Mekong-Salween Civilization Studies Journal

Linguistic Landscape on public signs in Pakse City, Champasak Province, Laos

Papawarin Worrahin; Dutchat Jitbanjong , Smai Wannaudorn — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study aims to examine language use and writing styles on public signs in Pakse, Champasak Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic, based on the concept of linguistic landscape by Landry and Bourhis (1997). The analysis covers a total of 858 public signs, both permanent and temporary, created by government and private sectors. Results show the presence of eight languages, with Lao being the most prevalent, accounting for 56.17% of all the signs. In terms of language format, four patterns were identified, with bilingual signs being the most common at 57.23%. As for writing style, four types were observed, with monolingual signs being the highest at 36.48%. The study highlights the role of the Lao language as the national language, essential for communication in the area, while other languages play significant roles in tourism and commerce. Additionally, the findings reflect key factors influencing language use and writing styles on public signs in Pakse, including: (1) Government policy, which mandates Lao as the primary language on public signs to promote national identity and unity; (2) Integration into the global society and tourism economy, leading to the increased use of English and other foreign languages on public signs, particularly in business and service sectors to accommodate tourists and investors; and (3) Socioeconomic, political, and cultural relations at the regional level, particularly the influence of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai, which reflects economic and trade interactions with neighboring countries. The linguistic landscape of Pakse thus reflects the coexistence of diverse languages and cultures, shaped by the social and economic context and language policies that promote the use of Lao alongside foreign languages in appropriate settings.

Marketing Mix Factors Affecting the Decision-Making of Tourists at Khlong Ong Ang Community, Bangkok

Chalit Chiabphimai; Chalermkiart Feongkeaw — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study aimed to study the marketing mix factors affecting the decision-making of Thai tourists visiting Khlong Ong Ang Community in Bangkok, and to analyze the personal factors affecting the decision-making of Thai tourists visiting Khlong Ong Ang Community. The sample group, derived from random sampling, consisted of 153 people who had experienced visiting Khlong Ong Ang Community. The research tool used was a questionnaire. The statistical devices used were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and simple linear regression. The results of the study revealed that the marketing mix factors of tourists were at a high level. The decision-making of tourists was at a high level. Regarding personal factors, only gender was statistically different at the 0.01 level of significance. Furthermore, marketing mix factors affected the decision-making of tourists visiting Khlong Ong Ang community, being statistically significant at the 0.001 level by predicting the variation of the decision-making at 73.00 percent.

Practice of City Visual Identity Design Based on Zhuang Ethnic Minority Rice Farming Culture in Long'an, Guangxi Province

Xiaoting Xu; Sakesan Tanyapirom, Rasa Suntrayuth — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The objective of this research was to perform an analytical study on the principles and methods of city visual identity design from 6 associated case studies in order to apply to this type of design that reflected the meanings of Zhuang ethnic minority rice farming culture in Long’an. The research mainly focused on the identity that represented rice farming culture and cultural symbols of Zhuang ethnic minority rice farming culture in Long’an, Guangxi. The methodology relied on documentary research, case study analysis, field research, interviews with experts, questionnaire, and design result assessment. According to the analysis of images/visual identities from different cities, e.g., New York, Hong Kong, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Guilin using Peirce’s semiotics theory, it was found that there are 3 types of city visual identity design as follows: 1) Symbolic marks: A city visual identity should be simply designed and easy to understand for easy recognition and dissemination; 2) Cultural symbols of an ethnic group/minority: Design must give precedence to the culture of that ethnic group/minority in order to enhance pride in their own culture; and 3) Regional symbols: Design must emphasize regional characteristics in order to create distinctive/unique points from symbols of other cities for publicizing. Furthermore, 3 methods of city visual identity design were also obtained as follows: 1) Branding-based symbol creation: The concept of holistic urban development should be extracted into keywords or the slogan of a city, parallel to displayed symbolic visual images as part of visual identity design; 2) Abstract-based graphic symbol creation: Synthesize visual images of objects that represent the city into abstracts, and create them into new visual symbols; and 3) Imagery-based color symbol creation: Show colors that represent the city as per imagery. Use emotions and feelings of colors and symbolic meanings to convey the meanings of characteristics and spiritual connotations of the city, and then use them as a guideline on creative design. The process of city visual identity design according to brand concept creates such design system as ‘Hometown of the Culture’ using ‘a large stone shovel’ as the graphic symbol, with green and gold as the visual identity color as well as ‘A cow and a bird’ as the mascots to reflect identity and connotations of rice farming culture.

A Comparative Study of Generation Z's Working Culture Among Apprentices and Employees in Thai Tourism and Hospitality Organisations

Petchsri Nonsiri — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This study examined Generation Z's work culture based on their experiences as apprentices and employees within tourism and hospitality organisations, comparing the two groups. The objectives encompassed examining the working culture of Generation Z by self-assessment and to compare perceptions of apprentices and Gen Z employees toward working culture in Tourism and Hospitality organizations of Thailand. The research technique is a quantitative approach with a structured questionnaire to gather data from persons aged 18 to 29, encompassing both apprentices and employees. Cochran’s formula determined the sample size using convenience sampling for infinite populations. The sample comprised 200 employees and 200 apprentices to ensure adequate representation for analysis. Data analysis employing descriptive an independent samples t-test to examine differing perceptions between two sample groups. The findings reveal notable differences in the perceptions of Generation Z working culture between apprentices and Generation Z across fourteen and two attributes of twenty-two assessments, supported by one-way simple t-Test results of p-value less than < 0.001 and 0.05 respectively. The study recommends various strategies to attract and retain Generation Z in Human Resource Management, including Personalized Training, Incorporating Social Responsibility and Flexible Workplace Environment.

Street Names in Phitsanulok Municipality Area: a Linguistic Lanscape Study

Wararat Mahamontri — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The distinctiveness of street names in Phitsanulok Municipality area lies in the fact that they derived from the names of Thai kings and historical figures. However, data connecting the city to those personages are still lacking, and origins of the names of streets built in later periods are still incomplete. This research article aims to study the origins of street names in present-day Phitsanulok Municipality area and to analyze the symbolic meaning of the names using the Linguistic Landscape framework to reflect the concept involved in naming the streets located in public areas. The data comprising 58 street names were collected from street name signs, Phitsanulok Province website, Tourism Authority of Thailand in Phitsanulok, Google Maps of Phitsanulok, and various printed materials. The results reveal 7 sources of origin, namely, in order of frequency, names of the ruling class, names or words suggesting the people associated with the construction of the streets or those using the streets, place names, names related to Buddhism, names of animals, names of tools, and names of government projects. When analyzed using the Linguistic Landscape framework, the street names are found to reflect symbolic meanings relating to areas in Phitsanulok City in 7 historical, social and cultural aspects as follows: 1) The significance of historical figures related to the city; 2) The significance emphasized upon King Naresuan's best soldiers 3) The importance of King Naresuan’s victory in the Elephant Duel; 4) The relations with Buddhism; 5) The honor bestowed upon citizens who donated their lands for the construction of public streets or the commemoration of citizens connected to the constructions of the streets or of important individuals who used the streets; 6) The sites of important buildings both in the past and at present; and 7) The public administration of land utilization. In addition, the street names are also related to their locations in the city plan of Phitsanulok Municipality. The names of kings, queens and crown princes are mostly found within the radius of one kilometer of the city center starting from Phitsanulok Train station and Clock Tower. This reflects the respect paid to the monarchy that played vital roles in Phitsanulok City. Street names adopted from names of nobilities are usually found to be further away from the city center. Lastly, street names derived from names of animals are found to be the furthest from the city center. The names of the streets in Phitsanulok Municipality area, therefore, have an important symbolic function of reflecting the concept of naming streets in relation to various aspects of Phitsanulok City and showcasing the identity of the city as a historical city though the use of language in public areas.

Patterns and Magnitude of Economic Benefit Linkages from Tourism to Local Communities: A Case Study of Chiang Khan Walking Street, Loei Province, Thailand

Kansinee Guntawongwan; Akarapong Untong, Siriporn Kiratikarnkul — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This article aims to explore the patterns and estimates the magnitude of economic benefit linkages from accommodation and restaurant sectors to local communities in the Chiang Khan Walking Street area, Loei Province. The study employs the framework proposed by Mitchell & Ashley (2006) for tracing tourism-related economic benefits to local communities, alongside the structure of national tourism accounts, to analyze data collected through interviews with visitors, business owners, and other stakeholders. The findings reveal that employing local labor represents the most prevalent form of economic linkage. In contrast, fostering local alliances, networks, or collaborations remains a significant challenge. The analysis estimates that economic benefits transferred to local communities from accommodation and restaurants amount to approximately 115.76 million baht, with an additional potential of 52.07 million baht in unrealized linkages. Income generated from accommodation services shows a marginally stronger connection to local communities compared to restaurants; however, restaurants demonstrate greater untapped potential, particularly through the promotion of locally sourced agricultural products in place of external supplies. Consequently, enhancing economic linkages from tourism to local communities can be achieved through diverse strategies—such as developing digital platforms to facilitate connections, designing community-based products and services, and strengthening supply chains through integration with community tourism initiatives.

The Iconography of the Relief Sculpture of the Buddha’s Biography: The Temptation Episode by Mara from the Lintel of Phimai Sanctuary

Thawisak Hongcharoen; Sirin Chakamanont, Nutthariya Chinapatthanawong — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This research aims to study and analyze religious symbolism, focusing specifically on the relief sculpture of the Buddha’s biography in the Temptation of Mara episode found on the lintel of Phimai Sanctuary. The study adopts a non-empirical qualitative research methodology, gathering data from related documents and literature while utilizing iconographic theory as the principal framework for interpretation. The findings reveal that iconography serves as a vital tool in understanding the symbolic dimensions of religious art, particularly in the depiction of the Buddha overcoming Mara and his retinue. This portrayal emphasizes core Mahayana Buddhist principles, illustrating the Buddha’s victory through calmness and wisdom. Symbolically, it represents the transcendence of internal obstacles and the attainment of enlightenment, highlighting the spiritual battle against defilements. Additionally, the study shows that the Victory Over Mara lintel reflects the diffusion of Buddhism during the Khmer Empire and stands as a significant marker of the interrelationship between art and religion in that historical context.

Color Terms Structure in Mountain Environment

Penprapa Chummalee; Rattana Chanthao — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Language is closely linked to society, culture, and the environment. People use words from their language to describe things in their cultural and environmental context. Color terms are closely related to both the environment and the complexity of the culture of the speakers. This study aims to analyze the structure of non-basic color terms in relation to the environment within a mountain context, using the data selection framework for non-basic color terms proposed by Berlin & Kay (1969) and Kay (1975). The color terms were collected using the RAL K7 CLASSIC (2021) color sheets, comprising 93 colors, and interviews with four native speakers aged between 40 and 50 in the research area of the Phu Khiao Mountain Range, Kaset Sombun District, Chaiyaphum Province. The analysis followed the sociocultural linguistics framework of Bucholtz and Hall (2005, 2008) and Hodges (2015). This research employed a qualitative approach and presented the findings in a descriptive analytical format. The results indicated that 372 non-basic color terms were identified, with each term always accompanied by a modifier. These modifiers were closely related to the mountain environment, particularly to local plants. The structure of the non-basic color terms consisted of 26 distinct patterns, which were categorized into 7 structural groups. The most common structure was Group 1, which included the pattern "Color + (modifier + base term)" with 95 terms (25.54%), followed by "Color + (base term + modifier)" with 91 terms (24.46%), and "Color + (primary modifier)" with 74 terms (19.89%). The complexity of these non-basic color term structures reflected a detailed and intricate worldview that connected with the community’s ways of life and culture, as well as the utilization of the mountain environment. These findings demonstrated that geographical factors and the use of environmental resources were closely related to non-basic color terms. The results of this study can be used as a framework for analyzing color terms in other environmental contexts.

Tai Dam: The Culture of Textile Usage from Identity and Wisdom to Contemporary Design in a New Context

Prapakorn Sukonthamanee; Varusa Utara — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

The research titled “Tai Dam: The Culture of Textile Usage from Identity and Wisdom to Contemporary Design in a New Context” is a qualitative research with objectives to: 1) study the identity of traditional attire, textile patterns, and cultural textile usage derived from Tai Dam ethnic wisdom in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi provinces; 2) design and present a new image through product development from traditional wisdom and innovation into contemporary products; and 3) disseminate cultural heritage knowledge of Tai Dam ethnic textiles. This study examines both tangible and intangible aspects. The research findings reveal that: 1) The Tai Dam ethnic group has continuously transmitted knowledge of textile culture with distinctive identity. Tangible aspects include black-based "watermelon pattern" sarongs with alternating horizontal blue or white stripes, and intricate embroidery and tailoring techniques. Intangible aspects show that patterns and colors in textiles carry implicit meanings, reflecting lifestyle, ancestral spirit beliefs, and the life cycle from birth to death, with textile usage in ceremonies reflecting the relationship between human and spiritual worlds. 2) New product images combine traditional identity with contemporary design concepts by adapting the size, proportion, and pattern formats to suit new contexts, transforming clothing into home decorative items and everyday products such as floor rugs, cushions, seating pads, and various bag styles, while integrating production techniques compatible with traditional weaving and tailoring methods. 3) Creative works from Tai Dam ethnic textiles have been exhibited in a new image as products and decorative items, disseminating heritage knowledge through exhibitions that inspire creativity and change perspectives on textile usage toward contemporary design.

Enhancing the Value of Cultural and Historical Tourism Experiences through Augmented Reality (AR) Technology

Kanokarn Snae Namahoot — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Cultural and historical tourism plays a vital role in driving the economy and preserving the nation's cultural heritage. However, the presentation of information related to these tourist attractions still faces limitations in terms of accessibility, engagement, and visitor participation. Augmented Reality (AR) technology is an innovation that can enhance interactive experiences, making cultural and historical content easier to understand and more accessible. This study aims to explore approaches to applying AR technology to enhance the cultural and historical value, to design a prototype AR system that enriches tourist experiences, and to analyze the impact of AR technology on information accessibility and learning. The research methodology includes the study of theories and practices concerning the implementation of AR in cultural tourism, the design and development of an AR prototype that supports interactive content presentation, and the evaluation of its impact through quantitative data analysis. The results indicate that the proposed design and development approach of AR technology can enhance cultural value by allowing users to explore attractions through animations and 3D models, reducing physical limitations, and stimulating interactive learning. The impact analysis conducted with 60 tourists in Phitsanuloke province reveals a positive tendency towards using AR to support the creative economy through the development of guided applications and related services. These findings suggest that AR is a potential technology capable of transforming the way cultural and historical information is presented interactively. However, it remains necessary to improve system stability and to respond to the needs of diverse user groups. The results of this research can be applied to improve information presentation in museums, historical sites, and cultural attractions, thereby adding value and enriching the tourist experience in the future.

Digital Content Analysis of Community Identity Presented Through YouTube Platform by YouTubers: A Case Study of Ban San Charoen, Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province

Keerati Trakansiriwanich; Akarapong Untong, Siriporn Kiratikarnkul — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

This research aims to analyze the presentation perspectives of Ban San Charoen tourism community's identity, as well as to analyze and synthesize the perception creation, discourse presentation, and impacts of such presentations by YouTubers on the YouTube platform. The study applies qualitative phenomenological research methodology through non-participatory observation of 130 video clips, coupled with thematic analysis and content analysis of 35 video clips presented during 2017-2025. The findings reveal that YouTubers present the community identity in four main forms: 1) the creation of a "hidden paradise" image, 2) historical storytelling and transformation from opium cultivation areas to quality coffee production sites, 3) presentation of challenges and adventure, and 4) depiction of the unique lifestyle and culture of the Mien people. The perception of community identity by YouTubers is constructed through four key discourses: natural beauty, high-quality coffee, model community status, and adventure tourism. These presentations have caused the community to adapt in response to the portrayed image. The research suggests that the community should develop internal communication processes that align with the externally perceived image and create digital information to establish appropriate understanding and expectations for visitors.

The Art of Coloring: The Application and Evolution of Plant Dyes in Yunjin

Hanqing Ge; Chusak Suvimolstien , Jantana Khochprasert — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Yunjin is a treasure in traditional Chinese silk weaving crafts. It originated in Nanjing and is famous for its exquisite weaving skills and gorgeous color patterns. It is one of the three famous brocades in ancient times. This study aims to analyze the symbolic meaning and ecological and cultural value of plant dyeing in Yunjin art, sort out the development trajectory of Yunjin color system in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, deeply explore the impact of plant dyes on the ecology, richness and uniqueness of Yunjin color system, and evaluate its environmental protection and sustainable development value in modern society. The study used literature research method, field investigation method, interdisciplinary analysis method and case study method, sorted out Yunjin history and craftsmanship from literature, obtained first-hand information through field investigation, analyzed the cultural connotation of color system from an interdisciplinary perspective, and selected representative Yunjin fabrics to study its color composition and symbolic meaning in depth. Research shows that plant dyeing, as an important source of Yunjin's color system, not only gives it a unique artistic style, but also provides a basis for restoration and innovation. In terms of restoration, it covers the restoration of traditional color systems, ancient dyeing techniques, and historical color matching to ensure cultural authenticity and meet environmental protection needs. In terms of innovation, plant dyeing is widely used in fashion textiles, intangible cultural heritage, environmentally friendly materials, and technological innovation, promoting the modern development of Yunjin. The research further expanded the application scenarios of Yunjin culture in modern society, opened up a new path for the protection and modernization of intangible cultural heritage, and emphasized the ecological value of plant dyeing and its potential in the cultural industry.