Journal of Mekong Societies

Beyond Nostalgia: The Politics of Loss in Contemporary Short Stories of Isan Writers

Chairat Polmuk — 2024-08-28

This article examines short stories written by authors from Northeast Thailand (also known as Isan) published in the 2010s. They include works of Manote Phromsing, Chatchawan Khotsongkhram, and Phu Kradat, which share a commitment to revisit and revise Isan histories. Focusing on their deliberate departure from a preoccupation with the quest for regional cultural identity in writings about Isan in previous decades, this article discusses the political significance of their short stories in terms of affect and emotion. As these authors shift their attention from regionalism and its accompanied sentiment of nostalgia, the politics of loss in their works points toward a melancholic attachment to wounded histories of the region rather than a nostalgic longing for the idealized past. References to the premodern Lao kingdom of Lan Xang and its literary heritage significantly appear in the short stories to interrogate the construction of Isan under Siamese rule as well as to evocatively connect the violent histories of forced migration and cultural assimilation with recent issues of political oppression and ethnic minoritization. Through the invocation of melancholia, contemporary Isan writers propose a mournful relationship with the past that suggests not a form of immobility and powerlessness, but a critical reflection on loss and its haunting effects in the present.

Gender and ‘Care Work’ in Thai-Western Families Settled in Northeast Thailand

Patcharin Lapanun — 2024-08-28

This article applies the notions of gender and care to analyze the relationships between gender and care work allocation in Thai Western families living in Northeast Thailand. It is based on in-depth interviews of 13 Thai-Western couples, as well as five Thai wives and one English man whose relationship with his Thai wife ended. All informants have resided in villages in Udon Thani and Khon Kaen provinces for between three and 35 years, the majority 10-20 years. The findings reveal that care work allocation and gender are related in various ways, and that Western/Thai cultures, class, and race also shape the way in which domestic tasks are allocated in these relationships. In addition to intimate relationships, all women have performed caretaker roles to serve their husbands. Yet, some women perceive care work as a space of ‘negotiation and arrangement’ in which husbands should also take part. Others view care work as ‘women’s authority,’ empowering them to influence the husband’s work, apart from getting the men to do certain domestic tasks. The findings allow us to argue that a family/ household is an important unit for gender analysis. Drawing on different types of families, this study uncovers the diverse patterns of gender in relation to care allocation that elaborate the gender stereotype of male breadwinner and female-caretaker pattern that have been considered to be pertinent to transnational unions.

The Story of /mà:k/, from ‘Betel Nut’ to ‘Board Game’: A Tai Study in Cognitive Linguistics through Compound Nouns

Unchalee Singnoi Wongwattana — 2024-08-28

This research paper is a synchronic study of the tendency of the grammaticalization pathway of the noun /mà:k/, focusing on its semantic extension from ‘betel nut’ to ‘board game,’ with data collected through compound nouns in some Tai languages currently spoken in Thailand. In the analysis, we employ cognitive linguistics such as functional-typological grammar and cognitive semantics as its basis. The result shows that the pathway begins with a true or regular noun referring to a specific edible plant, ‘betel nut.’ The noun has been grammaticalized, with some semantic bleaching or generalizing, to a class term. As a class term, its meaning has further extended through four distinctive phases: ‘edible plant;’ ‘inedible plant;’ ‘small, round object;’ and ‘board game.’ The pathway of /mà:k/ is quite complex due to the fact that while the extension from the regular noun to the first two plant categories is via semantic generalization, the further extension to the last two object categories does not persist via the same model: it is via metaphorical models. The five categories are overlapping, gradient from a true noun to many class-term phases.

Has the GMS Educational Policy on English Reading at the Tertiary Level Been Effectively Interpreted and Implemented?

Yatawee Chaiyamat — 2024-08-28

This study explored the question of whether the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) educational policy on English reading had been effectively interpreted and implemented for suggestions leading to policy changes to develop university students’ English reading proficiency. The process involved matching the policy with findings from both the students and teachers in four areas: reading strategies, favored perspectives on reading instructions, learning needs, and problems. Quantitative findings from 757 students’ reading strategy questionnaires were supported by qualitative findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 72 randomly selected samples (36 teachers and 36 students; six from each GMS country), questionnaires of needs and problems, perspectives on reading instructions, including three English reading learning and teaching scenarios and a documentary study. The quantitative findings from the survey show that although most of the GMS students and teachers thought that they had used both cognitive and metacognitive strategies, the qualitative results reveal that teachers and students employed cognitive rather than metacognitive strategies on average. Among the other findings, the constructivist and direct instructions were their most favored perspectives on reading instructions. While the teachers’ main problem was inadequate initiatives, the students’ primary needs were lack of autonomous learning and unbalanced cognitive and metacognitive strategies for reading. Moreover, only the Chinese and Vietnamese policies were somewhat effectively interpreted and implemented, while the rest were not. This suggests that policy changes or modifications to serve the teachers’ and students’ needs should be made.

Mobile Application of Local Baba-Peranakan Food Tourism for Generation Y: A Case Study of Phuket Province, Thailand

Paranee Surapiyawong — 2024-08-28

Local food in Phuket, which was awarded UNESCO’s City of Gastronomy in 2015, has received attention, especially the local cuisine representing the Baba–Peranakan people. However, studies and information about Thailand’s Baba cuisine are vague, limited, and in need of support because of the lack of storytelling, technology, and targeted tourist channels. Therefore, this research aimed to study Baba cuisine, to design guidelines, and to create and evaluate a mobile phone application (or app, in popular usage) prototype to promote food tourism in Phuket province for Generation Y. First, 20 mobile food apps were analyzed, reviewed, and interviewed by ten experts from the fields of local food tourism and app design. Next, the researchers designed a logo, icons, and site map; chose a color scheme and font; and took pictures for a Baba food mobile app prototype. In the evaluation stage, 100 online questionnaires were distributed and evaluated in terms of the following five factors: user experience, user interface, information content, usefulness, and building a good image. The average mean score for all factors was 4.55 (strongly agree). This research contributes to knowledge about how to promote local food and cultural tourism for Generation Y through mobile applications. It could be applied not just in Phuket but in all cities, leading to an improvement in local economies.

Contemporary Graphic Design in the Context of Cultural Diversity and Dynamism from Local Architectural Decorative Elements

Mariya Songpanya — 2024-08-28

In today’s context, characterized by cultural diversity and ever-evolving meanings, contemporary graphic design has undergone a significant transformation. The necessity to convey ideas and connotations in a manner that is both diverse and dynamically resonant has driven this transformation. The primary objective of this study was to undertake experimental endeavors aimed at creating contemporary illustrations that effectively capture the nuances of cultural diversity and vitality. Drawing inspiration from the architectural decoration found in Thailand’s Khon Kaen province, which is renowned for its cultural diversity, this research looked into contemporary graphic design processes. The study focused on concepts like cultural pluralism, dynamic identity design, and participatory design, incorporating expert interviews and evaluations from the target audience. The research findings reveal that contemporary graphic design processes, guided by principles of user participation and utilizing innovative application technologies along with flexible design methodologies, yield contemporary graphics that eloquently communicate the rich cultural diversity of the region, particularly in the realm of the arts. The diversity of cultural hybridity plays a pivotal role in transforming contemporary graphics derived from local architectural decorative elements into hybrid representations of traditional patterns. These modern graphics possess the capability to dynamically adapt their format in response to the user’s creative input. Through this innovative design process, contemporary graphics have emerged, creating new opportunities and expanding the scope for culturally diverse and dynamically evolving creations, breaking free from static frameworks.

Sequential Mediation between the COVID-19 Epidemic Situation and Reservice by Tourists in the Mekong River Basin

Sakkarin Nonthapot — 2024-08-28

The aim of this study was to examine the interplay of service quality, satisfaction, and reservice among Thai tourists in eight provinces in Thailand and three neighboring provinces in the Lao PDR, all of which are adjacent to the Mekong River. A survey questionnaire was collected from 400 Thai tourist respondents. The study utilized convenience sampling and employed structural equation model analysis and second-order confirmatory factor analysis. The study also tested sequential mediation using the Sobel Test Formula for Sequential Mediation. The findings of the study indicated that the safety factor during the COVID-19 epidemic had a direct impact on the level of service and reservice by tourists. Additionally, the quality of service indirectly influenced the return visits of tourists by affecting their satisfaction. The results of the sequential mediation test revealed that both service quality and satisfaction served as mediator variables, which had an indirect effect on the relationship between the safety factor during the epidemic and the reservice by Thai tourists. This mediation effect was found to be moderate. The research results recommend that the government should establish standards of safety as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage businesses offering accommodation to participate in assessments for safe and sanitary practices.

A Study of the Relationship between Research Output and National Productivity Development in the Mekong Region

Nichanach Katemukda — 2024-08-28

Enhancement of productivity is crucial for national development in the Mekong region (China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam). This study aims to investigate potential positive relationships between research output and national productivity. Research output consists of the number of documents, citable documents, citations, self-citations, and citations per document. A correlation analysis was conducted using meta data from the World Bank and SCImago covering the period from 1996 to 2021. The findings reveal that the number of published documents has the strongest positive correlation with national productivity in all countries. The number of documents and citable documents are positively related in 99 percent of the six countries, reflecting a shared effort to generate citable documents. Self-citations show a stronger positive relationship with national productivity than external citations, although both are less influential than the number of documents and citable documents. Linear regression analysis further indicates that the number of published documents is the primary driver of national productivity, with an adjusted R-squared value of 55% at a 95% confidence interval. The study suggests that governments in the Mekong region should encourage researchers to publish a sufficient quantity and quality of research papers. Additionally, they should support research institutes and universities in developing their own Scopus-indexed journals to facilitate knowledge exchange. By increasing knowledge in the region, long-term national productivity can be significantly enhanced.