Mekong-Salween Civilization Studies Journal

Creating Visual Art with Natural Colors to Encourage Creative Art for Sustainable Tourism of Phitsanulok Province: A Study of Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park

Jatuporn Kerdpiboon — 2023-12-22

The article titled “Creating visual art with natural colors to encourage creative art for sustainable tourism of Phitsanulok province: A study of Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park” aims 1) to study the natural colors in a tourist location in Phitsanulok province focusing on Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park; and 2) to create visual art using natural colors to encourage creativity art for sustainable tourism of Phitsanulok province. The study was conducted by visiting Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park to study and collect data on natural materials that give colors to the Park. The data revealed 9 types of plants and red soil that give colors in different shades. To create visual art works, samples of natural materials were collected, crushed and squeezed to make natural watercolors using the method of brewing with hot water mixed with natural materials and squeezing natural watercolors out as well as using a rubbing method to get fresh natural colors. The art works were painted by a brush applying the paints directly on 100-pound paper in combination with a print-making technique by pouring natural-color water mixed with gum Arabic at the ratio of 5:1 paint onto a clear acrylic sheet before bringing to press to print the artwork. The creative style is semi-abstract art. The contents portray the tourist attractions in Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park with a touch of the artist’s own unique aesthetic experiences. The form is inspired by the simplicity of nature combined with imagination to convey emotion, meaning, and to promote creativity art for sustainable tourism.

Constructing the Local History of Queen Chamari in Li, Thailand through Folklore

Patawee Promsen — 2023-12-18

This article explores various ways in which the people of Li District, Lamphun Province, Thailand, use folklore as a tool to remember and commemorate the local history of Li and the local hero “Queen Chamari.” It applies the concepts of folk history and collective memory to understand various oral traditions performed in the Li community. The results show that folklore operates in both verbal, material, and customary forms of commemoration. Verbal forms include historical legends passed down from generation to generation, supernatural legends connect to both ancient and present time, and place names. The material folklore includes mural paintings at Phrathat Duang Diao Temple, statues of queen Chamari, and particular buildings and sites. For the customary folklore, there are annual worship rituals known as "buang-suang" that take place in various locations throughout town. Folk songs are another folklore genre that is widespread in the local community. All these expressive cultures contribute to the reconstruction of Chamari and the town's history, which is gradually fading from the perceptions of both the young and people from other places, as Li has recently become well-known as the town of Three Khrubas, the revered monks of Lanna tradition. The folklore commemorations described here reflect the people of Li’s dedication to reenacting this forgotten history, and, more importantly, the forgotten identity of Li as a town ruled by a female queen.

The Experiential Learning of Young Thai Visitors at Interactive and Ecomuseums in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand

Petchsri Nonsiri — 2023-12-18

Museums serve as recreational destinations that are increasingly capturing the interest of younger demographics, particularly interactive museums and ecomuseums. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the process of learning via museum visits among young visitors in Phitsanulok Province, a city renowned for its educational hub in the lower northern region of Thailand. This study employs the Chan Palace Historical Center as a model case of an interactive museum, whereas the Sergeant Thawee Buranakhet Folk Museum is utilized as a representative example of an ecomuseum. The study employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing in-depth interviews and direct observations to gather data from a sample of 20 individuals who belonged to the demographic of young adults aged 18 to 25 years old. The researcher utilized the theoretical framework of experiential learning in the investigation. The findings of the study revealed that the process of learning from the visiting museums of young visitors was delineated into three distinct stages. In the first stage, it involves visiting and sharing experiences. Based on the analysis of two case studies, it has been shown that the visitation of a museum engenders an interactive learning encounter, which can be regarded as an “educational experience.” This outcome is facilitated by the integration of technology inside displays and active engagement with the surrounding environment in proximity to the museum premises. The ecomuseum employs an immersive learning paradigm that aims to elicit an “emotional experience” through the strategic presentation of things that evoke a sense of nostalgia, as well as the intentional design of workshops and the overall environment within the museum premises. In the second step of analyzing and generalizing, it was identified that experiential learning is influenced by three primary components: personal factors, social factors, and physical factors. The third stage, known as application, involves the practical implementation of the concepts that have been derived from the learning experiences. The study revealed that young visitors who engaged in museum visits demonstrated an increased awareness of their own personal growth and maturation. The act of disseminating information and exhibiting a higher likelihood of returning, expressing gratitude and emotional connection to a certain location, and offering recommendations for the enhancement of a museum. The research findings will offer valuable insights to administrators regarding the transformation of museums into recreational destinations that facilitate experiential learning opportunities. These insights aim to attract a younger demographic of visitors to museums. It is imperative to prioritize the development of infrastructure to cater to the needs of all visitor groups. The process of preparing technology or learning-support technologies. This presentation aims to highlight activities that foster self-directed learning and facilitate engagement with the local culture or outdoor environments. Developing educational activities tailored to the particular interests of a given group and incorporating suitable amenities for the youth demographic, such as establishments offering coffee and souvenir merchandise, the region boasts stunning vistas and picturesque locations for photography.

Collaborative Poverty Reduction Model with Roles of Community Culture and University Engagement: A Case Study of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand

Wanlapat Suksawas — 2023-12-18

This research presents a compelling case study on how collaborative poverty reduction efforts in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand, benefit from the active involvement of universities and the rich cultural fabric of local communities. The main goal is to develop an innovative model for poverty reduction by harnessing the strengths of both university engagement and community culture. To accomplish this, the study adopted a participatory action research methodology, ensuring the meaningful participation of diverse stakeholders, such as researchers, local government officials, community leaders, civil servants, and civil society representatives. The findings revealed that community culture plays a pivotal role in the success of university engagement when addressing poverty-related challenges, particularly in the formation of effective working groups. These cultural elements shape the values, beliefs, and problem-solving practices that guide collaborative interactions. Additionally, the influence of traditional customs reinforces community culture, fostering cohesive working groups with shared goals and values. By adopting a collaborative approach, the study’s model exhibits significant potential for sustainability and scalability, allowing for tailored solutions that consider the unique needs and complexities of each community. The key lies in involving multiple sectors and stakeholders, with universities playing a crucial role, to promote well-coordinated, systematic, and enduring poverty reduction efforts.

Lak Reua Phra Thang Nam (The Water Procession of Hauling the Buddha Image): Development, Rituals, Persistence, and Participation in Conservation

Chettha Muhamad — 2023-12-22

The objectives of this research were to study the rite, development and persistence of pulling a religious boat along the waterway, and to define and design the participation in preserving this rite. This qualitative research collected data from 38 key informants who provided vital information: boat-pulling groups, community leaders, government officials, and religious leaders. Participatory observation method, group discussion process, structured interview, and opening a community forum were employed to process information and link all issues. Then the information was synthesized, organized, and analyzed based on the descriptive analysis method. Finally, the findings of this community's narrative research were presented. The research revealed that 1) the rite of pulling a religious boat along the waterway used tools and materials to perform the ceremony and had essential steps of decorating the religious boat. The elements of performing the rite were composed of the ceremony's president, master of ceremony, participants, place, date and time, and steps of running the ceremony, for example: starting by inviting the Buddha image from the temple, followed by placing it on the religious boat, and pulling it along the waterway. 2) For development and persistence: In the prosperous era of this rite, Phra Lak was made to be sacred and respected by the people. Later in the transition period, the form of pulling boats was improved and adjusted to match the era. During the recession, preservation has remained strong under modern trends and grown in popularity under the necessary condition by integrating local traditions into community tourism and its beliefs. The persistence of this ritual has been continued through the process of transmission and learning, appreciation of the benefits, application of the format following the current situation, promotion, and support from the public and private sectors to create acceptance from the outside society through participation and systematical management by the community, and creation of the contemporary activities. 3) For defining and designing participation in conserving the rite of pulling a religious boat along the waterway, there was the participation in studying information and situations in the community to find the unique traditions and culture of Nakhon Si Thammarat valuable for passing on to the next generation. It aimed to encourage young people to realize and participate in analyzing problems and causes through procedures and methods that may be adjusted or changed. Participation was a method used to select the solutions and plan for further learning. Students, tourists, and entrepreneurs took part in preparing the religious boat. Another approach was Outdoor Education, leading to all sectors implementing the community plan in transferring local knowledge related to the rite of pulling a Buddha image. Moreover, it could create jobs and income to support the community economy in terms of tourism. There must also be a common approach in monitoring and evaluating the organized activities to know the problems and obstacles and to find a solution to conserve and inherit the ritual of pulling a religious boat along the waterway to exist continually.

The Development of Traditional Thai Theatre Costume of Surat Jongda’s Costume House

Tammarat Towasakul — 2023-12-18

The purpose of this research was to study the development of traditional Thai theatre costumes and to study the process of creating traditional Thai theatre costumes of Surat Jongda’s Costume House based on documents, interviews and participatory observations. The data were then collected and analyzed. It was found that the development of traditional Thai theatre costumes and the process of creating traditional Thai theatre costumes of Surat Jongda’s Costume House can be divided into 4 phases. The first phase is to study traditional Thai theatre costumes of Department of the Performing Arts in the reign of King Rama VI and apply them to the costumes of the Chintanarumit Khon performances at Chalermkrung Sala Theatre as well as at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games. The second phase is to study the characteristics of embroidery patterns from the fragments of Thai theatre costumes as well as the paintings in the early Rattanakosin period to design and apply to the costumes of the performances in the Wat Arun Festival. The third phase is to work with Arporn Ngam Dance Theater to revive ancient Thai theatre costumes and learn how to choose fabrics, use colors and embroider traditional fabrics. The fourth phase is to work with the Support Foundation of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand and a panel of experts to revive and preserve traditional Thai Khon costumes and dramas, to study the process of making Khon-Thai drama traditional costumes, and to use materials and techniques of ancient embroidery methods for the royal pantomime. The results reveal that Khun Surat Jongda has played a role in creating traditional Thai theatre costumes by engaging in the studies, research and experiments to create and fulfill the wishes of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother in restoring and preserving traditional Thai theatre costumes. The traditional Thai theatre costumes created according to the ancient style of Surat Jongda's Costume House have been recognized for their beauty as evident from the Royal Khon performances that have been performed continuously and maintained their popularity until the present day.

The Reflection of Chinese Beliefs in Couplets from Tombstones at Wat Phananchoeng Cemetery in Ayutthaya.

Tanyarat Malasri — 2023-12-22

This research paper intends to study the reflection of Chinese beliefs through the couplets that appear on tombstones at Wat Phananchoeng cemetery in Ayutthaya. It studies 21 couplets from 595 tombstones and performs a content analysis of each one of them. We categorize them into 3 main categories, which are: 1. Couplets that reflect the main principles of feng shui, which are 8 out of the total 21 couplets (38.10%); 2. Couplets that reflect the honor of ancestors and families, which are 7 out of the total 21 couplets (33.33%); and 3. Couplets that reflect life after death, which are 6 out of the total 21 couplets (28.57%). These couplets also reflect different aspects of Chinese beliefs such as 1. Life after death according to the Confucian philosophy, Taoist philosophy, and Buddhism; 2. The reflection of the concept of living according to the natural principles of the Taoist philosophy, and 3. The principles and beliefs of feng shui. These couplets show that Thai-Chinese descendants in Thailand understand their cultural roots and beliefs as well as their relations to nature and society.

The Development of Contemporary Apparel Products from Elephant Tusk (Sansevieria Intermedia N.E.Br.) Fabric with Fungal Dyes in Ban Nong Nang Don, Nakhon Phanom Province

Warot Subsrisunjai — 2023-12-22

The research titled “The development of contemporary apparel products from elephant tusk (Sansevieria intermedia N.E.Br.) fabric with fungal dyes in Ban Nong Nang Don, Nakhon Phanom Province” aims to 1) develop unique fabric patterns that reflect local identity, 2) analyze how to add value to the fabric by turning it into a contemporary apparel, and 3) propose ways to increase the community's self-reliance capacity, create job opportunities and generate income for the local community. The research method is divided into 5 phases: 1) study community context information and analyze the data, 2) design local identity patterns, 3) find ways to create added value by analyzing and comparing with products on the market, 4) produce prototypes of contemporary clothing products by creating and developing product styles, developing collections of clothing for men and women, and 5) analyze the data on the methods for increasing the woven fabric. The results of the research reveal the following: 1. The design of elephant tusk woven fabric should have a variety of elements because there are other similar handwoven fabrics in the market, making them easy to imitate. Therefore, the design of Ban Nong Nang Don's unique woven fabric has three components: 1.1) a set of patterns from the design of the fabric pattern based on the environment, stories and traditions of Ban Nong Nang Don community. There are 3 Mudmee patterns obtained from the identity of the community: 1.1.1) Luk Yang Na pattern, 1.1.2) Wasp pattern, 1.1.3) White eel pattern. These patterns are combined with Mudmee patterns and weaving techniques; 1.2) Fiber composition comprises cotton yarn mixed with elephant tusks fibers woven with a technique of intermittently inserting special weft threads to create a texture on the fabric; 1.3) Dye set is from dyeing with natural dyes from materials found in the village and dyes obtained from fungal using 3 colors: yellow, gray-brown, and pink, creating an identity of the community. 2) There are 4 methods for increasing the value of elephant tusk woven fabric: 2.1) Patterns and weaving structure techniques, 2.2) Colors and dyeing techniques, 2.3) Woven material fibers, and 2.4) Product processing by trial production of a contemporary clothing collection, consisting of 20 pieces of clothing and accessories for men and women in the target group of working-age consumers. 3) The guidelines for increasing community capacity include 3.1) The production process should be self-reliant using raw materials and wisdom from the environment in the community mixed with textile innovations, 3.2) The products should cater to current fashion, 3.3) The production should be made into collections, and 3.4) The product design should follow the popularity of the target group of working age consumers (Gen Y).

2D Motion Media from the Wisdom of Contorted Hermit Physical Exercises for Healthy Therapy

Nisa Khamcharoen — 2023-12-22

The two-dimension (2D) motion graphic design from the Wisdom of Contorted Hermit Physical exercises for Healthy Therapy aims at 1) Studying the wisdom of Thai Contorted Hermit (Thai Ruesi Dutton) exercises, 2) The creativity of Contorted Hermit in the form of 2D motion media, 3) The inheritance of the wisdom of Thai Contorted Hermit exercises for health therapy. The sampling was the working population aged from 30-60, with a total of 150 people. The tools used in conducting the research were interviews, questionnaires, evaluation forms, descriptive analysis forms, statistics, and GDP. The result has shown that the wisdom of Contorted Hermit exercises has developed the knowledge from 15 main postures that can be applied to balance all parts of the body structure. The creativity of Contorted Hermit postures in the form of 2D Motion was the exercise through 2D Motion media that was modernized and easily accessible. The inheritance of Contorted Hermit exercises was the innovation of graphic motion media through Youtube application that can simply reach the massive people in modern society in the online media form. The result of the satisfactory evaluation in designing the content of the story is an excellent level at GDP 4.41. The designing of illustration pictures is appropriate at the high level of GDP 4.47. This includes the dubbing voice that is suitable for the story at the high level of GDP 4.44.

A Study of Life Assets for Enhancing Social and Cultural Power of Children and Youth in Northern Thai Communities

Phatthira Wiphawaphinyo — 2023-12-18

This research article aims to study the life assets of children and youth in northern Thailand in order to use the results from the study to support the design of a process for enhancing social and cultural power for children and youth at both policy and operational levels. The samples consisted of 1,653 Northern Thai children and youth aged between 12-18 years who were randomly selected by provinces to represent the region. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods to analyze the life asset data of the sample group from the Thai Child and Youth Life Asset Questionnaire which consists of 5 powers: self, family, wisdom, peer, and community, including 48 indicators of life assets. Regarding 5 powers of the life asset; power of self received the highest average (70.91%), followed by power of the family (69.98%), power peer (creative activity) (68.48%), power of wisdom (62.97%), and power of community which had an average of 51.66 percent (not pass the criteria). Among all indicators, there were 15 indicators showing as “Failed”. The top 5 indicators, that were the weakest, were “I was assigned a role valuable and beneficial to the community (42.02%)”; “I regularly participated in community service activities (45.84%)”; “I had neighbors who were interested in and encourage me (47.35%)”; “I read books with pleasure on a regular basis (48.32%)” and “I could talk, exchange, and learn about media such as radio, TV, other types of media with teachers regularly (48.84%)”, respectively. The results of the study show significant changes in the life assets of children and youth in the North today who have more confidence in power of self and power of wisdom than power of the family and power of community. While the power of community culture transmission, role model, and the provision of learning information about the virtues and involvement of children and young people in activities have decreased in importance.