Analysis of Representations of Violence Against the Elderly in the Thai Film “Tho Phu Thao" (The Last Light)

Abstract

       The research was a qualitative study that employed content analysis. The findings revealed that the film “The Last Light” adopted a classical paradigm narrative structure, consisting of five stages: exposition, rising action, crisis, resolution, and ending. This structure served as the framework for presenting multiple forms of violence, reflected across individual, family, and societal levels. In terms of content, five types of violence against the elderly were identified, totaling 25 incidents: physical violence, psychological violence, financial/material abuse, abandonment and neglect, and structural violence. Notably, psychological violence emerged as the most prevalent form, reflecting the vulnerability and dependency of the elderly, while also pointing to persistent structural problems in Thai society. A key finding suggests that the elderly did not experience violence in a single dimension, but rather faced multiple, intersecting forms of violence that caused both physical and psychological harm. Therefore, it is essential for the elderly, families, communities, and society at large to raise awareness and develop proactive preventive mechanisms, thereby creating social protection systems that enabled older adults to live safely and with dignity.