Central Thai Research Articles

PaSCoNT - Parallel Speech Corpus of Northern-central Thai for automatic speech recognition

This paper proposed a Parallel Speech Corpus of Northern-central Thai (PaSCoNT). The purpose of this research is not only to understand the different linguistic characteristics between Northern and Central Thai, but also to utilize this corpus for automatic speech recognition. The corpus is composed of speech data from dialogues of daily life among northern Thai people. We designed 2,000 Northern Thai sentences covering all phonemes, in collaboration with linguists specialized in the Northern Thai dialect. The samples in this study are 200 Northern Thai dialect speakers who had been living in Chiang Mai province for more than 18 years. The speech was recorded in both open and closed environments. In the speech recording, each speaker must read 100 pairs of Northern-Central Thai sentences to ensure that the speech data comes from the same speaker. In total, 100 h of speech were recorded: 50 h of Northern Thai and 50 h of Central Thai. Overall, PaSCoNT consists of 907,832 words and 6,279 vocabulary items. Statistical analysis of the PaSCoNT corpus revealed that 49.64 % of words in the lexicon belongs to the Northern Thai dialect, 50.36 % from the Central Thai dialect, and 1,621 vocabulary items appeared in both Northern and Central Thai. Statistical analysis is used to examine the difference in speech tempo, i.e. time per phoneme (TTP), syllable per minute (SPM), between Northern and Central Thai. The results revealed that there were statistically significant differences speech tempo between Central and Northern Thai. The TTP speaking and articulation rate of Central Thai is lower than Northern Thai whereas SPM speaking and articulation rate of Central Thai is higher than Northern Thai. The results also showed that the ASR model training using Northern Thai speech corpus provides the lower WER% when testing using Northern Thai testing speech data and provides the higher WER% when testing using Central Thai Testing speech data and vice versa. However, the ASR model training using the PaSCoNT speech corpus provides the lower WER% for both Northern Thai and Central Thai testing speech data.

Ricardo’s Law of Comparative Advantage in Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Early Historic Mainland Southeast Asian Metallurgy: Copper-base Metal Production, Exchange, and Consumption Behaviours at Khao Sai On, Nil Kham Haeng, Non Pa Wai, Phromthin Tai, Sab Champa, and Tha Kae in Central Thailand

Since its late 1970s to early 1980s discovery, the Khao Wong Prachan Valley (KWPV) of central Thailand has been assumed to have been a major supplier of copper in Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Early Historic Southeast Asia. KWPV was the first regional metal production system to be characterised by lead isotope (LI) analysis in the late 2000s, revealing a coherent signature easily distinguished from subsequent analyses of production systems at Phu Lon (northern Thailand) and the Vilabouly Complex (central Laos). Despite KWPV’s scale of production, its LI signature has scarcely been detected at Bronze Age metal consumption sites in nearby northeast Thailand and not at all in Iron Age assemblages. We study copper production and copper/bronze consumption behaviours of Iron Age and Early Historic sites in KWPV’s immediate vicinity: Khao Sai On, Phromthin Tai, Tha Kae, and Sab Champa. Khao Sai On and Phromthin Tai production signatures are highly consistent with those previously established, while the uranogenic tendency at Tha Kae explains outliers from Bronze Age Non Pa Wai and Nil Kham Haeng. Analysis of consumption assemblages reveals little to no consistency with local production signatures. This tendency was tested with LI Iron Age and Early Historic datasets for Ban Khu Muang, Ban Mai Chaimongkol, Ban Pong Manao, and Ban Pong Takhob. The pattern is clear: central Thai populations imported copper/bronze, potentially from the Vilabouly Complex or production loci with closely comparable signatures. We examine this counterintuitive behaviour inductively using Ricardo’s Law of Comparative Advantage combined with a technological appreciation of the relatively low productivity of central Thai primary copper production. This suggests central Thailand’s unattached copper producers freely exchanged copper for exotic goods (bronze, glass, semi-precious stone), with potentially poor terms of exchange, from their desire to participate in wider regional trends in conspicuous consumption.

Sexual dimorphism of the twelfth thoracic vertebra for sex determination in the Central Thai population

Analyzing skeletal remains is crucial for identifying individuals, and forensic anthropologists use this analysis to determine biological characteristics, particularly sex, aiding criminal investigations. Among thoracic vertebrae, the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12) is highly sexually dimorphic in various populations. This study aims to establish a discriminant function equation (DFE) for sex determination based on T12 in the Central Thai population. A total of 15 parameters of T12 were examined in 69 bone samples (43 males and 26 females). Among the 15 parameters, 14 were significantly different between males and females. The discriminant function equation (DFE) was generated as DFE = −19.578 + 0.376(i) BDsm + 0.254(l) PW + 0.081TDm, with a cutoff value of −0.296 for males and females, showing 92.8 % accuracy. The evaluation of the DFE using 10 blind samples showed 90 % accuracy. These findings may offer an additional method for sex determination through T12, complementing the examination of other skeletal elements.

Mapping Potential Regions of Human Interaction with Acuminate Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus acuminatus) in Thailand

Bats are reservoirs for various pathogens, including SARS-like coronaviruses (CoVs). Understanding the distribution of bat species is crucial to identifying areas where viral spillover from bats to other animals or humans might occur. In this study, we performed species distribution modeling to predict suitable habitats within Thailand under current and predicted future climate conditions for Rhinolophus acuminatus, a bat species that has been found to host SARS-CoV-2-related viruses. Our assessment of current conditions revealed that temperature seasonality had the greatest impact on habitat suitability and that suitable habitats were primarily restricted to the southern and eastern regions of Thailand. Over time, the projections indicate a diminishing availability of suitable habitats, suggesting a potential trend toward migration into neighboring areas. We next combined modeled bat distribution with urbanization data to estimate regions in Thailand where bat–human interactions might occur. The resulting map highlighted regions of heightened interaction risk, encompassing approximately 46,053.94 km2 across 58 provinces and representing approximately 9.24% of Thailand’s total area. These risk concentrations are prominently situated in the southern, central, and eastern Thai regions, with extensions into neighboring border areas. Our findings will significantly aid future risk surveillance efforts and enhance the effectiveness of monitoring and managing emerging diseases within the country and in contiguous regions.

Palace, Prison, Park or Palimpsest? The Contested Heritage of the Former Palace of Chiang Mai

Abstract This paper investigates the contestations between state and local actors over the interpretation of a state prison built in the grounds of the Chiang Mai palace, known as Wiang Kaew. Engaging with postcolonial approaches to heritage interpretation, this paper argues that the local movement calling for the removal of the prison in favor of a public park represents an effort to reclaim local Lan Na history and identity from the national past. Using the critical heritage concept of “authorized heritage discourse” (Smith 2006), I show how central Thai authorities—including the Fine Arts Department and the Buddhist Sangha—have privileged nationalist interpretations of the site over the intangible meanings and values expressed by the local community. The paper concludes by suggesting how newer frameworks of heritage management might be harnessed to resolve the conflict by recognizing the site as a historical palimpsest with multiple layers of value and meaning.

A cross-linguistic comparison of the propositional content of laughter in American English and Central Thai

Abstract Research suggests that laughter can serve several communicative functions beyond indicating mirth, and as such, may hold propositional meaning. The present study analyzes cross-linguistic differences in the propositional content of laughter in American English and Central Thai television shows. A framework for classifying laughter by propositional content was first developed by drawing on existing literature and bottom-up analysis of the laughter found in American English and Thai shows. The framework includes categories of positive valency, negative valency, and humor, along with subcategories of disbelief, support, expressive, and pride. A multi-modal corpus of laughter was then created by compiling all laughter instances in the first 100 min of three American English television shows and three Thai television shows. The meanings of all 848 laughter instances in the corpus were categorized by propositional content of laughter. Results show that humor laughter and negative-support laughter are more frequent in American English, and positive-support laughter and negative-pride laughter are more frequent in Central Thai. These findings provide further evidence that laughter contains propositional content because they indicate that laughter use is subject to cross-linguistic variation that aligns with existing linguistic patterns and cultural values.

FREQUENCIES OF PREDICTED MIA ANTIGEN AMONG SOUTHERN THAI BLOOD DONORS

Background: The Mia antigen (MNS7) of the MNS blood group system is clinically important in Asian populations. Anti-Mia has been implicated in hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in Thai populations. However, data of this antigen frequency among southern Thais remains unknown.
 Objective: This study aimed to determine and predict Mia antigen frequencies among southern Thai blood donors and to estimate the risk of alloimmunization among Thais.
 Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Altogether, 400 southern and 500 central Thai blood samples were genotyped for GYP(B-A-B) and GYP(A-B-A) MNS hybrids using polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP).
 Results: Among them, 19 of 400 (4.45%), and 28 of 500 (9.33%) were positive with the set of GP. Hut, GP.HF, GP.Mur, GP.Hop, and GP.Bun. No GP.Vw phenotype was found among southern and central Thais. The predicted Mi(a+)frequency among southern Thais was significantly lower than among central and northern Thais (p<0.05). Its frequency was similar to Vietnamese, Taiwanese, and Southern Han Chinese populations (p>0.05) but significantly differed from Indonesian, Filipino, and Chinese (Guangzhou) populations (p<0.05). The risk of Mia alloimmunization among southern Thais was significantly lower than among both Thai groups (p<0.05).
 Conclusion: This constitutes the first study to report Mi(a+) frequencies among southern Thais, supporting the estimation risk of alloimmunization and providing transfusion safety among Thai populations.

Understanding the ethnic inequality of the Thai Lao through perspectives on promoting social inclusion policy in Thailand in accordance with UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.2

ABSTRACT This article presents one of the first attempts to understand UN Sustainable Development Goal 10.2 (UNSDG 10.2) on reducing inequality as applied to a major ethnic minority community via a simultaneous application of three theoretical aspects of inclusion theory, itself an extension of social justice theory, i.e. via social, economic, and political inclusion. Thailand, recently under military rule for five years, experiences extreme differences in horizontal structural inequalities by ethnicity. These developmental differences, unacknowledged by the Thai state, nonetheless affect state-minority relations, particularly the relationship between the dominant Central Thai ethnic community and the Thai Lao (TL) ethnic community. The general policy prescription to address such inequalities by ethnicity is to promote greater inclusion, as in UNSDG 10.2. As the state does not properly recognise the TL, this is problematic. This study applied a novel theoretical framework to obtain and analyse opinions from ‘Establishment’ and ‘Local Government Officials’ (LGO) samples as to whether and how to promote greater inclusion.

A political archaeology of Theravada Buddhism: Unearthing the emotions of changing funerary practices in northern Thailand

As the central Thai government expanded into the northern region during the early decades of the twentieth century, thousands of northern monks created a movement spearheaded by the famous monk, Khruba Srivichai (1878–1939). Even after Srivichai's multiple arrests and the disrobing of some 1,000 of his disciples in 1936, tensions continued. Oral histories reveal underlying differences in religious interpretations; one was outrage at the construction of funerary chedis on temple grounds. To understand why northerners found this practice sacrilegious, this essay undertakes an ideological archaeology into the ‘space of dissension’ of differing central and northern Thai funerary practices.

Capacity Enhancement of Family Development Centre Staff in Early Childhood Language Learning

This study aimed to identify effective plans using the Future Search Conference (FSC) approach to enhance the Thai Family Development Centre (FDC) staff in early childhood language promotion through good parenting.  Data from, 55 stakeholders FDC staff, district and local health centres, Child Care Centres (CCCs), and local authorities from 10 villages of rural subdistricts in a central Thai province, Thailand, checked for correctness and analyzed using thematic analysis, alongside field notes from observations, worksheets, videotape records, and photo voice. Results revealed that applying FSC techniques created a common future and successfully helped participants to understand past situations clearly and factors related to the problem. Three key strategies emerged to enhance FDC staff capacity including 1) organising ongoing training workshops to enhance staff knowledge and skills needed to achieve effective work performance, 2) building teamwork and 3) developing staff morale for working.

Genotype-Phenotype Correlation of G6PD Mutations among Central Thai Children with G6PD Deficiency.

Background Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common X-linked inherited erythroenzymopathy in Thailand. The clinical and hematological manifestations of G6PD deficiency are variable. Objective This study aimed to characterize the genotype-phenotype correlation of G6PD mutations in Thai pediatric patients who were followed-up in Phramongkutklao Hospital, a tertiary center in central Thailand. Material and Method. A total of 102 children including 73 males (71.6%) and 29 females (28.4%) were included in our study. Mutation analysis was performed by direct DNA sequencing of all coding exons of the G6PD gene. Ninety-one patients (89.2%) were presented with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and 11 patients (10.8%) were presented with acute hemolytic anemia beyond the neonatal period. Results Molecular analysis of the G6PD gene in 102 G6PD-deficient Thai children identified 12 different mutations. G6PD Viangchan (871G > A) and G6PD Canton (1376G > T) were the first (46.2%) and the second (15.4%) most common identified mutations among both male and female G6PD-deficient individuals, respectively. All affected males were hemizygous for G6PD mutations and had an average G6PD level of 16.7 ± 11.5 (3–76) IU/ml.RBC. Majority of female patients (27 in 29, 93.1%) were heterozygous for G6PD mutations and had an average G6PD level of 133.6 ± 43.4 (9–195) IU/ml.RBC. Two female patients (6.9%) were either homozygous or compound heterozygous for the mutations and had G6PD level in the affected male range (35 and 10 IU/ml.RBC). Only 1 in 27 heterozygous females (3.7%) had G6PD level in the affected male range (9 IU/ml.RBC) which is possibly explained by nonrandom X-chromosome inactivation. The correlation of genotypes, G6PD levels, and clinical phenotypes was not demonstrated in our study in which all of the included G6PD-deficient patients were presented with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and acute hemolytic anemia, since the genotype-phenotype correlation is normally demonstrated in chronic nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia (CNSHA) G6PD-deficient individuals. Conclusion This study characterizes the molecular heterogeneity of G6PD variants causing G6PD deficiency in Thai children. Our study demonstrated the efficiency of direct DNA sequencing which can identify 12 missense mutations in Thai children.

The Hmong and the Communist Party of Thailand: A Transnational, Transcultural and Gender-Relations-Transforming Experience

AbstractBeginning in the early 1960s—and especially by the end of the decade—a large number of the ethnic Hmong people in Thailand aligned themselves with the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT). By the 1970s, most of the CPT's “liberated areas” were located in remote, mountainous areas populated by Hmong people. In this paper, I situate Hmong involvement in CPT through the literature related to the multi-ethnic connections being made through the organisation of armed groups and argue that Hmong involvement with the CPT was transnational, transcultural and gender-relations-transforming. The first Hmong Thai to join the CPT was recruited in neighbouring Laos. Other Hmong in Thailand heard about the CPT through radio broadcasts from Laos in Hmong language. Furthermore, many of the early CPT recruits travelled from their homes in Thailand for political and military instruction at a basic training centre called A-30, which was located somewhere in northern Laos near the border with China. There, most Hmong CPT recruits learned to speak, read and write central Thai language. Hmong CPT also started to meaningfully interact with other Thais, including those from northeastern and southern Thailand and Chinese Thais from Bangkok. Later, those deemed to have particular potential were sent to study in China or in Vietnam for specific military training. Some Hmong sent their children to study with the CPT; others went on their own. The Hmong also interacted with people from other communist movements in Southeast Asia.

Central Thai Food Culture and Acculturation During World War ii and the Vietnam War

As food has a substantial cultural and economic value, globalization and the Internet have posed challenges to traditional culture. As previous research on Thai food has focused on recipes and the consumption behavior of the royal family and upper-class Thai citizens, this study therefore aims to investigate the Thai food culture of ordinary Thais before the proliferation of a foreign food culture. Senior citizens from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in central Thailand who witnessed two major cultural encounters, specifically World War ii and the Vietnam War, were interviewed until full data was obtained. Content analysis within the guidelines of consumer behavior analysis was conducted. The findings confirm that central food culture has been passed down over generations and has become firmly established. Unless there has been convenient access to provincial centers, then, food from other regions has seldom been consumed. Also, before globalization, acculturation with foreign foods was barely noticeable. Overall, a key driver of this acculturation was so-called “food availability”.

THE SURVIVAL OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND ITS CURRENT APPEAL IN CENTRAL THAILAND

Traditional music in Central Thai society is a rich piece of culture that uncovers much about day to day existence in the society. This study investigates the factors contributing to the music’s declining appeal to the local people. It focuses on customary music in five focal regions of Thailand. In collecting the data, I combined survey, interviews, and observation. The analysis shows that the popularity and appeal of customary music in Central Thailand is declining. The decline is partly caused by the wide impacts of Western cultures and music on Thai society. Moreover, there are not many youngsters who are keen on preserving the existence of the traditional music. This is coupled with the absence of the government in supporting the survival of the music. It is pity as the folk music is very much in tune with the everyday life of Central Thai society. However, in order to survive it requires modernization and adaptation with the changing dynamics of the society.

Heritage management, education, and community involvement in Thailand: A central Thai community case

ABSTRACT This paper presents a case study of a long-term collaboration between academic scholars and a cohort of local community agents and personnel in the management of an archaeological site in central Thailand. There is a brief historical background of cultural heritage preservation in Thailand, including various aspects of collaborative approaches for cultural heritage management. We discuss and summarize background, reasons, context for collaboration, methodology (types and methods of collaboration), collaborator typology, problems and obstacles, and suggestions for best practices in cultural heritage preservation. This paper also discusses public education and the awareness of cultural heritage significance in protecting and preserving archaeological sites as national and local cultural properties.

Close genetic relationship between central Thai and Mon people in Thailand revealed by autosomal microsatellites.

Central Thailand is home to diverse populations with the central Thai constituting the major group, while the Mon, who migrated from southern Myanmar, are sparsely distributed within the region. A total of 338 individuals of eight central Thai (246 samples) and three Mon populations (92 samples) were newly genotyped. When combined with our previously published Mon data, this provides a total of 139 Mon samples. We found genetic similarity between the central Thai and Mon and weak sub-structuring among Thais from central, northern, and northeastern Thailand. The forensic parameter results show high discrimination values which are appropriate for forensic personal identification and paternity testing in both the central Thai and Mon; the probabilities of excluding paternity are 0.999999112 and 0.999999031, respectively, and the combined discrimination power is 0.9999999999999999999999 in both groups. This regional allelic frequency on forensic microsatellites may serve as a useful reference for further forensic investigations in both Thailand and Myanmar.

Flood Preparedness Literacy and Behaviors in Community Dwelling Older Adults.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to flood preparedness literacy and the relationship between flood preparedness literacy and behaviors. A quantitative descriptive correlational study. The sample included 134 people residing in a central Thai province. Descriptive statistics, point-biserial correlation coefficient, and Spearman's rank correlation were used in the data analysis. The results revealed that the factors related to flood preparedness literacy with a statistical significance were marital status (rpb = 0.207; P < 0.01), hearing ability (r = 0.197; P < 0.05), instrumental activities of daily living (r = 0.226; P < 0.01), and social support (r = 0.388; P < 0.01). Flood preparedness literacy was correlated with flood preparedness behaviors (r = 0.281; P < 0.01). The factors related to flood preparedness literacy as mentioned above should be assessed to identify vulnerable groups for specific care provision. Furthermore, nurses should promote these factors to contribute to effective responses during flood disasters.

When Violence Rises and Politicians Fall

This article examines a faction of parliamentary politicians called “Wadah.” The faction is fundamentally Malay-Muslim, regionally-based in Thailand’s Deep South and has moved from party to party since its inception in 1986. The initiators of the Wadah group believe that, by assembling themselves as one cohesive group, it would enhance their bargaining power vis-à-vis the central Thai government. This article examines Wadah’s origins, growth, downfall, and semi-resurgence up until today. While Wadah became a useful organization for pushing the needs of Malay-Muslims in the Deep South, the 2004 violence undermined Wadah politicians’ support in their own constituencies. The lesson for Wadah is that the greater the magnitude of violence that occurs, the more likelihood incumbent politicians belonging to ruling coalition will see their constituents defect from them in the next general election.

Klong yao and the Performance of Minority Identity in the Siamese Community of Perlis, Malaysia

The klong yao performance in the Siamese communities of Perlis was adopted from the Thai community in Central Thailand. Before this adoption, the ethnic consciousness of the Siamese communities was oriented towards a local variation of Thai-ness with similarities to southern Thai people in terms of linguistic and geopolitical references. After the klong yao was actively included in their cultural practices, the Siamese communities began to develop a representative identity that reinforced Central Thai cultural expressions. In this respect, the performance of klong yao reconstructs the identity of the Siamese communities in Perlis, Malaysia toward a Central Thai identity. The shift from a local and marginalised type of Siamese identity to a hegemonic and centralised Thai identity is observed with the choice to use klong yao as a representation of their identity during Malaysia’s various occasions for showcasing cultural performances.

Establishment of KEL*01 and KEL*02 Genotyping to Recruit Uncommon, Kell-positive, Reagent Red Cells Among Thai Blood Donors.

The reagent red blood cells used to screen and identify antibodies have to include K+ cells in all batch productions. The data of K/k phenotypes among differing Thai blood donor populations remains unknown; hence, mass screening for uncommon K+ donors by serological test has some limitations. Implementing K/k genotyping may be useful to predict uncommon K+ donors to overcome this challenge. This study aimed to establish an in-house K/k genotyping technique and to report KEL*01 and KEL*02 allele frequencies among three Thai blood donor populations to increase the selection of K+ donors in rare blood group databases. A total of 2,239 DNA samples obtained from 1,512 central, 427 southern, and 300 northern Thai blood donors were included. The KEL*01 and KEL*02 genotyping using PCR with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) was developed and validated. All samples were genotyped using developed PCR-SSP. Moreover, the possibility of finding group O and predicted K+ phenotypes among Thai blood donor populations was calculated. The DNA controls were validated using two sets of primer combinations and the results of KEL*01 and KEL*02 genotyping were in agreement. The KEL*01 allele frequencies were 0.0007, 0.0047, and 0.0000, and KEL*02 allele frequencies were 0.9993, 0.9953, and 1.0000 among central, southern, and northern Thai donors, respectively. In addition, mass screening among 3,795 and 566 donors in central and southern Thai populations was required to find at least one group O and predicted K+ phenotypes. The in-house PCR-SSP for KEL*01 and KEL*02 genotyping provided reproducible and accurate results with cost effectiveness. Our results confirmed the low KEL*01 allele frequencies among Thais. PCR-SSP could be used as an alternative technique to simply increase the number of uncommon predicted K+ phenotypes for reagent red blood cell recruitments.