THE REPRESENTATION OF NARCOTICS IN THAI NOVELS

Abstract

The purpose of this article aims to investigate the representations of narcotics and perspectives on narcotics in such literary works. The study focuses on Thai novels that feature narcotics-related narratives, either as primary or secondary themes, published between 1961 and 2011. There were 22 novels that met the selection criteria, with the last novel meeting the criteria being in 2011. The sample group used in this article consisted of 9 novels. This was qualitative research, with a purposive sample selection. Data was analyzed in a descriptive format, applying the concept of representation and the representations and perspectives in literature to analyze the language used in communicating narcotics that led to the presentation of narcotics representations and perspectives on narcotics in Thai novels. The findings reveal six distinct representations of narcotics in Thai novels: Narcotics as destructive to life, narcotics as detrimental to society and the nation, narcotics as specific social behaviors, narcotics as causes of alienation, narcotics as normalized elements in society, and narcotics as livelihood factors for users. These representations illustrate negative, neutral, and positive perspectives on narcotics that align with social narcotics phenomena. Through these narcotics representations and perspectives, the authors establish connections between ideas, beliefs, social values, and social narcotics phenomena through narcotics-related language in novels that closely mirrors real-world language, making the representations and societal perspectives on narcotics in these novels substantially correspond with actual narcotics occurrences in society.