Chiang Mai University Journal of Humanities

Editorial Article

2025-12-26

Homestays and the Construction of the Idealized Countryside of Urban People: A Case Study of Northern Thailand

Thanawat Rungruangtantisuk — 2025-12-26

Although homestays in Thailand have objective to develop local residential areas for tourist especially urban people who want to experience of the local life, Homestays construct the idealized countryside by adhering to urban people. Homestays construct the idealized countryside to respond to nostalgia, perspectives, and lifestyles of urban people. This article will propose a case study in the northern region of Thailand, which is often perceived as the idealized countryside. Besides, this article proposes that the construction of the idealized countryside by homestays is rigid and not have dynamic change. This contradicts with the fact that local communities are transformed by the influence of homestays.

Ideology of Masculinity in Dehong Tai’s Along Tales

Shi Bai — 2025-12-26

The main purpose of this study on the ideology of masculinity in the Dehong Tai ‘Along Tales’ is to examine masculine ideology through the framework of ideological theory alongside masculinity studies. This study specifically incorporates the framework of Ideological theory together with the concept of Masculinity. This research scope is limited to the Along Tales of the Dehong Tai, selected from the book 德宏傣族民间故事选 (Selected Dehong Dai Folktales), published in Chinese in 2014, compiled by the Association of Local Literature and Folk Artists of Dehong Tai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, focusing on 18 Along characters with prominent masculine traits. The findings identify six core ideological constructs of masculinity within the Along folktales. The first ideological construct is the intelligent man, the second the self-sacrificing man.
The others are the man with superior abilities, the resilient man who endures hardship, the courageous and steadfast lover, and the virtuous and content leader. These ideological constructs illustrate the multidimensional nature of masculinity as depicted in Along folktales. They reflect the traditional Tai patriarchal society, while also integrating Buddhist philosophy—a foundational element of Dehong Tai culture. In essence, masculinity in these folktales is not confined to physical strength or bravery alone. It encompasses moral integrity, intellectual capability, and spiritual wisdom, reinforcing the idea that true masculinity enables men to guide society toward harmony and prosperity.

Factors and Development Approaches for Managing Creative Ecotourism Accommodations toward Sustainability

Phitcha Sirimongkol — 2025-12-26

Eco-tourism is essential for conserving natural resources and supporting local economies. Sustainable accommodations, such as green hotels, eco-resorts, and homestays, play a key role but face challenges, including the lack of effective management plans, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient environmental safeguards, and limited community participation. This study highlights the potential of ecotourism accommodations to generate both economic and environmental benefits, while also emphasizing the need for systematic management, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced community involvement. Key strategies for sustainable growth include the development of clear plans, improved facilities, robust environmental measures, the use of digital marketing platforms, and local economic support through eco-friendly accommodations.

Manuscript Guidelines

2025-12-26

A Comparative Study of “Karma” in Sukhavati Buddhism and “Kamma 12” in Theravada Buddhism

Sumalee Mahanarongchai — 2025-12-26

This research article examines whether Sukhavati’s doctrine of karma and its fruit can be explained in comparison to Theravada’s doctrine of “kamma 12.” Since birth in Sukhavati is classified into three levels and nine classes, the first six classes of existence in Sukhavati can be effectively explained through Theravada’s teaching on kamma 12. However, the three lowest classes need more emphasis on actions performed at the moment of death, the sudden emergence of ecstatic vision (through the virtual lotus) at death, Amitabha Buddha’s compassion, and the ardent power of Dhammakara Bodhisattva’s vow, in order to fully align Sukhavati’s teaching with Theravada teaching. Sukhavati’s teaching of karma does not contradict Theravada’s doctrine of kamma if we understand that the condition for enlightenment at Sukhavati is based on the belief in the “Only-Way,” rather than the belief in the “Diverse-Way,” of liberation. Wicked individuals may enter Sukhavati easily, but their path to liberation is most difficult and unimaginably prolonged. Ultimately, Sukhavati’s teaching of karma reflects the subtle Mahayana wisdom hidden in the infinite Mahayana compassion.

On the Possibility of Studying (Thai) Business History

Villa Vilaithong — 2025-12-26

This article advances the study of Thai business history by critically examining its status within the broader landscape of Thai historical scholarship. It explores potential research directions by analysing the global knowledge framework of business history, themes related to “business” in Thai historiography, existing works on “Thai business history,” and the application of the legendary yet debatable “Chandler’s Paradigm” to a case study of Thai commercial banking businesses from the late 1960s to the 1980s. The article argues that business history at the global level is an evolving field, continuously reassessing its body of knowledge and attentive to trends within the academic historical realm. Works of business history outside Thailand illustrate the expansion of the field to emerging markets and rising economic powerhouses, incorporating methodologies from various disciplines and exploring alternative sources of evidence. Thai business history, which is fundamentally rooted in economic history, is a field that requires further development. There is no shortage of topics, approaches, or historical evidence for study. These resources serve as examples for those who aim to engage with “business history,” particularly in entertainment and consumption, as well as a case study of the history of Thai commercial banks before the economic boom. Several commercial banks grew into large organisations with multiple levels of managerial hierarchies and branch managers who were aware of their duties, roles, and identities. This position was not defined solely by banking responsibilities; rather, one’s career history and everyday life were integral parts of what it meant to be a banker at the national, regional, and provincial levels.

Effect of Cognitive Behavior Therapy Integrating Walk and Talk Therapy Individual Programs to Stress in University Student

พัชนิดา ปันใจ — 2025-12-26

This research is a quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate the effects of a combined cognitive-behavioral therapy program, which integrates walking and talking therapy, on the stress levels of university students. The participants consisted of 6 undergraduate students from Chiang Mai University, ranging from first to fourth year. The data collection instruments included a personal information questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale – 10 (PSS – 10). Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics for analyzing personal information and non-parametric statistics for hypothesis testing.

Research Findings: The stress levels of the participants were significantly lower after the intervention than before, at the .05 level of statistical significance. The stress levels of the participants at the 4-week follow-up period did not significantly differ from those immediately after the intervention, at the .05 level of statistical significance. Moreover, the stress levels of the participants at the 4-week follow-up period were significantly lower than before the intervention, at the .05 level of statistical significance. These findings indicate that the combined cognitive-behavioral therapy incorporating walk and talk therapy tend to help reduce stress among the participants.

The Concepts of “Eye /ta:/” as Spatial and Container: Cognitive Semantics Analysis

Nootsara Prommanat — 2025-12-26

This article examines the metaphorical mechanisms underlying the conceptualization of the Thai word ta (eye) through two primary metaphors: “the eye as a container” and “the eye as a space”, based on the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980). This analysis is part of the research project titled “Semantic Extension of the Thai Lexeme for the Body Part 'Ta:' (Eye): A Cognitive Semantic Perspective,” which aims to investigate how Thai speakers construct meaning for the term ta by mapping relationships between the concrete and the abstract. Data for the study were drawn from instances of the word ta: found in various compound forms and co-occurring expressions across multiple contexts. The analysis identified two major metaphorical conceptualizations. First, the metaphor “the eye as a space” appears in three primary semantic contexts, with metaphorical expressions reflecting spatial properties such as /krɔ̀ːp kʰáp kʰɛ̂ːp kʰɔ̌ːŋ hǔː tāː/ (narrow or limited visual frames), /tāː kwâːŋ/ (wide eyes) , and /tāː tàm/ (low eyes). Second, the metaphor “the eye as a container” occurs in eleven distinct metaphorical meanings, including expressions related to containment and perceptual reception such as /pìt tāː/ (closed eyes), /pɤ̀ːt tāː/ (open eyes), dūaŋ tāː pen nâː tàːŋ kʰɔ̌ːŋ hǔa.tɕai/ (“the eyes are the window to the heart”), /rók tāː/ (cluttered sight), /sà ʔàːt tāː/ (clear to the eye), /lāːn.tāː/ (dazzled sight), /tāː wâːŋ/ (empty eyes), /tem tāː/ (full view), /ʔɔ̀ːk nɔ̂ːk tāː/ (out of sight), /kʰâw tāː/ (caught the eye), and /nai tāː/ (within sight). The study reveals that Thai speakers metaphorically extend the concept of visual space into the domain of vision and perception, which can be measured in terms such as long–short [where good is long], wide–narrow [where good is wide], and high–low [where more is upward movement and less is downward]. These reflect how the cognitive system of language users views the “eye” as a bounded area with vertical and horizontal dimensions. Moreover, the study finds that visible objects and emotions are conceptualized as being located within a mental or emotional space. The eye is metaphorically seen as both a container for emotions and a container for images. The concept of “eye as space” suggests that the meaning of “ta” arises from spatial and directional experiences, which are then mapped onto abstract concepts such as vision, insight, and emotional expression. The findings demonstrate how the processes of meaning construction involve an integration of cognitive systems, cultural context, and embodied experiences.

The Influence of Chinese Language on Time Cognition of Thai Chinese language learners: A case study of Chinese major student at Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkhla University

Nadear Mamodee — 2025-12-26

This research article aimed to investigate whether Thai Chinese language learners who speak standard Thai developed a vertical time cognition after learning Chinese, and whether factors such as Chinese language proficiency, duration of Chinese language study, and experience in China influenced this development. Although standard Thai includes vertical directional terms such as “up” and “down” (Royal Institute, 2013), and studies on the conceptualization of "time" among northern Thai speakers have found metaphors indicating vertical movement of time (Ampala, 2016), some research suggests that while standard Thai has vertical directional terms, there is no clear metaphorical representation of time moving in a vertical direction. This contrasts with Chinese, where vertical metaphors such as “上 (shàng)” (up) and “下 (xià)” (down) are often used to indicate the past being above and the future being below. Chinese also features horizontal metaphors such as “前 (qián)”(front) and “后 (hòu)” (back), which typically convey the past as being in front and the future behind (Potikit, 2023). Therefore, this study focused primarily on examining the time cognition in native standard Thai speakers after learning Chinese. The researchers employed memory tests and time-position identification tests as research instruments to examine the influence of the Chinese language on the time cognition among Thai Chinese language learners. The case study, conducted with first- to fourth-year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (Chinese) program at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkhla University, revealed that the Thai Chinese language learners developed a time cognition in a vertical direction. Chinese language proficiency significantly influenced the differences in vertical time cognition among the learners with varying proficiency levels. Additionally, when questions were presented in Chinese, the learners demonstrated a more distinct vertical time direction compared to when questions were asked in Thai. However, factors such as the duration of Chinese language study and experience in China did not have a statistically significant impact on vertical time perception among the learners. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the time cognition in Thai Chinese language learners and help reduce communication errors. These results can also inform the design of teaching plans for Thai learners of Chinese.

Development Guidelines for the Promotion of Community-Based Tourism in Sanlomjoy Community, Suthep Subdistrict, Muang District, Chiang Mai Province

Naphatsanan Vinijvorakijkul — 2025-12-26

This research aims at studying contexts of community-based tourism of Sanlomjoy Community, Suthep Subdistrict, Muang District, Chiang Mai Province, by analyzing both internal and external tourism contexts in order to propose community-based tourism guidelines for the community. Qualitative approach was done by site visit, interview, and focus group discussion, with 15 informants as purposive sampling. It was found that there were four aspects for community-based tourism of Sanlomjoy Community. 1) The community possessed its natural and cultural tourism resources. 2) The community was able to manage tourism by organizing Tourism Promotion Club. 3) The community prepared tourism activities through learning for tourists. 4) The community provided opportunities for members to propose ideas, plan, make decisions, proceed, and practice, as well as sharing profits. Internal contexts were the strengths and weaknesses while external contexts were opportunities and threats. In other words, natural and cultural resources were the strengths of the community whereas lack of public relations and budget for facilities were weaknesses. In terms of opportunities, tourism policies were prepared, so the community was supported by the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization). The threat for the community was the COVID-19 then number of tourists decreased. In order to propose community-based tourism guidelines, attraction development, accessibility to the site, amenities, tourism activities, and marketing should be prioritized.