The Application of Soft Power Strategies to Make Thai Language Learning More Attractive for Primary School Students

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to 1) examine the application of the soft power strategies to make Thai language learning more attractive for primary school students and 2) evaluate the application of soft power strategies to make Thai language learning more attractive for primary school students. This study is classified as descriptive research and the study employs a mixed methods approach, integrating both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. The target groups consisted of 63 students from Grades 1–6 and 6 school administrators and teachers at Wat Nongkatat School under the Saraburi Primary Educational Service Area Office 1 in the academic year of 2025 and 10 local community members. The research instruments included:
1) a structured questionnaire form for students and a structured questionnaire form for local community members, and 2) an evaluation form for the application of soft power strategies to make Thai language learning more attractive for primary school students. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation.

The results of this study showed that: 1) The application of soft power strategies to make Thai language learning more attractive for primary school students has 9 strategies from this study. These strategies make Thai language learning for primary school students more engaging by connecting lessons to real-life experiences, culture, and familiar contexts. Students prefer learning that is enjoyable and participatory, and both teachers and community members agree that local wisdom and cultural traditions can be creatively integrated into Thai language learning management. 2) The overall evaluation of the application of soft power strategies to make Thai language learning more attractive for primary school students indicated that they were rated at the highest level, with an overall mean score of 4.80