rate) and segmentals (i.e., duration of diphthongs and quality of back monophthongs) were identified as the most robust predictors for comprehensibility in Chinese-accented Thai. The findings offer direct evidence that comprehensibility is intricately linked to several L2 features from the domains of segmentals and suprasegmentals. Therefore, understanding of the nature of L2 comprehensibility in Thai requires considering the interplay between segmentals and suprasegmentals. In light of this, it is proposed that emphasis is required on both segmentals and suprasegmentals in L2 instruction in order to achieve more comprehensible L2 speech.

The relationship between language and Pimrypie’s identities in donation discourse

Phongsatorn Surin — 2025-04-10

The donation discourse of Pimrypie, as represented on social media, not only persuades audiences to support charitable causes but also serves as a means through which Pimrypie constructs her identity, setting her apart from other donation discourse producers in online media. This has led to her becoming known as an outspoken yet charitable online seller. Significantly, her discourse has elevated her to a ‘socially desirable role model’ because her donation discourse emphasizes and foregrounds her positive identity traits. In another aspect, Pimrypie’s identity, as reflected in her donation discourse, may also yield potential business advantages. This research aims to analyze the relationship between language and Pimrypie’s identity as reflected in her donation discourse. The study employs qualitative research methods, collecting conversational texts from 82 videos on Pimrypie’s YouTube channel. The researchers use the concept of identity as a framework to analyze linguistic data. The findings reveal that Pimrypie’s identity in the donation discourse encompasses five aspects: 1) philanthropist identity, 2) empowering woman identity, 3) leadership identity, 4) independent woman identity, and
5) celebrity identity. The study shows that Pimrypie’s identity is constructed rationally and flexibly, allowing her to adapt to different contexts and remain in a favorable position. Ultimately, the researchers hope that this research will benefit readers by enhancing their understanding of identity construction and promoting media literacy regarding the media surrounding them.

The knowledge landscape of German linguistics and German language teaching in Thailand: A comparative study with Japan and South Korea

Wilita Sriuranpong — 2025-04-17

This study surveys the knowledge landscape of German linguistics and the teaching of German as a foreign language in Thailand from 1957 to 2022. Despite decades of development in German language education, there has been no systematic, comprehensive survey of the research conducted in this field. The study categorizes and analyzes 173 research works across various subfields to identify prevailing research trends in German linguistics and German language teaching in Thailand. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of German linguistics and German language teaching research in Japan and South Korea from 2013 to 2022 is conducted, highlighting key similarities and differences in research methodologies, content and focus areas. The findings indicate that while Thailand encompasses a broad range of research topics in German linguistics, including grammar, phonetics, orthography, and pragmatics, the majority of studies are applied, focusing on pedagogical applications. In Japan and South Korea, however, research aligns more closely with that of German-speaking countries in terms of generating specialized knowledge in fields such as dialectology and computational linguistics. In research on German language teaching, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea demonstrate a strong focus on teaching techniques and methods, likely due to a shared emphasis on applying findings to enhance instruction in German as a foreign language.