Journal of Mekong Societies

Dialect Geography of Khmer in Northeastern Thailand: An Analysis of Regional Variation and Sub-dialect Classification

Ponchanok Saenthaweesuk Seedabut, Pattama Patpong — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This study investigates the dialect geography of the Khmer dialect in northeastern Thailand, employing Chambers and Trudgill’s dialectology approach and applying GIS for linguistic map analysis. This study is a synchronic analysis of Khmer phonological variation which aims to identify sub-dialects spoken in Thailand’s northeastern provinces, focusing on regional variations in initials, vowels, and finals. The findings result in a classification of Khmer into two main groups: a Western Khmer and an Eastern Khmer group, including fifteen sub-dialects within the studied region concerning the overlap on linguistic maps of the initial consonant, vowel, and final consonant.

Functional Extension of the Verb for ‘to like’ in Thai to a Frequentative Aspectual Marker

Kachen Tansiri, Kingkarn Thepkanjana, Jinawat Kaenmuang — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

The Thai verb cʰɔ̂ːp, denoting ‘to like,’ as prescribed in Thai dictionaries, signifies the subject’s psychological affinity towards something or the enjoyment of doing something. The usage of cʰɔ̂ːp as indicative of ‘liking’ poses a challenge for Thai language speakers when they encounter it in contexts where expressing enjoyment would be considered inappropriate. Drawing upon authentic language data from X (formerly Twitter), this investigation scrutinized the functional extension of the Thai verb cʰɔ̂ːp to assume the role of a frequentative aspect marker. It posits a four-stage chain of functional extension for the aspect marker cʰɔ̂ːp, encompassing the initial stage, the bridging context, the switch context, and the conventionalization. The emergence of the frequentative aspect of the term cʰɔ̂ːp is argued to be pragmatically derived via pragmatic inferencing. By delineating the function of the term cʰɔ̂ːp as a frequentative aspectual marker, it becomes possible to elucidate its usage in adverse circumstances. This analysis contributes to the comprehensive establishment of the aspectual marker cʰɔ̂ːp within the framework of Thai grammar.

Wiwaha Phra Samut of King Vajiravudh: Space, Gender, and the Semicoloniality of Siam

Saranpat Boonhok — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

The play, Wiwaha Phra Samut (Marriage to the God of the Sea) by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) is a drama charting the fundraising campaign for the Phra Ruang warship during World War I. The play not only hybridizes several features ranging from Greek mythology and the English navy to Thai culture, but also presents the so-called ‘semicoloniality of Siam’ and tools for the king’s nationalist project. Spatial and gender relationships in the play are crucial evidence of this. This article examines the construction and signification of space and gender and asks how these link to the semicoloniality of Siam. The result shows that colonial discourse underpins the construction of space and gender since Wiwaha Phra Samut creates an imaginary island. Within this space, a princess is destined to be martyred to the God of the Sea before the English navy claims itself to be the true God of the Sea to resolve the conflict. In this respect, the island is portrayed as spiritual and feminine whereas the sea represents masculinity, which connotes the white man. Similarly, British males possess the most power, whereas locals and the Other either submit to their power or are demonized. The island can be seen as a metaphor for Siam as Siamese elites designate themselves as ‘civilized people’ to make sense of their nation’s independent status. At the same time, the play also illustrates the attempt to adopt and adapt elements of Western civilization to propagate nationalist sentiment and establish the campaign in the context of World War I.

That Phanom Relic: The Politics of Cultural Hegemony and Social Space in the Thai–Lao Borderland

Kiattisak Bangperng — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This article focuses on the politics of Theravada Buddhist symbols in the dominant cultural ideologies and social spaces of the Thai-Lao borderland. We used qualitative research methods to study historical data and conduct fieldwork to find information so it could be reinterpreted within the framework of cultural hegemony and linked to the social and cultural dimensions. The results revealed that the original form of That Phanom relic was based on Hindu cosmological concepts, transmitted through Cham and Khmer art and architectural influences. It was probably built to worship Hindu deities, and later when the Lan Xang Kingdom spread its influence over the Mekong River basin, it was converted into a Lan Xang-style Buddhist reliquary. A legend that the Buddha’s breastbone relic was housed there was created to explain the change to Buddhist culture. The legend also generated the belief that any king who maintained Phra That Phanom would accrue great merit and power that would enable the country to prosper. Therefore, this relic became the symbol of prosperity in the state and was supported by royal power. Later, when Siam expanded its power over Laos, the Siamese rulers renovated and maintained the structure based on the King of Siam’s taste in art. In political relations involving Laos, Siam, and France, Phra That Phanom was contested because of its pervasive symbolism and its value as a social space during the establishment of several modern states. This situation reflects the politics of several Theravada Buddhist states in mainland Southeast Asia and reveals much about the conflict for control over this region and its people.

Is Thailand a Competitive Battlefield for High-speed Rail between China and Japan?

Sunida Aroonpipat — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

When China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Japan announced the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), Southeast Asia’s geopolitics had to be revisited. While some scholarly works argue that these initiatives foster collaboration, cases of aid for high-speed railway (HSR) indicate intense competition. As previous literature focuses largely on the roles of China and Japan as donors, this article, to fill the gaps, examines Thailand’s role as a recipient of foreign assistance. The findings do not represent the competitive landscape of BRI and FOIP, which is visible in many countries, nor do they reflect scenes of collaboration between China and Japan. Rather, they depict scenarios of benefit sharing that Thailand has allocated. Whereas the Sino-Japanese rivalry is acute in the geopolitical sphere, because of Thailand’s role as a mediator rather than a passive recipient, overt competition seems absent in the bidding for the HSR project in Thailand. Additionally, the case of HSR represents divergent perspectives of foreign assistance, where loans are viewed as reciprocal benefits rather than sources stepping in to assist the country. This view is mirrored in the reorganization of operations pertinent to foreign assistance, reflecting a shift in the perspective of the relationship between official development assistance (ODA) donors and recipients toward benefit-sharing under the guise of foreign assistance.

Work-life Balance of Thai Women Married to Japanese Men

Ratchanee Piyathamrongchai — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

This article examines the work-life balance of Thai women who are married to Japanese men and live with them in Japan. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten Thai women from Northeastern Thailand, all of whom have at least a bachelor’s degree and left their jobs to marry Japanese men for reasons of love and improved living conditions. The study focuses on five key aspects of work-life balance: work, family, time, finances, and the wisdom to be able to keep the first four aspects in a state of equilibrium. Findings reveal that after marriage and childbirth, these women primarily fulfill traditional roles as mothers and homemakers, with less emphasis on the role of daughter-in-law. Their work-life balance shifts as childcare and household duties take precedence over their personal and professional life. Most of the women manage nuclear families and balance intensive childcare routines similar to those of Japanese mothers, including preparing meals, managing school activities, and attending to their children’s needs. Financially, Thai wives receive household budgets and child allowances, enabling them to focus on family care. Their proficiency in Japanese also helps them navigate life in Japan. However, because of their husbands’ long working hours, they struggle with time management, shouldering most of the family responsibilities alone. While they appreciate weekends with their husbands, they desire more shared involvement in childcare. The study highlights the challenges that Thai wives face in adapting to a different culture without extended family support. They express pride in managing their households, but stress the importance of learning Japanese for life satisfaction. Many plan to return to work once their children are older.

A Conceptual Framework and Website Design for Promoting Cultural Tourism in Kalasin Province for Travelers Using Big Bikes

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

Motorcycle tourism is considered a source of high-value tourists, as this group is willing to pay a premium for their unique experiences. This premium provides the benefit of increased income for the local economy. However, compared to mass tourism, there is a lack of information for motorcycle tourists that is specific to their lifestyle and needs. Moreover, there is no conceptual framework or official website about tourist information, accommodations, and facilities for motorcycle tourism in Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to propose a framework, and to create and evaluate a big bike cultural tourism website of Kalasin province. Three sub-studies with different methods were applied. First, four experts and 18 big bike tourists were interviewed to identify guidelines that would help to create a website. Next, the website, www.kalasin.city, was created from the users’ needs. Finally, the website was evaluated for four main factors (user experience (UX), user interface (UI), content, and desirability), and the conceptual framework was proposed. The findings indicate that UX received an average mean score of 4.47 (satisfied); UI, 4.47 (satisfied); content, 4.48 (satisfied); and desirability, 4.54 (very satisfied)-meaning that big bike users are motivated to travel in Kalasin province.

Thai EFL University Students’ Engagement with CEFR: Perceived Proficiency, Awareness and Skill Development Requirement

Sutida Ngonkum, Poranee Deerajviset — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0700

In Thailand, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) serves as a standard for assessing English proficiency in educational institutions and is incorporated into curricula to guide and assess students’ learning outcomes. This study aimed to understand how Thai university students engage with the CEFR in their English language learning. Specifically, it investigated (1) students’ perceived English proficiency based on the CEFR, (2) their awareness of implementing the CEFR, (3) their perceptions of the CEFR, and (4) their needs for improving their English skills to meet the CEFR standards. A mixed-methods approach was employed to gather data from 177 students through convenience sampling, along with interviews conducted with 12 selected participants representing each CEFR level from A1 to C2. The questionnaire results indicated that students rated their English proficiency at the A1 level and had moderate awareness of the CEFR. Although students faced challenges such as limited understanding and a lack of materials, interview findings revealed that students had a positive view of the CEFR for promoting autonomy and self-assessment. For their needs, lower-level students expressed a desire to improve their listening and speaking skills, while higher-level students needed to enhance their reading and writing abilities. Moreover, students requested additional support from the university and clearer guidance from teachers on how to use the CEFR effectively. This study proposes directions for future research and offers practical recommendations to enhance students’ successful engagement with the CEFR.