Journal of Mekong Societies

Social Changes and Their Effects on Community-based Organizations’ Fundraising Efforts for Shan Displaced Communities in Thailand

Watchara Pechdin, Mokbul Morshed Ahmad — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Rapid social changes can significantly impact the fundraising efforts of community-based organizations (CBOs) by influencing donor priorities, shifting community needs, affecting social values, and increasing competition for limited resources. Forced displacement communities are particularly vulnerable to these challenges, as fundraising outcomes directly affect their livelihood security. This study explores the practical challenges faced by a CBO in Thailand as it fundraises for individuals from Shan state, Myanmar displaced by armed conflict. A deeper understanding of these challenges can help humanitarian aid agencies develop more effective strategies to support livelihood interventions for forced displacement communities. The thematic technique was employed to analyze qualitative data from seven in-depth interviews and direct participation in the fundraising. The study found that the CBO has been challenged by accusations of contributing to conflicts, ambiguous cross-border governance, and a rise in cyberattacks that disrupt funding sources and information flow. To address these issues, the study recommends fostering settings and conditions that build public trust and encourage technological collaboration to enhance fundraising success.

Social Mechanisms and Design Methods for Utilizing Cultural Capital: The Case of Chiang Mai’s Stream-based Cultural Heritage

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Cultural capital stands as the cornerstone of this research, serving as a vital element reflecting the intricate relationships between people, regions, and ways of life, which accumulate to form a cultural ecosystem. The notion of utilizing cultural capital to bolster community economies has long been discussed, yet systematic implementation remains lacking. This research paper employs a methodology comprised of three primary steps: 1) the process of identifying cultural capital through cultural mapping; 2) the process of extracting cultural capital through cultural extraction; and 3) the process of uplifting cultural capital via cultural revitalization. This research paper aims to synthesize the research conducted and present it as a systematic approach and mechanism for fostering cultural capital. It will delve into two primary areas of focus: 1) the process of cultivating the cultural ecosystem; and 2) the process of augmenting cultural capital through design, drawing insights from field surveys and activities across all five study areas. One significant finding of this research is the identification of three social mechanisms to nurturing cultural capital: one led by government agencies, another driven by communities, and a hybrid model with mixed characteristics. However, several challenges have been encountered, including the following: 1) a shortage of community members proficient in storytelling to complement narrative frameworks; 2) a deficit of individuals adept in cultural preservation; and 3) the absence of an evaluation system that accurately portrays the reality of the situation. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the effective promotion and preservation of cultural capital.

The Dynamics of Maintaining the Status of a Forest Monastery of the Phra Achan Man Lineage: A Study of Wat Pa Thom Na Ngam, Udon Thani Province

Asawin Rojsanga, Warunee Wang, Huiying Wang — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Forest monasteries rooted in the lineage of Phra Achan Man are currently confronting challenges in maintaining their natural environment and meditative space while improving interactions with adjacent villages. To explore the spatial development of forest monastery and analyze social dynamics between monks and local villagers, the study collected pilot data from forest monasteries across eight northeastern provinces of Thailand by using qualitative methods. The findings showed that Wat Pa Thom Na Ngam in Udon Thani province continued to maintain numerous characteristics of a forest monastery while pursuing its own development path. Integrating Henri Lefebvre’s triad space theory with the concept of social dynamics, the study revealed that during the “spatial practice” process, the abbot assimilated the teachings of Phra Achan Man to ensure that the architectural space retained its original scale and harmonious relationship with nature. Successive abbots cultivated a mental space with Phra Achan Man’s core teachings through their preaching and meditation practices, encouraging nearby villagers to meditate in the monastery. Faced with a decline in the monastic population, the present abbot disseminated the concept of land and forest resource usage by sharing agricultural land with community members to transcend their traditional merit-making and Dhamma practices. This sharing accomplished mutual assistance and reciprocity between the forest monastery and the community as well as meeting villagers’ spiritual needs and the monastery’s self-adjustments. A social space was formed in which secular and religious components were blended. The development model of the forest monastery provides valuable experiences for improving other forest monasteries in the northeast region of Thailand.

The Roles and Importance of Musical Culture in the Thao Hung Thao Chueang Epic

Nipat Yamdate, Patcharapan Katakool — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The Lao epic, Thao Hung Thao Chueang contains numerous references to musical culture. Music and the sound of musical instruments are mentioned in the context of games and rituals, in order to convey beliefs, emotions, and ideologies associated with the epic’s characters. It is evident that musical references are important aspects of cultural information and play a crucial role in this work of literature. The present article examines the role of music in literature, using the methods of literary criticism and applying theories on the relationship between literature and society to analyze the text. The research revealed that the musical culture in this epic is characterized by three essential roles: its role in games and rituals, in politics and warfare, and in conveying emotions and feelings. The roles and importance of musical culture demonstrate their integral part in the way of life of the ethnic groups on both sides of the Mekong River. Music appears to be guiding the rhythm of life, mediating emotions and desires, and motivating the people of all groups. This article aims to demonstrate that Thao Hung Thao Chueang is truly worthy of praise and is a genuine literary treasure of Southeast Asian people.

A Semiological Analysis of Anti-traditional Elements in Chalerm Wongpim’s Absurdist Films

Ongart Hanchanawong, Niyom Wongpongkham, Homhuan Buarabha — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Absurdity can be a tool to express a rejection of tradition. It draws upon a display of comical actions based on confusion and marked by irrationality. This article reports on research conducted to examine semiotic patterns found in absurdist films by the late Thai director Chalerm Wongpim. The samples were four of Chalerm’s films: Heaven’s seven (2002), Heaven’s seven II (2005), Dynamite warriors (2006), and Navy hero (2010). The authors also conducted in-depth interviews with the director himself and analyzed the data using concepts related to semiology and postmodernism. The findings show that Chalerm Wongpim’s absurdist films present anti-traditional elements through three strategies. First, power relations are reversed. That is, characters of a higher social status are belittled for their physical defects or traumatized experiences. By contrast, characters of a lower status possess a special bargaining power with either their technologically-advanced weapons or their superhuman powers. Second, foreignness is applied together with elements of local wisdom into objects of dark humor. One example is the juxtaposition of locally available items and imported weapons, including a missile bamboo rocket and a cowboy gun made with a banana rope. This essentially symbolizes equal access to knowledge. The third strategy involves a parody of famous fictional characters, which is a blatant distortion of historical facts. All of these are playful reinterpretations of preexisting materials for the purpose of satirizing the centralization of powers.

Color Terms and Mountain Culture in Thailand: A Sociocultural Linguistics Perspective

Penprapa Chummalee, Rattana Chanthao — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article presents a sociocultural linguistics study aimed at exploring the relationship between color terms and the social and cultural context of mountain communities. These communities exhibit non-basic color terms, which are conceptualized as extending beyond basic color categories to reflect ecological and cultural influences. The study employs a sociocultural linguistics perspective to examine how language interacts with the social and environmental contexts of the communities. A mixed-methods approach is used, with data on color terms collected through interviews with key informants in the Phu Khiao Mountain Range, specifically in Kaset Sombun district, Chaiyaphum province. The participants include four individuals (two females, two males) aged between 40 and 50. The research tool utilized is a set of standardized color sheets consisting of 93 colors. The research findings are presented in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The results indicate that the social and cultural traditions of communities in mountainous areas include non-basic color terms that are closely linked to the colors of plants and animals indigenous to the mountains. Additionally, these terms are influenced by the geography, environment, way of life, and culture of the community, as well as by their dependence on the mountains for their livelihoods. Consequently, non-basic color terms exhibit a dynamic relationship with the society and culture of the people residing in close proximity to the mountains and relying on them. However, it is noted that these terms for non-basic colors may undergo changes in the future if the cultural practices of the people no longer involve access to the mountains or if natural conditions change.

Conversation Closing Dynamics in Thai News Interviews: Strategies and Challenges

Nuengruthai Pankaew, Supakit Buakaw — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Conversation closing is essential in determining the outcome and conclusion of an interaction. In news interview programs, such closings differ from those in institutional or organizational settings due to the structured and preplanned nature of the interviews. Closing a conversation, particularly in conflict situations, presents a challenging task for interviewers. This article presents the results of a study on conversation closing in Thai news interview programs. Data were collected from 25 episodes of five Thai news interview programs via a digital TV channel. The verbal data obtained were transcribed into written form. To analyze the data, the researcher utilized conversational analysis along with the conversation closing framework. The findings reveal that the conversation closing process consists of two main parts: pre-closing and closing. Interviewers employed three strategies for pre-closing: 1) providing time notifications, 2) asking interviewees to provide a short summary, and 3) posing a final question to signal that the conversation was coming to an end. For the closing part, interviewers used five strategies: summarization, thanking the interviewees, reiterating the time, reiterating the program title, and saying goodbye. The process of closing conversations proved to be complicated, as interviewees often expressed a desire to continue talking. Thus, determining when to end the conversation presented a challenge for interviewers in efficiently concluding conversations.

Ethics Monitoring Guidelines for Sustainable Use of Social Media by Thai Organizations

Pimyada Chatsathienpong — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article aimed to develop guidelines for applying ethics to the sustainable monitoring of the use of social media in Thai organizations. The study focused on the main problems and effects of the use of social media in relation to organizational development in Thailand, selecting outstanding samples that represented policies for using social media in organizational development. The research tools were the following: 1) a questionnaire collecting data from personnel who worked with social media, and 2) in-depth interview questions collecting data from 30 organizational administrators and those who understood organizational policies on the use of social media. The data were analyzed by statistical and content analysis. The findings were twofold. First, there were problems with the lack of knowledge and understanding of usage, the dissemination of inappropriate and unethical information, and inappropriate social media systems. Second, guidelines were identified for applying ethics to the use of social media. They were the following: 1) to set social media goals and objectives by target assessment, main goal of the organization setting, organizational level specification, team level setting, and personal level setting; 2) to initiate the social media strategy decision-making process by external environment evaluation, internal organizational factor evaluation, social media strategy evaluation and strategy selection; and 3) to implement and monitor social media operations with ethics, management, control, development, and updating.