Northeastern Thailand Research Articles

Northeastern Thai Local Wisdom as Creativity Sources: A Case of the Collaboration Concept in Weaving Methods Using Tung Strings and Bamboo Strains as Lamp Design

The research on local wisdom in northeastern Thailand as a creativity source is part of the study of the bamboo weaving method's application to new concept design in the scope of cross- culture. Observing cultural community character and applying it to evaluating design between Northeastern cultural characters resulted in the development of a new weaving concept involving tung strings and bamboo strains. In approaching the bamboo weaving scope, the methods for selecting the population were purposeful and quotasampling, which aimed to emphasize the importance of creativity development, treatment of the material sector, and culture in the product function approach. Managing the community's design thinking step activity in the woven product as a source of creativity helps determine the framework based on conditions to set new goals for product development based on the philosophy of art in shape and methods used by the local community. Weaving is a social activity practiced by people in northeastern Thailand. On occasion, woven products are used as functional items, tung as decorative items, and silk weaving as an identity.

The Determinants of Treatment Delay and Quality of Life among the Newly Diagnosed Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Northeastern Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Delays in diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) are linked to financial difficulties, employment limits, dependency, and symptomatic treatment, all of which have an impact on the patient's quality of life. Patients' psychological, economic, and social well-being are also harmed by delayed therapy. The goal of this research was to evaluate sociodemographic characteristics and quality of life in new pulmonary TB patients and determine the associated factors with delayed TB diagnosis. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Choke Chai Community Hospital, in Northeastern Thailand between 2016 and 2018. The information related to the patient's medical history and laboratory tests were gathered from 332 newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients at the hospital's tuberculosis clinic; of those 15 died and were excluded from the final analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. The cases included new cases (94%) and those returning to receive treatment after discontinuation of treatment, relapse, or recurrence of the disease (6%). The sample consisted of 68.7% males and 31.3% females. The average age was 52.7 years (S.D = 15.64). The majority of patients were married (60.5%), employed (68.6%), received a low income (66.6%), had a history of chronic diseases (73%), drank alcohol (31.7%), and smoked (85.7%). Approximately half of PTB experienced treatment delay and had a low quality of life (QoL) (46.6%). The treatment delay was associated with age > 50 years (p <0.05), low self-care (p <0.05), long distance to facility (p <0.05), unavailable caretaker to treat (p <0.05), no caregiver in family (p <0.05), high expenses (p <0.01), and lack of information (p <0.001). It appeared that the patients' health-related quality of life could be deteriorated as a result of pulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment delays can be significantly reduced by changing the understanding of family caregivers, increasing awareness, providing adequate support for patients, and guaranteeing early diagnosis and treatment by implementing an efficient surveillance system.

Compliance with Laws and Slaughterhouse Standards of Butcher’s Shops in North-Eastern Thailand

The objective of this research is to study the characteristics of slaughterhouses and meat distribution of butcher’s shops operating under the relevant laws, including attitudes, problems, and obstacles facing butchers in implementing the law in the north-eastern part of Thailand. A total of 14 butcher shops at Baan Din Dam, Muang District, Maha Sarakham Province, participated in the study. Data were collected by surveying, interviews by using a semi-structured questionnaire, and focus group discussion. It was found that in cases where animals are slaughtered in standard slaughterhouses, butchers complied with the law. On the other hand, in the case of butchers who slaughtered animals by themselves, it was found that the practice mostly did not meet the standards as required by law. In terms of problems, obstacles, and attitudes of butchers regarding legal compliance, it was found that the butchers have knowledge related to law at a moderate level. They considered that the law was difficult to follow, but there was also a positive opinion that complying with the law gives consumers confidence and safety. Education level is the factor affecting opinions and attitudes on slaughter and meat distribution law. Compliance with butchers’ slaughter and meat distribution laws in north-eastern part of Thailand requires supervision from the government, and ongoing provision of education is necessary.

Risk assessment of flash flood situation under land use change using daily SWAT streamflow simulation in Loei Basin, Northeastern, Thailand

Flash flood typically occurs in the wet season caused by heavy rain from upstream to downstream and land use changes. This research mainly aims to apply SWAT model to assess the variation of streamflow in Loei Basin, Northeastern Thailand by comparing the daily streamflow during flash flood in the rainy season in the years 2002, 2011, and 2017. This included considering the three different time periods of land use change patterns input to SWAT to assess the impact on streamflow. The result revealed that daily SWAT streamflow simulation compared to data obtained from KH58A station in 2011 was reliable as could be seen from acceptable R2 and PBIAS. In terms of the tendency of land use change, conventional agricultural was replaced with rubber plantation, sugarcane, and urbanization. From this situation, most flood risk areas occur along the mainstream from middle to northern of basin outlet, including being a municipal community area with a high density of residents. It is expected to be a risky area affected by the flood situation. The result of this research can be used as a guideline for land use and water resource management when encountering sudden changes in hydrologic conditions in the wet season.

Airborne particulate matter from biomass burning in Thailand: Recent issues, challenges, and options

Many of the current atmospheric environmental problems facing Thailand are linked to air pollution that is largely derived from biomass burning. Different parts of Thailand have distinctive sources of biomass emissions that affect air quality. The main contributors to atmospheric particulate matter (PM), especially the PM2.5 fraction in Thailand, were highlighted in a recent study of PM derived from biomass burning. This review is divided into six sections. Section one is an introduction to biomass burning in Thailand. Section two covers issues related to biomass burning for each of the four main regions in Thailand, including Northern, Northeastern, Central, and Southern Thailand. In northern Thailand, forest fires and the burning of crop residues have contributed to air quality in the past decade. The northeast region is mainly affected by the burning of agricultural residues. However, the main contributor to PM in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region is motor vehicles and crop burning. In Southern Thailand, the impact of agoindustries, biomass combustion, and possible agricultural residue burning are the primary sources, and cross-border pollution is also important. The third section concerns the effect of biomass burning on human health. Finally, perspectives, new challenges, and policy recommendations are made concerning improving air quality in Thailand, e.g., forest fuel management and biomass utilization. The overall conclusions point to issues that will have a long-term impact on achieving a blue sky over Thailand through the development of coherent policies and the management of air pollution and sharing this knowledge with a broader audience.

Consumer Health Behavior and Business Adaptation of Thai Street Food Vendors Under the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Street Food Vendors In Lower Northeastern Thailand.

Objective: Street food has been a Thai cultural experience valued by locals and visitors alike. The epidemic of covid-19 has affected the hospitality industry worldwide, including tiny and medium-sized enterprises (SME) eateries. Street food vendors unquestionably operate the least successful businesses among these food providers. The purpose of investigating the adaptation of street food vendors is to learn about new ways for small businesses to adjust regarding consumer health behavior (CHB) to survive under a crisis situation and discover new dimensions of business survival. Methods: This study questioned 400 street food vendors in the lower northeastern region of Thailand using a Likert scale questionnaire to collect data. Results: According to the findings of this study, the CHB influences the adoption of new business practices from the standpoint of consumers. Conclusion: This study's model is a substantial contribution to the corpus of knowledge. This study's practical consequences offer a path ahead for adopting a CHB-oriented street food company.

The prevalence and treatment patterns of familial hypercholesterolemia among Thai patients with premature coronary artery disease

ABSTRACT Objectives Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that is characterized by severe hypercholesterolemia. The prevalence of FH in Thailand has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of FH and treatment patterns among Thai patients with premature coronary artery disease (pCAD). Methods A total of 1,180 pCAD patients at two heart centers from northeastern and southern Thailand between October 2018 and September 2020 were enrolled. FH was diagnosed using the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network (DLCN) criteria. pCAD was diagnosed in men aged < 55 years and women aged < 60 years. Results The prevalence of definite/probable FH, possible FH, and unlikely FH in pCAD patients was 1.36% (n = 16), 24.83% (n = 293), and 73.81% (n = 871), respectively. Definite/probable FH in pCAD patients had a significantly higher frequency of STEMI but a lower frequency of hypertension than those with unlikely FH. After discharge, most pCAD patients (95.51%) received statin therapy. Definite/probable FH patients had a higher frequency of high-intensity statin therapy than those with possible FH and unlikely FH. After follow-up for 3–6 months, approximately 54.72% of pCAD patients with DLCN scores ≥ 5 had a reduction in LDL-C > 50% from baseline. Conclusions The prevalence of definite/probable FH, particularly possible FH, was high among pCAD patients in this study. The early diagnosis of FH among Thai pCAD patients should be performed for the early treatment and prevention of CAD.

Deeper or Shallower? Interactions and Temporal Variability in Choosing Burrowing Depth between Species of Economic Burrowing Frogs of Forest Area from Northeastern Thailand

Burrowing is one of the important seasonal behaviors in amphibians that could be related to physiological ecology and environmental factors. Burrowing characteristics and temporal variability in burrowing behaviors were explored and examined from three sampling surveys in northeastern Thailand in 2017–2018. Four species of burrowing frogs were identified with overwhelmingly abundant specimens in two species, Glyphoglossus molossus and Kaloula mediolineata. In general, K. mediolineata burrowed deeper than G. molossus although their body size were not different. There were no clear relationships between burrowing depth and frog body size in each species, although G. molossus showed larger SVL in dry seasons than that in rainy seasons. In contrast to K. mediolineata which preferred to burrow deeper in dry seasons, burrowing depth of G. molossus was almost stable among seasons. The results of this study highlighted an interaction between season and species in the burrowing depth of these two frog species in northeastern Thailand.

Caprine Roundworm Nematode Resistance to Macrocyclic Lactones in Northeastern Thailand

Roundworm nematodes are a significant problem in goat meat farming worldwide. These parasites can cause production losses, reduce feed efficiency and compromise animal health and welfare. Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are common anthelmintic drugs to treat roundworm nematode infection in livestock. The objective of study was to detect roundworm resistance to MLs in meat goats in Northeast Thailand. One hundred and nineteen goats from 6 herds were studied from June to December 2022. Each herd was randomly allocated to control (n=21), epinomectin (n=34), ivermectin (n=40) and moxidectin (n=24) groups. Anthelmintic resistance (AR) was assessed based on the Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) and larva culture at pre-treatment (D0) and 14 days post-treatment (D14). Prevalence of Strongyle nematodes and Trichuris spp. infection was 100% (6/6 herd), and 66.7% (4/6 herd), respectively. The number of Strongyle eggs was significantly reduced in the eprinomectin group (p &lt; 0.01). In contrast, the ivermectin group was significantly increased (p &lt; 0.01). The prevalence of ML resistance of Strongyle nematodes and Trichuris spp. was 83.3% (5/6 herd) and 25.0% (1/4 herd), respectively. The dominant larva was Haemonchus contortus at pre- and post-treatment in every herd. This study demonstrated the presence of ML resistant Strongyle nematodes as H. contortus and Trichuris spp. in this area. To reduce ML resistance it can be useful to use drugs in combination or rotate MLs with other classes of anthelmintics or in targeted treatment programs and integrated parasite management strategies. Consequently, the efficacy of anthelmintic drugs in small ruminants needs to be monitored and surveilled in this area.

Microbiome Composition and Microbial Community Structure in Mosquito Vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in Northeastern Thailand, a Dengue-Endemic Area.

Bacterial content in mosquito larvae and adults is altered by dynamic interactions during life and varies substantially in variety and composition depending on mosquito biology and ecology. This study aimed to identify the microbiota in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus and in water from their breeding sites in northeastern Thailand, a dengue-endemic area. Bacterial diversity in field-collected aquatic larvae and subsequently emerged adults of both species from several locations were examined. The microbiota was characterized based on analysis of DNA sequences from the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and exhibited changes during development, from the mosquito larval stage to the adult stage. Aedes aegypti contained a significantly higher number of bacterial genera than did Ae. albopictus, except for the genus Wolbachia, which was present at significantly higher frequencies in male Ae. albopictus (p < 0.05). Our findings also indicate likely transstadial transmission from larva to adult and give better understanding of the microbial diversity in these mosquitoes, informing future control programs against mosquito-borne diseases.

Development of Scientific Thinking for 4th Grade Students Based on Predict-Observe-Present-Explain (POPE) Activity Management

Scientific thinking is considered to be an important factor influenced the scientific learning achievements and the goal of providing the thinking skills. Therefore, the purpose of this research was attempted to develop the scientific thinking for 4th Grade students using Predict-Observe-Present-Explain (POPE) activity management to achieve the 70% criteria. The target group was 6 students of 4th Grade students at a primary school, Ban Don Santi School, Maha Sarakham Province, Northeastern Thailand. The participants chosen by the purposive sampling was studying in the second semester of the academic year 2021. The research instruments were 1) the twelve lesson plans for Predict-Observe-Present-Explain (POPE) activity, 2) the multiple choices test for the scientific thinking and 3) the observation form of scientific thinking. Data were analyzed and expressed as mean, percentage and standard deviation. The findings demonstrate that the percentage score of students’ scientific thinking was 65% for the first learning cycle and 79.45% for the second learning cycle that using the developed POPE activityThe obtained results from this research indicate that predict-observe-present-explain (POPE) activity management is a learning strategy that can be used for developing the scientific thinking to achieve the 70% of the scientific thinking criteria and applied for developing other scientific performances.

Melodies of Isan Lam: The Transmission of Knowledge to Inherit MoLam’s Performing Art

The objective of this study were to: 1) research and collect information about Isan MoLam’s performing arts; 2) study the current conditions and problems affecting MoLam’s performing arts knowledge inheritance; and 3) study the process of transferring knowledge to inherit MoLam’s performing arts knowledge. Descriptive analysis was used to examine and report data from documents and fieldwork. The outcomes are as follows: 1) According to MoLam research, when the colonial country invaded this region, the Thai Lao ethnic culture in northeastern Thailand and Lao PDR was split. On the Thai side, individuals flocked to the center area to meet with Siam. MoLam in the Northeast has steadily developed since then, and it may be classified into four types: (a) non-dramatic MoLam, (b) dramatic MoLam, (c) ritual MoLam, and (d) miscellaneous MoLam; 2) As Thai society enters the internet era, there are numerous popular entertainment mediums, leading people’s morals to shift and lowering people’s interest in viewing MoLam performances and roles. The goal is to find a way to pass down this performance art to future generations; 3) Knowledge transfer: After synthesizing the material to be taught, the students are separated into two groups: (a) MoLam singing has been practiced by a group of elementary and high school students; (b) MoLam singing, and music have been practiced by a group of students at higher education institutions. Under the established parameters, both groups have extra talents. In conclusion, this study may be utilized as a model for conveying local wisdom information.

Preliminary Survey of Pathogens in the Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) in Thailand

Widespread parasites, along with emerging threats, globalization, and climate change, have greatly affected honey bees' health, leading to colony losses worldwide. In this study, we investigated the detection of biotic stressors (i.e., viruses, microsporidian, bacteria, and fungi) in Apis cerana by surveying the colonies across different regions of Thailand (Chiang Mai in the north, Nong Khai and Khon Kaen in the northeast, and Chumphon and Surat Thani in the south, in addition to the Samui and Pha-ngan islands). In this study, we detected ABPV, BQCV, LSV, and Nosema ceranae in A. cerana samples through RT-PCR. ABPV was only detected from the samples of Chiang Mai, whereas we found BQCV only in those from Chumphon. LSV was detected only in the samples from the Samui and Pha-ngan islands, where historically no managed bees are known. Nosema ceranae was found in all of the regions except for Nong Khai and Khon Kaen in northeastern Thailand. Paenibacillus larvae and Ascosphaera apis were not detected in any of the A. cerana samples in this survey. The phylogenetic tree analysis of the pathogens provided insights into the pathogens' movements and their distribution ranges across different landscapes, indicating the flow of pathogens among the honey bees. Here, we describe the presence of emerging pathogens in the Asian honey bee as a valuable step in our understanding of these pathogens in terms of the decline in eastern honey bee populations.

Evaluation and Geoconservation of Dinosaur Footprint Paleontological Heritage at the Khon Kaen National Geopark in Northeastern Thailand

Evaluation and Geoconservation of Dinosaur Footprint Paleontological Heritage at the Khon Kaen National Geopark in Northeastern Thailand

The Differential Evolution Algorithm for Solving the Problem of Size Selection and Location of Infectious Waste Incinerator

The disposal of infectious waste remains one of the most severe medical, social, and environmental problems in almost every country. Choosing the right location and arranging the most suitable transport route is one of the main issues in managing hazardous waste. Identifying a site for the disposal of infectious waste is a complicated process because both tangible and intangible factors must be considered together, and it also depends on various rules and regulations. This research aims to solve the problem of the size selection and location of infectious waste incinerators for 109 community hospitals in the upper part of northeastern Thailand by applying a differential evolution algorithm to solve the problem with the objective of minimizing the total system cost, which consists of the cost of transporting infectious waste, the fixed costs, and the variable cost of operating the infectious waste incinerator. The developed differential evolution produces vectors that differ from the conventional differential evolution. Instead of a single set of vectors, three are created to search for the solution. In addition to solving the problem of the case study, this research conducts numerical experiments with randomly generated data to measure the performance of the differential evolution algorithm. The results show that the proposed algorithm efficiently solves the problem and can find the global optimal solution for the problem studied.

Resilience to unusual flooding after 2021 tropical storms in part of mainland Southeast Asia

In Southeast Asian countries, flooding is common and occurs a few weeks after tropical storms. In Thailand, the government’s approach to dealing with flooding is focused on the construction of anthropogenic megastructures. The loss of life, property, and ecosystem from flooding still occurs and will likely become increasingly more severe soon due to global climate variation. Here, in this brief report, we show a case study analyzing the cause of unusual flooding that occurred from September to November 2021 during the tropical depression “Dianmu” and the tropical cyclone “Kompasu” that hit the Khorat Plateau, northeastern Thailand. These two tropical storms left behind vast flooded urban and agricultural areas in the upstream part of the Chi River on this, the largest plateau in mainland Southeast Asia. The flood water stagnated for a month and unusually drained downslope in the upstream zone. In this work, a series of free online access satellite images taken by the Sentinel-1 C band GRD and Sentinel-2 available in the Google Earth engine platform was analyzed. As a result, we confirmed that the normal nature of water flow was problematic due to the presence of anthropogenic structures, especially roads. The installation of different design and dimensions of culverts are urgently recommended, particularly in the floodplain zone. The quick responsible idea provided in this paper highlights and simplifies the resilience to future extreme weather events of the rural community and ecosystem.

Potential toxicity of wild Ipomoea ingested by schoolchildren in remote Northeastern Thailand

Background: Natural plant toxins can cause food poisoning upon intentional or unintentional consumption of wild plants. Some toxic wild plants can be mistaken for edible species because of their morphological resemblance. This study examined a poisoning case report of schoolchildren who consumed a steamed tuberous root of wild Ipomoea, misidentified as I. mauritiana, and experienced gastrointestinal toxicity. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the tuberous root of wild Ipomoea using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a DNA barcode and characterize compounds obtained using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Materials and methods: DNA was extracted from fresh and cooked samples of the storage root. PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of the entire ITS region were performed. FastTree and maximum likelihood analyses were used to obtain phylogenetic trees of the Ipomoea species. Root extracts were prepared for GC-MS analysis, and potentially harmful phytochemicals responsible for poisonous plant exposure were predicted based on a well-established plant toxin database. Results: ITS phylogeny showed a close relationship between wild toxic Ipomoea and edible I. mauritiana. The chemometric profile obtained from GC-MS analysis of the root extracts revealed the presence of 31 phytochemicals. Among them, two putatively toxic compounds identified were β-amyrin and coumarin. Conclusion: Misidentification of the wild poisonous plant reported herein resulted in toxic plant ingestion. Although most poisonous plant exposures are not life threatening, measures should be taken to ensure the safety of the general public.

The multilingual profile and its impact on identity: Approaching the difference between multilingualism and multilingual identity or linguistic identity

This paper visualizes why the identity of multilingual speakers cannot be described adequately with the term “multilingual identity”. Exemplarily, the multilingual profiles of multilingual speakers in Northeastern Thailand are explained showing that language may come without an identity signal. It appears that multilingualism is generally rather situational functional. Instead of equating identity with language, the research shows how the multilingual profile of individuals may influence their self-concept i.e., their identity. The paper also reviews other discipline's identity concepts and their applicability to linguistic research aiming to fill the research gap concerning the theoretical modelling of linguistic identity and the lack of a standardized examination method for linguistic identity. The aim of this paper is to describe theoretical aspects of the modelling of linguistic identity and to provide a standardized methodology that can be used to capture what was identified as a linguistic identity on the example of the Kui minority.

Addition to Microascales (Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota): Synnematotriadelphiaceae fam. nov., &lt;i&gt;Triadelphia mukdahanensis&lt;/i&gt; sp. nov.&lt;italic/&gt; (Triadelphiaceae) and the validation of Graphiaceae

A new species, <italic>Triadelphia</italic> <italic>mukdahanensis</italic> from northeastern Thailand, is introduced based on morphology and multi-gene phylogeny of combined ITS, LSU, SSU, and RPB2 sequence datasets. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that <italic>T.</italic> <italic>mukdahanensis</italic> is closely related to <italic>T. heterospora</italic> with high bootstrap support. However, <italic>T.</italic> <italic>mukdahanensis</italic> is distinct from <italic>T. heterospora</italic> and other exist species in conidial characteristics. In addition, the present study clarifies the current taxonomic placement of the genus <italic>Synnematotriadelphia</italic> based on phylogenetic analyses. The result shows that <italic>Synnematotriadelphia</italic> forms a distinct lineage in the clade comprising Triadelphiaceae and Graphiaceae. Therefore, a new family, Synnematotriadelphiaceae, is introduced to accommodate this distinct lineage and Graphiaceae is also validated herein.

Determination of biological safety profile and nutritional composition of cattle small intestinal digesta (“Pia”), a traditional food ingredient in Northeastern Thailand

Determination of biological safety profile and nutritional composition of cattle small intestinal digesta (“Pia”), a traditional food ingredient in Northeastern Thailand