Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences

Suggestion to empower the Supreme Court to constitutional review in Thailand

Wasin Yimyam — 2023-12-15

The establishment of the Constitutional Court as an organization for reviewing constitutionality in Thailand began in 1997 and is still ongoing. However, the current role of the Constitutional Court has been heavily criticized as a result of rulings of political intervention and anti-democracy due to impartiality, and issuing a judgment that establishes itself above all other constitutional organizations, violating the separation of powers principle. Furthermore, many cases contradict the intent of the Constitution and its provisions. Therefore, the objective of this article is to propose a new approach to establishing court bodies to review the constitutionality of the law through documentary-based research. This study suggested guidelines for “a semi-centralized system” that would establish divisions in the Supreme Court of Justice and the Supreme Administrative Court to review the law’s constitutionality. There is also another form that is still a centralized system of constitutional review. Another centralized system of constitutional review would create a division in the Supreme Court of Justice, reducing some roles and responsibilities and increasing mechanisms for selecting judges who are more closely linked to the people and have more democratic accountability.

Enhancing ASEAN Community educational cooperation in Thailand through a school partnership program with Indonesia: Policy performance, choices, and recommendations

Ampa Kaewkumkong — 2023-12-15

The educational policy in Thailand supporting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community has inspired a school partnership program between Thailand and Indonesia. This research study analyzed the program’s performance over the decade since it began and proposes policy choices and practices by integrating policy concepts, principles, and output. Multi-method qualitative research was done, with data collected by document analysis, in-depth interviews, school visits, and performance self-assessment by practitioners. Samples, policy implementers and related stakeholders at both the central level and at local schools were chosen by purposive sampling. The study found that operating policy and program challenges appeared during implementation, including resource allocation, practitioner knowledge and skills, communication by policy level, tri-party agreements among Thailand, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC) and Indonesia, lack of coordination between the center and teachers, and external situations, especially the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations included the following: (1) alternatives for policy decision-making that may occur under three conditions: policy revision, change, and termination; and (2) strategic mapping for practical inference by incorporating between the context, input, process, product (CIPP) model of educational program evaluation and the Honig model to create a concept of effective educational policy implementation including policy design, implementer development, and operation unit preparation.

STEAM approach for improving 21st century skills of multicultural students attending inclusive classroom

Sovaritthon Chansaengsee — 2023-12-15

Since educational institutions were concerned with the development of special education needs, various techniques of instructional practices have been discovered and an inclusive concept has become more realistic. This experimental research aimed to study the level of eight 21st century skills which include English literacy, numeracy, scientific literacy, problem-solving, creativity, communication, collaboration, and social and cultural awareness of the students in inclusive classroom, to examine the level of eight 21st century skills of the students in inclusive classroom after intervened by STEAM approach. Sixteen grade 6 students attended the inclusive classroom for two semesters, plus three children with autism. The theme for the first semester was “mix-match-make to be the pastry baker,” and the other for the second semester was “design thinking producing gadgets.” The findings revealed that after completing two-semester projects, all eight 21st century skills of sixteen participants had been promoted as there were significantly different scores between pre-test and post-test (p ≤ .01). In the case of the three autistic participants, the development of eight skills was reported by parents and the special education teachers, and all skills had reported improvement. The research findings would directly be beneficial to the special education teachers who are working on inclusive education as the process of teaching can be adopted in various classrooms and would give rise to the government sectors or relevant organizations to support or conduct research supporting sustainable development goals.

A model to foster global citizenship characteristics of students in private international universities in Thailand

Yvonne Wei — 2023-12-15

The rationale of this paper is to understand the global citizenship concept from a Thai perspective. This study aimed to create a model to foster global citizenship characteristics development of students in private international universities in Thailand. The study applied an explanatory sequential mixed method design with qualitative data from the literature sources to create survey questionnaires and experts’ qualitative interview data to triangulate data to develop a model with activities that foster the development of global citizenship characteristics. The findings resulted in nine characteristics of global citizenship: value diversity, awareness of global issues, sense of belonging, critical thinking, a believer in change, active contributor, interconnectedness, sociability, and sustainable development. A model with activities was developed and verified by 15 experts working for higher educational institutions (HEIs) or international and non-profit organizations. In conclusion, the study confirmed the need for more critical thinking skills and awareness of global issues among university students in Thailand. Even though the quantitative result indicated two characteristics required need assessment, the study’s qualitative findings revealed that the model emphasizes the importance of developing all nine characteristics as a holistic view of global citizenship. Therefore, HEIs must focus on developing these characteristics for students to remain competitive in the 21st century’s global market.

Character education through philosophical values in traditional Islamic boarding schools

Glory Islamic — 2023-12-15

Each Pesantren culture has a unique variation in shaping the religious attitudes of students. Given that the cultivation of character is a process, then this can be provided through formal, non-formal, or informal education that is carefully planned and designed. Therefore, traditional Islamic boarding schools can be an alternative educational institution to overcome the moral crisis which has recently become the central issue of the Indonesian nation. These recent studies go beyond previous research by demonstrating how specific philosophical concepts from values impact students’ moral character. This study focuses on a set of philosophical value ideas imparted to students at the Islamic Boarding School of Sumber Pendidikan Mental Agama Allah (SPMAA) in Lamongan, Indonesia. This study used a qualitative research approach. The participants were students in different stages, teachers, structural function, and scholars of SPMAA Islamic boarding school. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation studies. Three rooted values concepts that students internalized and applied in their social life were highly incorporated with learning intention, improving behaviour for the better while studying in an Islamic boarding school, and even after. At the SPMAA Islamic boarding school, students go through several stages. These stages produce different levels of adaptation success for each student. Alumni internalized the three values of Islamic philosophy in their social life as life guidance to achieve success. The findings provide ideas and practical implications as intercultural information to improve learning outcomes and enable students to live meaningful lives.

Learning management and classroom assessment competency of teachers according to education reform policy in Thailand: A case study of schools in Chiang Mai education sandbox

Kiatsuda Srisuk — 2023-12-15

This research has three objectives in conducting research studies with schools in Chiang Mai Education Sandbox which are (1) to investigate the circumstances, needs, and assessment of the teachers’ competencies in learning and classroom assessment, (2) to create and develop a model of learning management and classroom assessment competency development according to the sandbox concept policy, and (3) to use a model of learning activity and classroom assessment competency development of teachers according to the sandbox concept policy. This research was comprised of administrators, teachers, educational personnel, students, parents, communities, and key stakeholders in 15 schools in Chiang Mai. All schools voluntarily participated. The statistics used in this research were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and content analysis. The results show that the schools had problems in designing learning management innovation and choosing appropriate evaluation and assessment according to the educational institutions context. Teachers needed to develop themselves to solve the problems. The model for teachers’ competencies in learning and classroom assessment according to the sandbox policy was developed on this problem finding and applied. The model consisted of six principle purposes: objectives of the study, processes of the model, roles of stakeholders, efficiency and effectiveness of innovations’ evaluation and assessment, training curriculums, and conditions for success needed to build the promoting of innovation development in ecosystem. The results of the model show that teachers had improved their competencies such as competencies of designing learning management, evaluation and assessment, which correspond to Education Sandbox Act, B.E.2562 (2019).

Self-directed learning approach in mathematics

Jaylord P. Manaud — 2023-12-15

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Self-Directed Learning Approach on student’s performance in mathematics, attitude towards mathematics, metacognitive skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and selfefficacy. The study utilized parallel groups pretest-posttest experimental design. Survey questionnaires and 50-item mathematics test were used to gather data among ninety-six (96) Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) first-year students, and each student was randomly assigned to the experimental group and control group. Data were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk normality test, mean, standard deviation, paired samples t-test, t-test for independent samples, analysis of covariance, Cohen’s d, and Pearson-r. Findings revealed that the traditional approach (TA) students’ attitude towards mathematics, metacognitive skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and self-efficacy are not significantly related to students’ mathematics performance in both sum of written works and posttest scores. Contrarily, the self-directed learning approach (SDL) students’ attitude towards mathematics, metacognitive skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and self-efficacy are factors that positively influence their mathematics performance in terms of achievement test but not of written works. It was concluded that TA and SDL are equally effective in learning mathematics concepts and in developing positive attitude towards mathematics. Conversely, SDL is more effective than TA in developing students’ metacognitive skills, critical and creative thinking skills, and self-efficacy, and in retaining and making mathematics concepts more meaningful and worthwhile. It is therefore highly recommended that students and teachers may undergo SDL training to equip and capacitate them with the necessary knowledge, values, and skills needed in self-directed learning.

Guidelines for developing 9 SWU student’s identities of undergraduate students, Srinakharinwirot University

Ujsara Prasertsin — 2023-12-15

The purposes of this research were: (1) to develop a measure model for 9 SWU student’s identities; (2) to assess needs for 9 SWU student’s identities; and (3) to explore guidelines to develop 9 SWU student’s identities. By mixed research, the sample group used in the research consisted of 1,075 undergraduate students, Srinakharinwirot University in the quantitative research. Qualitative research used 9 key informants, who were experts in education, psychology, and human resource development to explore guidelines to develop 9 SWU Student’s identities. The research tools were the 9 SWU Student’s Identities Assessment Form and the Semi-structured Interview Form to find guidelines to develop the 9 SWU student’s identities. The consistency index was between 0.60 and 1.00. The results showed that: (1) The results of testing the conformity of the model revealed the construct validity of the 9 SWU student’s identities, classified by the overall composition. It was found that the mean was at a high level (M = 3.904), a small distribution with a standard deviation (SD) of 0.526 and a distribution coefficient (C.V.) of 13.484; (2) Needs assessment for 9 SWU student’s identities revealed that the 2nd identity, creation and doing, had the highest need. (PNImodified = 0.117); (3) In searching for guidelines to develop the 9 SWU student’s identities, there were 3 approaches: (3.1) inserting the 9 SWU student’s identities with the contents of courses in learning and teaching management; (3.2) providing activities to inspire the students; and (3.3) organizing information media that attracted and motivated student’s awareness.

The learning package creation of NATAP-NORA for higher education in Thailand

Rapassorn Putthichavalpat — 2023-12-15

The objectives of this research were to: (1) study the body of knowledge involved in conveying the NATAP-NORA; (2) develop and assess the quality of a learning package; and (3) study students’ achievement after learning package implementation. A mixed method research was used and divided as data collecting patterns including: (1) Qualitative data collection: interviews with experts; and (2) Quantitative data collection: creating the learning package and studying the student’s academic achievement after utilizing the learning package. The results showed that: (1) The findings of a study in the body of knowledge revealed that: NATAP-NORA is a rhythm of Klong Tap instrument functioning as a medium of communication between Nora’s dance postures and directions of the song’s structure. To convey the lesson, An introduction to NORA, Rhythm Control, Tone of Voice, Song interpretation would be emphasized; (2) The results of a learning package development revealed that: package evaluation by experts is appropriate for implementation. The results of a pilot study in terms of the efficiency percentage (E1/E2) turned out that the learning package is at 66/65, which is higher than stated criteria of 60/60 indicating the package is effective; and (3) Students’achievement after the implementation of the learning package found that students’competency is good at content competence ( = 3.32, SD = 0.54), musical instrument skills are good (= 3.12, SD = 0.19), and observation revealed that students’ behavior is good ( = 2.96, SD = 0.49).

Challenges and opportunities of EFL teachers in Thailand during emergency remote teaching

Chadaporn Takong — 2023-12-15

The objective of this research was to determine the challenges and opportunities of Thai EFL teachers during emergency remote teaching. The participants of this study included ten Thai EFL teachers working in public secondary schools of large to extra-large size and teaching English foundation courses online during emergency remote teaching. The interviewees were selected using the snowball sampling techniques. The research instrument was the semi-structured interview form. A thematic analysis was performed using the gathered data. The findings revealed that the challenges of Thai EFL teachers during emergency remote teaching included the following: technological difficulties, English-language teaching struggles, unreliable assessment and evaluation, ineffective classroom management, lost relationships, and individual student unreadiness. In addition, the study identified several opportunities for Thai EFL teachers during emergency remote teaching as follows: knowledge and skill improvement for online teaching, motivation for professional development, reduction of teacher workload, English-language skill teaching opportunities, more effective on-site teaching, and application to other duties.

Understanding of the living world of high school students in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Tien Thi Kieu Nguyen — 2023-12-15

Biology is an experimental science that is leading in developing students’ ability to understand the living world. This research aims to assess the level of students’ understanding in selected high schools in the Mekong Delta region. The study was conducted for eight months, from May 2022 to December 2022. A total of 464 students from nine regional high schools participated in the study. This research adopted a cross-sectional survey model, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods. The data were collected using Google Forms. The results from this study show that students had limited ability to understand the living world, particularly in their scientific research skills, the ability to interpret charts and statistical data, and the application of learned knowledge to practical scenarios. Factors such as the study environment, organization of activities for teaching and learning biology, skills required for scientific research, self-study ability, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to apply learned knowledge in real-life situations contribute to these limitations. As a result, educators should introduce innovative content and teaching approaches to improve high school students’ abilities and enhance their understanding of the living world.

Higher Order Thinking Skills in EFL classrooms: Evidence in five secondary schools

Hilma Suryani — 2023-12-15

The standard of process of primary and secondary education in 2013 curriculum implemented in Indonesia explicitly includes Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) in learning principles. HOTS have become the skills that the learners should have for global competition. The English teacher must be able to create the proper instruction to promote students’ higher order thinking skills. This study investigates how teachers implemented HOTS in the English classroom. It is a multiple case study involving twelve English teachers from five senior high schools in Jambi city. They were selected in terms of their teaching experience and the accreditation of the schools. The data were collected by using interview, observations and documents (lesson plans). The researcher organized the data from the interviews covering the participants’ responses related to the implementation of HOTS in the learning stages, and justified the data from the interview by using the field notes and teachers’ lesson plans. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. There were two major themes found in this study, namely, (1) complete implementation of HOTS, and (2) partial implementation of HOTS.

Strategies for biological lesson plan designing and applying: A case study at Cai Nuoc High School in Ca Mau Province, Vietnam

Lam Thi Thao Vo — 2023-12-15

The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether the lesson plan designed by the research team is suitable for teachers and students at Cai Nuoc High School, Ca Mau province, Vietnam. Data were collected through survey results from Google Forms and observations and lesson plan assessments from teachers participating in the experiment. The results show that the lesson plan designed based on the research team process is effective; it helps teachers save time and be more confident when applying it to the teaching process in the classroom. In addition, the lesson plan designed from this process not only helps students master the knowledge and develop competence but also practice many necessary skills such as problem-solving, creativity, communication, etc.

Promoting young children’s creative thinking, social skills, and attention using guided play and loose parts

Panutsorn Jaruchainiwat — 2023-12-15

According to child initiation, guided play is more effective than free play due to adult support. When implemented with loose parts that are open-ended materials, guided play can enhance the learning of young children. This research aims to investigate the effects of integrating guided play with loose parts on preschoolers’ creative thinking, social behavior, and attention. Participants are divided into 2 groups: outdoor learning and indoor learning. Group 1 consists of 97 boys and girls from 3 private preschools. Group 2 consists of 50 boys and girls aged 3–5 years old involved in the Let’s Play Together Project. This research is comprised of 3 observation areas: social behavior, creative thinking behavior, and attention. Both a pre and post-test are used to collect data. Then, the data is analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, standard deviation, and t-test. Results demonstrate that preschoolers in Group 1 gained higher mean scores for creative behavior, social behavior, and attention than before, at the statistical significance of .05. However, Group 2 achieved high mean scores for creative and social behavior only, at the statistical significance of .05. It is noted that applying the 3 steps of arranging loose parts activities i.e., the preparation, group or individual play, and reflection can promote young children’s development and learning.

Needs and trends of guidance services in primary education in Thailand

Wunlapa Sabaiying — 2023-12-15

The objectives of this study were to study the needs, trend, and to compare the needs of 5 guidance services of educational, career, and personal and social guidance services at the primary school level in Thailand. The mixed-method research model was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The research samples are 20 primary school guidance specialists, 400 primary school students, and 200 primary school teachers. The study findings revealed that: (1) The overall need for guidance services of elementary school students was at the highest level. The personal and social and career aspects were at the highest level while educational service was at the high level. Guidance experts expressed that educational guidance services were for students to know and understand themselves in terms of education, how to study happily, know career information, interests, and professional aptitudes, and know a variety of professions including personal and social aspects according to their desirable characteristics; (2) The overall trend and by specific aspects in guidance services in elementary schools were all at the highest level, whereby guidance specialists expressed that there was a tendency for elementary school guidance to become more important in individual inventory service, a tendency to use technology to collect information. There was a tendency for technology and information to become more diverse and complex. Consulting services tend to provide more consulting services including parents and guardians. Individual Inventory and Information Services tend to use technology to collect more information increasingly while Counseling Service needs are at a personal and social level. There was a tendency for personnel placement services to focus more and more on individualized learning management. The monitoring and evaluation services tend to use technology to collect data and use the evaluation results to develop more efficient guidance work; and (3) Males needed more guidance services than female students with those in Grades 1–3 needing guidance services more than in Grades 4–6 with a statistical significance at the .05 level.

Enhancing teachers’ research skills: A project Research Capability Program (ReCaP)

Ruel Taña Bonganciso — 2023-12-15

This study aims to develop teachers’ skills in conducting research and to improve their instructional practices. Philippine Normal University Visayas (PNUV) conducted a Research Capability Project (ReCaP) as participatory action research to its 48 faculty members. This paper discusses the first part of the three cycles in ReCaP, which consisted of three sessions: Conducting Action Research, Writing Research Proposal, and Research Proposal Presentation. The researcher used a questionnaire to evaluate the ReCaP and determine the participants’ views in conducting research online. The researcher also analyzed the recorded videos of the webinar to assess the degree of participant involvement. As observed, participants were less active during the first session, but they were more active in the second session. During the third session, seven groups of participants presented their collaborative research proposals. Most of the proposed studies focused on leading the school, developing teachers’ teaching capacity, and helping learners cope in a virtual environment. Regarding their views, most of the participants said that the program ignited their passion for research. Furthermore, they commended the speakers for their selfless guidance during the proposal presentation. Lastly, participants were more likely to attend the next phase of the program.

A model of continuing professional development for Vietnamese lecturers

Thanh Vo Dan Nguyen — 2023-12-15

Continuing professional development is a must-have for lecturers when working at any university. This research aimed to construct a model of continuing professional development (CPD) for lecturers at Vietnam National University – Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM). To reach the research objectives, a mix-method was employed. The quantitative study investigated 340 respondents, stratified by drawing from lecturers at VNUHCM, regarding their perceptions and opinions of CPD. An adaptable instrument with 32 items and one open question was used for data collection. SPSS software was applied for data analysis. With the Priority Needs Index, modified values would be considered in the interpretation of findings and further discussion. With the qualitative approach, 15 participants who have experience in CPD, selected by snowball sampling technique, were invited to semi-structured interviews with a self-developed protocol regarding the effective model for CPD. The data collected from the interviews were analyzed by the content analysis method. The research results showed the model of CPD which includes shared responsibility; teacher and administrator roles; forethought and preparation; effectiveness and expenditures, and three factors from the priority needs in CPD, including CPD types, contents, and locations. These findings may bring benefits to stakeholders, such as policymakers and administrators, in strengthening human resources in VNUHCM.

Project citizen digital: Civic education strengthen the national defense character?

Asep Dahliyana — 2023-12-15

Civic education is a form of the citizen’s social contract with the state, as well as binding the minds, feelings, and bodies of citizens to the state. The state provides protection for citizens, and citizens give the loyalty to the state by carrying out the values of national defense character. However, in practice, the learning model used in civic education has not been fully holistic in developing student’s national defense character. The purpose of this article is to examine the effect of using Project Citizen Digital on the national defense character of students in Civic Education. This the new research is because previous research developed Project Citizen Digital for civic literacy. The approach used in this research is quantitative to measure the Implement and Evaluate stages of using the ADDIE model
(Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) after the development of the Project Citizen Digital Application. Data collection techniques used questionnaires. Meanwhile, the data analysis used one group pretest-posttest on 80 students from the Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia due to the limited ability of the Project Citizen Digital Application. The results of the research show that there are differences in student’s character of national defense before and after the implementation of the Project Citizen Digital with an average difference of 2.95 percent.

Social risk assessment of land acquisition for the construction of the Sicincin-Padang toll road section, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Nora Eka Putri — 2023-12-15

The construction of toll roads in Indonesia aims to increase public welfare, but in reality, these projects have a relatively negative social effect on the neighborhood, particularly when it comes to land acquisition. One such land acquisition was for the Sicincin-Padang toll road in West Sumatra. The community is affected socially by land acquisition for the Sicincin-Padang toll road, including the loss of customary territory, modifications to social interaction, environmental issues, and conflicts between indigenous peoples. This research seeks to identify hypotheses regarding elements linked to social risks of land acquisition for toll road construction. The theory is
being tested as the second goal. The research used a mixed method with a sequential exploratory type, which combines qualitative and quantitative methods, beginning with investigating issues directly from the community, then measuring the social risk index of land acquisition. The study’s findings confirm the idea that social risk associated with land acquisition is linked to aspects of cultural norms, social interaction, asset transfers, and regulatory implementation. The index assessment findings show that each of these variables is connected to the social risk of land acquisition. The study’s conclusion is that the four aforementioned factors must be used to evaluate the social risk index for purchasing property for toll roads. The study is novel in that it measures the social risk index for land acquisition for the Sicincin-Padang toll road while including a measure of customary land ownership in the asset transfer variable.

Determinants of eco-innovation capabilities adapted by Malaysian SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

Siti Nur ‘Atikah Zulkiffli — 2023-12-15

Today’s businesses must deal with difficult economic circumstances, including fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. This has had a direct influence on Malaysia’s manufacturing industries because all economic activity was interrupted for a considerable period. Implementing eco-innovation capabilities is viewed as one of the key approaches that firms can decide to adapt in order to sustain their local and global competition during this unexpected pandemic. In this study, we examine the potential significant eco-innovation capabilities that manufacturing companies implemented during the pandemic. This study applies the qualitative method by interviewing four top-level managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. The essential components of eco-innovation capabilities represented in this study are product, process, organisation, marketing, and technology. The results demonstrate that the majority of SMEs in Malaysia were able to employ core eco-innovation capabilities for their operations during the pandemic. However, for various reasons, a minority of SMEs were unable to implement any of the capabilities in their daily operations. This study has important implications for policies, government institutions, and manufacturer business managers in terms of developing an effective innovation platform upon which manufacturing businesses can rely to increase their business potential and performance in the coming years and beyond.

Income distribution, poverty incidence, social class and human capital in the time of COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from Thailand’s household survey

Meechai Orsuwan — 2023-12-15

Using the 2021 Thai Household Socio-Economic Survey data (SES2564) collected during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 epidemic by the National Statistical Office, this research performs statistical analysis on income distribution and poverty incidence differentiated by income sources and social class. The Gini coefficient is calculated to be 0.5021. Consequently, it is decomposed into between-group and within-group contributions to investigate the marginal contribution of each income source (e.g., wage, government transfer, pension, remittance, farm, non-farm) to the income inequality. The results show that the primary sources of inequality are pension,
farm, and non-farm incomes, respectively. Different income sources have a different impact on inequality. Remittance, government transfer, and farm incomes have a negative impact on total income inequality. Therefore, increasing government transfer income, remittance, and farm income has alleviated income inequality. In contrast, an increase in wage, pension or non-farm incomes has led to greater inequality in household income. Using the FGT technique, the relative poverty line is around 60 percent of median income per capita; therefore, 22.18 percent of the total population was considered poor. A poverty gap, FGT(1), showed 6.42 percent, meaning that on average the poor had 285.89 Baht/month deprivation under the poverty line. The landless farmers class has the highest headcount ratio of the poor (41%) and the highest risk of being poor (187%).

The public sector innovation for development of Thai public sector

Sanchai Ratthanakwan — 2023-12-15

This article aims to investigate the evolution and typology of public sector innovation in Thailand, identify supportive and obstructive factors, and propose new development guidelines. This study was conducted through data collection processes that included relevant literature reviews and in-depth interviews with government officials working with the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) to develop public sector innovation. The findings revealed that the evolution of Thailand’s public sector innovation could be characterized in three periods: first, “under the context of bureaucratic reform,” second, as “Central-Institutional Innovation,” and third, as “Partnership Innovation” under the Kingdom of Thailand constitution of B.E. 2560. The findings revealed that political and administrative factors, cooperation with international development organizations, and awarding and rewarding schemes are all supportive factors of public sector innovation. The absence of authorized responsible agencies, operating budget constraints, and a lack of cooperation among related parties are all obstacles to Thailand’s public sector innovation development. The proposed development guidelines include a more citizen-centric approach, improved collaboration between relevant sectors, and increased budget allocation to utilize public sector innovation effectively.

Giving jujuran in socio-cultural marriage of Banjar Community

Fathurrahman Azhari — 2023-12-15

In Banjar community marriages, giving jujuran (a dowry) from the prospective groom to the prospective bride has become a tradition. The research was conducted with a qualitative approach, namely, to determine the description of the jujuran tradition in the marriage of the Banjar community, Banjar Regency. The purpose of this study is to determine what motivates the holding of jujuran in the marriage of the Banjar community, Banjar Regency. The results indicated that the amount of the jujuran tradition in marriage varies, namely; One hundred and fifty million Rupiahs, One hundred million Rupiahs, Twenty-three million Rupiahs, and Twenty million Rupiahs. The motivation for this tradition is due to the social status of the prospective bride’s parents/family, to assist in the wedding reception, and as a prestige of the prospective groom.

Benih Mardeka and plantation workers in East Sumatra, 1916–1923

Budi Agustono — 2023-12-15

This study aims to explain and analyze an advocacy done by Benih Mardeka newspaper regarding the conditions and exploitation experienced by plantation workers in East Sumatra. East Sumatra from the late 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century underwent a considerable change from an ancient wilderness into a prosperous plantation industry. This change also emphasized the establishment of Dutch colonialism in colonial population. This colonial dominance is portrayed from the conditions and exploitation of workers on plantations. A discriminatory situation on plantations made life for workers a misery. This study uses historical methods that include heuristic, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The results showed that Benih Mardeka newspaper consistently voiced the advocacy for plantation workers by highlighting the cruelty of plantation owners and the injustice of the Dutch colonial government. News headlines in Benih Mardeka often raised an issue concerning poenale sanctie implemented by plantation owners. The poor living conditions of plantation workers were of effective propaganda material for Benih Mardeka to criticize both the colonial government and the plantation owners. Eventually, it can be concluded that Benih Mardeka remained consistent in voicing the advocacy for plantation workers in East Sumatra.

Investigating informal transport travelers’ heterogeneity: A case study of Silor in Bangkok, Thailand

Chutaporn Amrapala — 2023-12-15

The development of Silor as an informal transport mode in Bangkok responds to the urbanization and rising mobility demand in the city. It functions as the main mode and feeder service, particularly in areas with insufficient or lacking public transport services, making Silor a primary choice for travelers in various regions. This study identifies significant predictors for Silor usage and crossanalyze demographic, trip profiles, and attitudes among the user and non-user segments. Questionnaire interviews on travel behavior and service quality perceptions were conducted on current users and non-users of five Silor routes covering ten districts in Bangkok. Discriminant analysis and the two-step clustering method portrayed heterogeneity in travel behavior and attitudes. Attitudinal variables were factor analyzed and revealed the latent constructs of Silor usage. Results illustrated four distinct user subgroups showing heterogeneous profiles and expectations. Silor users tend to be female, traveling alone, and need a transfer. In contrast, the above-average per capita income, with car availability and long-distance travelers, are more likely to be the nonusers. Transfer, route coverage, and crowdedness rank among the top non-use reasons. Study findings and practical implications on Silor usages and preferences contribute to social perception knowledge and better guide informal transportation activities towards sustainable development in the society.

Wealth distribution, income distribution, social class and education of household heads: Evidence from Thailand’s national household survey

Direk Patmasiriwat — 2023-12-15

This study empirically investigates income and wealth distributions in Thailand using the 2021 Household Socio-Economic Survey in which the National Statistical Office (NSO, 2021) collected information in all 77 provinces and in both urban and rural areas. This research has two objectives. First, it examines income and wealth inequality by social classes, residential location, and educational attainment of household heads. Second, it analyses the influence of educational attainment of household heads and social class on ability to earn income and ability to accumulate household wealth. Descriptive statistics and instrumental variable analysis are employed in the study. As projected by the life-cycle model, this research finds that wealth possession tends to increase by age of household heads, illustrating a hump-shaped graph called the Kuznets Curve. Overall, income and wealth distributions vary by social class, residential location, and education of household head. More specifically, urban households accumulate more wealth than their rural counterparts. The head of the household obtaining more education builds up more wealth than their less educated counterparts. This indicates a positive contribution of educational level to earnings and wealth in the long run. We suggest the Thai government to employ more poverty targeting approaches like the Equitable Education Fund (EEF) that boost financial support for about 600,000 students who fall in the category of “very poor,” so they have opportunity to accumulate wealth, become less vulnerable during uncertain times, and are protected from the progression of intergenerational inequality.

Smart city development in a tourist city with valuable sites of cultural and natural environment: Case study of Amphawa Subdistrict Municipality, Samut Songkhram Province

Putpunnin Khamwachirapithak — 2023-12-15

The Amphawa Subdistrict Municipality is located in a riverfront community that reflects its historical heritage. With the increasing emphasis on eco-tourism, there arises a question of how the city can be developed in a way that preserves its cultural and natural value whilst embracing smart technologies to enhance urban management efficiency. The objectives of research were: (1) to study the area’s valuable cultural and natural environment sites, and its readiness for smart city components, (2) to study the demands of people in the development of smart cities, and (3) to suggest guidelines for the development of a smart city corresponding with the public opinion in an area with cultural and natural values. The research methodology used were questionnaires (given to 370 people) and interview forms (five government officials and academicians). The research findings reveal that there are four cultural environmental sites and that the significant natural environment in the area is the Mae Klong River. In terms of community needs, the highest demand (mean 4.82%) is for smart governance development. The proposed development approach suggests that the municipality can seek collaboration, establish networks to utilise technology for city management, raise awareness of the value of the cultural and natural resources among the public and organisations, engage in activities with various sectors, smart temple sign, assist with planning activities in residential areas near valuable sites, implement urban planning measures such as tax measures, overlay zoning control, and designation of buffer areas should be adopted as tools to promote concrete development.

Systemic risk in Indonesia’s Peer-to-Peer Lending (P2PL) regulation: Financial sectors at risk of market meltdowns

Ardianto Budi Rahmawan — 2023-12-15

Peer to Peer Lending (P2PL) has evolved to not only be a mere platform for lenders and borrowers but has increase its ability in facilitating transactions between lenders and borrowers through credit ratings of potential borrowers creating a high level of lenders’ dependence to P2PL platforms. However, we found that P2PL platform has no natural economic incentives to give lenders the best possible loan as P2PL platform is incentivized to push for loan quantity rather than loan quality. In reaching the said findings, we use a comparative normative research method on Indonesia, China, and the United States’ regulation on P2PL platforms with a heavy emphasis on Indonesian law. Through our findings, we recommend a two-step regulatory approach by imposing a public governance duty and a stronger disclosure mechanism towards P2PL platforms.

Validation of the Thai version of the Savoring Beliefs Inventory of elderly cancer patients and their family caregivers in Thailand

Kullanist Damrongsakul — 2023-12-15

Savoring refers to an individual’s perceived capability to intend, be mindful, and absorb positive events through their lifespan to generate, expand, and maintain their happiness and positive affect. However, few earlier research studies have involved savoring in Thai people, in particular those in a healthcare setting. This study aims to examine the psychometric properties of a Thai version of the Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI) (Bryant, 2003). Participants were 120 older adult cancer patients and 120 family caregivers. Instruments were the Thai version of the Savoring Beliefs Inventory, Life Satisfaction Scale, and Positive Affect Scale. Data analysis included an assessment of internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlational analysis. Findings revealed that the SBI-Thai version showed acceptable internal consistency with a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of .91 (for the patients) and .81 (for the caregivers). Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), the three-factor model of the SBI-Thai version demonstrated a good fit for both older adult cancer patients and their family caregivers (χ² = 1.03, df = 1, p = .309, RMSEA = 0.017, χ²/df = 1.03, TLI = 0.998, CFI = 0.999, GFI = 0.994 and χ² = 1.12, df = 1, p = .289, RMSEA = 0.032, χ2/df = 1.12, TLI = 0.993, CFI = 0.998, GFI = 0.993, respectively). In addition, the SBI-Thai version was moderately associated with life satisfaction and positive affect constructs. Implications are discussed for using the SBI-Thai version in Thai people, especially those who are in a healthcare setting.

Factors influencing gig workers’ satisfaction and commitment in the knowledge service providing platforms based on the self-determination theory: The case study in China

Liqian Yang — 2023-12-15

With the development of technology, knowledge service providing platforms are growing quickly. There were 1,021 financial investments totaling up to 131.3 billion yuan in knowledge service providing platforms in the past seven years. The gig economy has also been widely discussed in the last decade. However, the previous research studies on the gig economy mostly focused on shared transport and food delivery; thus, there is still a research gap regarding the gig economy in knowledge service providing platforms. This research is based on the self-determination theory (SDT) with the aim to study how social capital, gig workers’ intrinsic motivation, and extrinsic motivation influence their work satisfaction and commitment, with this study focus on the gig workers who work in the top six knowledge service providing platforms in China. Online questionnaires were distributed to the respondents to conduct the survey, and a total of 1049 valid respondents were received. The study compared two groups: the gig workers with full-time jobs and the gig workers without a full-time job. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to analyze the data and generate the results. It was found that both groups of gig workers, those with full-time jobs and those without have the same direction in which self-determination and social capital are positively associated with intrinsic motivation. Both intrinsic and external motivation have a positive influence on gig workers’ job satisfaction and commitment. Finally, the academic and practical contributions are discussed.

Investigation of the use and satisfaction of content and language integrated learning approach and the 5W1H question techniques to improve tenth grade students’ English reading comprehension and summary writing ability

Lerthilak Chanwiwattana — 2023-12-15

The purposes of the research were (1) to compare the ability of English reading comprehension before and after studying of tenth grade secondary students by using content and language integrated learning approach (CLIL) and the 5W1H question techniques, (2) to compare the ability of summary writing before and after studying of tenth grade secondary students by using CLIL and the 5W1H question techniques, and (3) to study the satisfaction of tenth grade secondary students toward the learning management by using CLIL and the 5W1H question techniques. The sample group of students (n = 42) from tenth grade, class 12 in academic year 2022 was selected by cluster random sampling. The research instruments included lesson plans, an English reading comprehension test, a test to measure summary writing ability and a student’s satisfaction questionnaire. The results showed that: (1) the students’ ability of English reading comprehension after studying by using CLIL and the 5W1H question techniques, was higher than before with a statistical significance **p < .01; (2) the students’ ability to write a summary after studying by using CLIL and the 5W1H question techniques, was higher than before with a statistical significance **p < .01; and (3) the students were most satisfied with CLIL and the 5W1H question techniques in instructional materials. The average score was 4.70, and overall, students were satisfied at the highest level.

Phloi from mirror image to death by madness: A Lacanian reading of Kukrit Pramoj ’s “Four Reigns”

Bo Yang — 2023-12-15

The Four Reigns is a renowned novel in modern Thai literature and is widely known in the history of world literature. The novel is rich and profound, and is often studied as a sociological or historical text. However, the psychological study of the characters is rarely addressed. The novel follows the life of the protagonist, Phloi, and is driven by her experiences and psychological metamorphosis. This research, from a psychoanalytic perspective, reveals that the novel conforms to Lacan’s Theory of the three orders: the imaginary order, the symbolic order, and the real order. As such, this paper uses the Theory of the Three Orders as a basis to analyse Phloi’s life journey, and explain the different stages of her personality development and the creation of tragedy from a psychoanalytical perspective. This paper offers a fresh perspective and new insights for the study of The Four Reigns.

Customer satisfaction and intention to recommend among live-streaming shopping customers: An extension of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2

Xuemei Sun — 2023-12-15

Live-streaming shopping has become an emerging pattern of online consumption in recent years, and China is the market with the most rapid development in live-streaming shopping. However, there are limitations of understanding customer psychological states towards live-streaming shopping. This study extended the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology-2 model along with the customer innovativeness to investigate customer satisfaction, intention to recommend, and usage behavior of live-streaming shopping. Moreover, the demographic factors of age, gender, and experience were included and considered moderating factors. A snowball sampling method was applied to collect data from 739 Chinese live-streaming consumers in mainland China. The findings of PLS-SEM analysis showed the proposed model has moderate power in explaining customer satisfaction (R² = .57), usage behavior (R² = .48), and the intention to recommend (R² = .46). Besides, “habit” was the strongest mechanism of both customer satisfaction (β = .22, p < .00) and usage behavior (β = .40, p < .00). Ultimately, satisfaction was the most important predictor of customer intention to recommend a live-streaming shopping (β = .33, p < .00). The study provides empirical evidence that the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology-2 model can be extended to predict customer satisfaction in the context of online shopping. The results also provide meaningful practical insights that merchants can enhance customer satisfaction by forming their shopping habits via live-streaming patterns, thereby encouraging customers to recommend it.

Time orientation in online advertising avoidance in Vietnam: An empirical study of geographic subcultures

Ho Truc Vi — 2023-12-15

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relationship between time orientation, including past-, present-, and future-orientation, and its influence on attitudes toward advertising and online advertisement avoidance behavior by comparing geographically distinct subcultures. Survey were was obtained through a structured questionnaire from 630 samples over the age of 18 using the Internet in the three regions of North, Central, and South Vietnam. The methods applied to the analysis, including Cronbach’s Alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling, and a Multigroup Analysis were used to compare subcultures. The results indicate that the past-oriented people in the North have a more negative attitude towards online advertising and avoid online advertising more than those in the Central region and the South. Present and future-oriented people in both the North and the South have a positive attitude towards advertising and have avoidance behavior. However, this relationship does not make sense for people in the central region. In addition, the results also show that there is no relationship between attitude and the advertising avoidance behavior of Northerners. Meanwhile, people in the Central region who have a bad attitude towards advertising avoid online advertising more than in the South. The research started by looking at how time orientation to attitudes and advertising avoidance behavior were linked in a sub-cultural comparison.

The mediating role of cooperate image between service quality, perceived value and customer loyalty: A study of telecommunication industry in eastern region of Thailand

Fei Lu — 2023-12-15

This research proposed an innovative conceptual paradigm and aims to investigate cooperate image’s mediating role in the path association between service quality, perceived value and customer loyalty in Thai telecommunication industry by applying SOR theory. It will elucidate the advantage of examining the organismic component that affects the loyalty antecedents from holistic viewpoint. From 391 collected usable questionnaires, statistical results obtained from adopted research methodology such as structural equation modeling and path analysis have confirmed cooperate image’s mediating role in the relationship between perceived functional mobile service quality and customers’ loyalty in Thai context. These findings will deliver valuable information for management of telecom companies regarding how to create sustainable marketing strategies that can promote customer loyalty in Thai cultural context.