Perception of Muay Thai Soft Power by Foreign Tourists in Bangkok

Abstract

This research aimed to (1) study the perception of Muay Thai sports’ soft power among foreign tourists in Bangkok and (2) develop a guideline for promoting Muay Thai sports tourism for foreign tourists. Employing a quantitative approach, the data were collected from 385 foreign tourists using a questionnaire through convenience sampling. The research instrument was validated with content validity of 0.70 (IOC) and reliability of 0.824 (Cronbach's alpha). The findings revealed that most respondents were male, aged between 21 and 30 years, from Europe, with undergraduate education, working as private company employees, and having an average annual income of approximately $25,001 to $50,000 (about 875,035 - 1,750,000 baht). Most respondents knew about Muay Thai before traveling to Thailand, primarily through online media. They perceived the unique Muay Thai movements as its distinctive identity. Moreover, most respondents expressed interest in watching Muay Thai matches and believed that it could enhance physical fitness. Most had stayed in Thailand for less than 7 days and spent less than or equal to 2,000 baht each time on Muay Thai activities. Regarding soft power perception, tourists received stimulation mostly from online media, advertisements, and public relations. They also showed awareness of Muay Thai stadiums in Thailand, which generated interest in watching Muay Thai sports. The guideline for developing Muay Thai sports tourism through soft power can be summarized as "MUAY THAI": M (Media), U (Uniqueness), A (Accessibility), Y (Gym), T (Things), H (Health promotion), A (Attending), I (Inspiring).