Thai Culture Research Articles

Evaluating the Relevance of Actor-Network Theory in Understanding Floating Markets of Thailand: A Critical Review

This comprehensive review provides an analytical and critical examination of the journal article 'Floating markets in Thailand: same, same, but different' by Chalermpet Pangajarn, René van der Duim, and Karin Peters, published in the Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change in 2018. The focus of the journal article, and consequently, this review, is on the unique tourism development of five distinct floating markets in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand, which have come to symbolize Thai culture. This review employs the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a lens to unravel the complex and fluid dynamics of these markets, exploring how they have adapted and transformed over time to meet the demands of international tourism. Additionally, it highlights potential biases, power dynamics, and the significance of spatial and temporal considerations in the application of ANT to cultural and geographical studies. The review concludes with a discussion on challenges and opportunities in applying ANT to tourism studies and provides a potential alternative view emphasizing the need for relational analysis in understanding the diverse and dynamic nature of these markets. Overall, the review aims to contribute to the academic discourse on tourism development by providing a deeper understanding of Thailand's floating markets, assessing the methodological approach of ANT, and suggesting potential directions for future research.

Thailand's experience in Advance Care Planning

In 2007, Thailand enacted the National Health Act, which contains the Advance Directive (Section 12). Even though the Act was enacted nearly sixteen years ago, physicians have not fully adopted it, limiting the number of patients who can benefit from the Advance Directive. Thai culture values the role of extended family in end-of-life planning, which is frequently marked by a conspiracy of silence (inability to discuss end-of-life issues), so patients may have limited opportunities to participate in decision-making and care planning. Thailand introduced a Palliative Care Policy in 2014. The inclusion of palliative care in the health service plan is the most crucial factor for palliative care provision. Through health inspections, the Ministry of Public Health supervises, monitors, and evaluates the management of the National Palliative Care Program. Advance Care Planning (ACP) and three other major KPIs were to be included in health inspections by 2020. In 2021, the Office of the National Health Commission implemented ACP, including the formation of (a) a committee to create a national ACP form and standard operating procedures and (b) a steering committee to oversee the nationwide implementation of ACP.

Independence or Interdependence?: The Thai Self-Construal as Reflected by Linguistic Evidence

Abstract Self-construal can influence the ways people in distinct cultures think, perceive and interact with others. To date, scholars still present different arguments on the prominent self-construal of Thais. The present study aims at examining Thai linguistic data including proverbs, sayings, cultural key terms and interactional data in response to the question of whether Thai culture places emphasis on independent or interdependent perspectives of the self. The findings reveal that Thai sayings, proverbs and cultural key terms reflect both independent and interdependent self-construals. Yet, those that stress interdependency outnumber independency. As for interactional practices in daily exchanges, the usage of pronominal terms, final particles for (im)politeness and lexical variants marking interpersonal relationships make it mandatory for Thai speakers to pay attention to interpersonal relationships. Lastly, in task-based superior-subordinate conversations, collaborative and non-confrontational styles are preferred by Thai superiors. Their interactional style reflects features influenced by interdependent self-construal.

Thai musicology in context: epistemic disparities in Thai and western ways of knowing Thai music

ABSTRACT Relatively little has been published in English about dontri Thai (Thai classical music) and due to the absence of Thai scholars from English language musicological scholarship, most of what has been published was written by non-Thai scholars who have relied upon terms and concepts developed for explaining music with roots in the European tradition. The importation of extrinsic categories conceals indigenous explanatory models and blocks paths connecting Thai musical performance and thought to other areas of Thai culture and social life. This article frames the silence of Thai voices and their ways of knowing as the epistemological dimension of the colonising enterprise, the effects of which have made their way into Thai universities where they have transformed intellectual life and dontri Thai pedagogy. The disciplinary reorientation suggested here aims towards a pluralist model of musicological thought and method. This will open a space for different ways of musical knowing, creating, and theorising to enter from where they may decentre and reshape Western musicological discourse and practice. A rethink of musicology will help align its disciplinary goals with the aims of addressing equality of representation and allow unheard Thai voices to explain their own music in their own terms.

77 Assessing Value of a Novel NC State University Two-Week Animal Science Study Abroad Course in Chiang Mai, Thailand for Post-Pandemic Student Education

Abstract Partially due to COVID-19 education adaptations, students and teachers alike have become more normalized to online learning platforms. While this can be valuable, it has led to an increased concern that students resist in-person meetings, lack animal and personal interactive skills and many social and cultural cues. Online platforms can allow globalized learning, but there is considerable difference between interactive study abroad education and online delivery methods. After 2 years of COVID-19 impacting study abroad programs, NC State University programs reopened in Spring 2022, although the interest and availability were understandably less than pre-pandemic years. The novel ANS 395 course Thailand: Global Animal Management Issues, Concerns and Solutions was offered Summer 2022 as a two-week, three credit hour course with 17 undergraduate students. Of these students, at least 24% had never flown, 35% had never traveled outside the USA and many more had not traveled since they were young. ANS 395 explores Thai culture and its influence on cat, dog, and elephant management as compared with North American norms. The students were housed near Chiang Mai, Thailand at a large animal sanctuary that is residence to over 100 elephants, 600 dogs and 2,000 cats. In ANS 395, students were taught and allowed to participate in basic veterinary techniques including physical exams, blood collections, IV catheter placement, suturing, medical injections, skin scraping, fecal testing, feed intake assessment, and surgical (spay/neuter) preparation. Students were able to interact with numerous animal professionals and rescued animal species in unique situations including cats in large outdoor population holding areas, semi aggressive and / or paralyzed dogs, elephants that had been severely abused, suffered landmine wounds, or were geriatric. Over 90% of the Thai population identifies as Buddhist. This presents a unique animal management learning perspective since Buddhism teaches the avoidance of all work that involves any killing of animals. Therefore, euthanasia is avoided in most veterinary cases. In contrast, many of the unique animal situations discussed above would be considered for individual humane euthanasia in North America. The novelty of ANS 395 for both instructors and students did not allow for research into how the opinions of the students on ethics and animal care may have been altered by the first offering of this course. Students were asked to Likert scale rank their Thailand animal science experience from 1(poor) to 10 (best). The average was 9/10 (n = 17). This indicates that the student’s post-pandemic valued and enjoyed their interactive study abroad experience. However, instructors did note potential post pandemic increases in social interaction difficulties. As this course develops, knowledge from 2022 will allow student assessment on ethical standpoints regarding animal care prior and post travel to understand cultural and animal management opinion changes after real world exposure.

A New Perspective on the Perception of Thai Culture Reflected by Thai University Students’ Accounts through the Lens of Small Cultures

Thai culture has been discussed in several studies, yet such discussion is fixed and fails to consider the complexity and dynamism of Thai culture in response to the changing circumstances within society. This qualitative study employed an innovative photo-elicitation technique, utilizing online semi-structured interviews, to explore eighteen Thai university students’ perceptions of Thai culture and to establish whether or not their perceptions differ from prescribed ethnic, national, and international qualities. Data from the Thematic Analysis demonstrate that Thai university students’ perceptions differ from traditional Thai cultural values in terms of the openness of their sexual attitudes and behavior, the equal relationships between younger and older people, and the promotion of gender equality. Using the notion of small cultures as a conceptual framework, the findings add variety to Thai cultural values and beliefs and raise questions about an imagined conception of national cultures, leading to cultural generalizations by setting up stereotypes of others. Taken together, this study suggests moving beyond generalizations or stereotypes about national groups, or the essentialist view of culture, supporting the notion that culture is dynamic and complex and unrestricted by national boundaries. This study contributes to wider scholarship on intercultural communication by demonstrating that there are a variety of behaviors and perceptions of Thai culture within a single group of Thai people, highlighting that Thai culture is constantly evolving and never fixed.

Tall ghosts, Chopsticks and Monitor Lizards: Name-calling and its Perpetrators in the Cultural Context of Thailand

Abstract While name-calling has been associated with several adverse effects on students’ well-being, it is often overlooked, particularly if understood as harmless teasing. Scholars have stressed that not only the intention of the name-caller but also the perception of the receiver should be considered. Such perceptions can be influenced by cultural value orientations, which remain understudied but gain importance with the increasing internationalisation of education. This study explores name-calling in the context of Thailand, a prototypical collectivist, high power distance society, which has shown a high prevalence of verbal bullying. This study conducted 95 autobiographical written narratives and 20 in-depth interviews of past and current name-calling experiences with Thai university students. Findings revealed that friends, teachers, and parents frequently called students names, which were primarily related to students’ skin colour and weight. Despite its adverse effects, name-calling was often normalised and accepted as part of Thai culture. Values including collectivism, conflict avoidance, social harmony, being considerate and shared enjoyment appeared to discourage students from defending themselves against friends, who were frequently identified as name-callers. Teachers regularly called students hurtful names, particularly when taking attendance, entertaining the class, asking questions, and addressing performance, which seemed to be reinforced by the societal norm of showing respect to people of high status.

Merit Piggy Bank in the Digital Economy

Making merit, especially charity and donation, is enormous in Asian countries, particularly in Thailand, where it has long been systematically incorporated into Thai culture. This study aimed to evaluate the literature on merit-making in the digital economy. A narrative synthesis was employed for this study. The documentary method and content analysis via systematic review were used to analyze the data. Making merit has several benefits such as improving the community, as well as receiving a tax-deductible and reducing a tax burden. The most fruitful form of merit-making is the good deeds accomplished. Apart from donating money to temples, there are other ways to earn merit these days, including volunteering, painting a school building and so on. In the digital age, online merit-making is becoming more popular. These days, donors use applications or online platforms for merit-making so they can keep track online, similar to a merit piggy bank, which may make the donors happy and encourage them to continue donating. It may benefit the government, private agencies, and other organizations in developing an effective strategy to meet the needs and expectations of donors who wish to donate via digital platforms, which may benefit Thai society and beyond.

Destination Space in Film: Viewer Perspectives on Film Destination Contributions to Promoting Thai Tourism

The new concept was coined in studying destination image portrayed through films. This concept is proposed as "destination space" and developed on the basis of narrative analysis. The objective of this research is to analyze the placement of "destination" and "space" in the narrative of select films that contribute to the promotion of Thai tourism produced after the year 2000. Films in this study consisted of eight films: The Beach, The Hangover Part II, Go Lala Go, Lost in Thailand, Nang Nak, Pee Mak Phrakanong, Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, and Tom Yum Goong: The Protector. The results show how the representation of the Destination Space' levels can be conducted to a sense of the viewer's perspective on film destination. Places are seen at the first level as "physicality of space" creating a sense of glamour. The second level, emotionally changing space, can enhance how the story emphasizes the role of unique Thai culture or Thainess. The highest level known as Thematic Space looks at how the theme of a film contributes to Thai tourism. The researchers verify the typology of the "destination space" gathered from the eight selected films and it can become the material sense of imagination for selling via film tourism events that are comprised of six characters: (1) exotic world, (2) idyllic space, (3) nostalgic space, (4) modern space, (5) spiritual space, and (6) martial art space. The interpretation of the findings suggests that viewers desire wanderlust to experience their opposite life in the form of a new world. Prominently, this study suggests that the vicissitudes of film tourism will decrease once the TAT turns to collaboration in order to prioritize the narrative of domestic-made films as a key player.

Exploring Discomfort Experienced During Chemotherapy in Thai Breast Cancer Patients.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females worldwide, and a new era is prevalent in the early stage. A qualitative approach explores discomfort experienced during adjuvant chemotherapy among Thai breast cancer patients. The participants were selected by purposive sampling with a variation of two comprehensive cancer centers. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with fifteen patients who had completed the second cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy prior to the interview. A qualitative content analysis of data revealed two themes, six categories, and 23 sub-categories. The themes defined discomfort characteristics and factors leading to discomfort. Among all the categories were described physical discomfort, environmental discomfort, psychological discomfort, needing to relieve discomfort, lack of socio-cultural support, and lack of mental support. There is a need to alleviate discomfort, specifically due to Thai beliefs and culture related to patient self-management and nursing care. These findings may be extended to best practice nursing interventions to enhance comfort outcomes for breast cancer patients and elevate patient satisfaction.

Thainess in airlines services strategy: a case from Thailand

The Thainess is embedded in Thais. And, it is more clearly can be seen when a person was cultivated in the school system. In this academic paper highlights the symbiosis of Thainess in hospitality industry, as such hotel comparatively to the air transport as strategy. The authors have studied researches, books, and airlines’ website strategies. Thainess is a unique customer experience offering, specifically the full-service airline “Thai Airways” as national flag carriers propose the service ‘Thai Touch’ through human six senses namely; seeing, smelling, savoring of teste, sounding, touching, and heartfelt feeling. While, Bangkok Airways represents the uniqueness of Thai culture symbiosis with products and services, such as airport terminal, aircraft decoration, and snack serving in all its lounges. On the other hand, low-cost carriers are commonly practicing the Thai culture in welcoming passengers as “wai”. Additionally, the low-cost carriers are presenting and blending their organizational culture in service, for instance fun, energetic, and friendly. Besides, low-cost airlines stress on price competition rather than Thainess. As an illustration, ThaiVietair excels on keen and dedicated workforces, prompt, reliable, and competitive price. As well as, Thai Lion Air presents the kebaya uniform which was originally from Indonesia.

Identity of the Muay Boran Dance of Sakon Nakhon: Masculinity and Movement in Northeastern Thai Culture

Identity of the Muay Boran Dance of Sakon Nakhon: Masculinity and Movement in Northeastern Thai Culture

FAMILY AND SOCIETY OF BOTAI CULTURE

The purpose of this study is to reconstruct the family and society of the Botai culture on the basis of archaeological materials. To achieve this goal, the following tasks are overdue: to identify the primitive cell of society; to describe transformations in society; to study the processes that influenced families and society; based on archaeological material to identify the properties of Botai society; to establish how the family and society affected the social structure and cultural and economic type. The study of the family and various societies of ancient periods in the history of mankind is an urgent topic of modern historiography. In this matter, based on the data of representatives of the Botai culture, the study of archaeological materials could contribute to the reconstruction of important moments in the history of the family and ancient society. The scientific relevance of this article is also due to the weak knowledge of the problem, which is revealed only at the junction of interdisciplinary research. In the course of the study, it was revealed that the family in Thai culture tends to develop in the direction of its cultural and economic type, dictated by a complex economy, the main basis of which was horse breeding.

Herbal medicine use in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its association with glycemic control: A cross-sectional evaluation

IntroductionHerbal medicine has been integrated into Thai culture for many centuries. However, studies on using herbal medicine in combination with antidiabetic agents for glycemic control in managing diabetes are limited. Herein, we aimed to assess the use of herbal medicines with different dosages of antidiabetic agents and their association with glycemic control in Thai patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MethodsThis hospital-based study included 739 patients with T2DM who consecutively visited four district hospitals in Thailand. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect patient-specific information, including hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations and predictors, respectively. ResultsThe prevalence of herbal medicine use was 37.5% (n = 264); 70.5% of the patients received information about herbal medicine usage for glycemic control from their relatives and friends, and 21 herbal plants were consumed in combination with their prescribed antidiabetic drugs. The use of herbal medicine was associated with the patients’ educational level (p = 0.001), income (p < 0.001), and duration of diabetes (p < 0.001). Good glycemic control (HbA1c < 7.0%) was associated with the use of bitter gourd in combination with 500 mg/day of the antidiabetic drug metformin (adjusted odds ratio = 8.33, 95% confidence interval = 1.04–66.49, p = 0.046). These patients were 2.92 times more likely to have good glycemic control than those who relied solely on 500 mg/day of metformin (adjusted OR = 2.921, 95% CI = 1.227–6.952, p = 0.015). ConclusionsThe prevalence of herbal plant use was associated with different variables, including age, BMI, T2DM duration, and metformin dosage. Among the 21 herbal plants, the consumption of bitter gourd with 500 mg/day of metformin was associated with good glycemic control.

A randomized controlled, non-inferiority trial of Moodle online learning for basic life support training on learning outcomes among dental students.

Dental students require basic life support (BLS) training to build their competency in cardiac arrest response. Online learning differs from the types of learning commonly practiced in Asia. We compared online learning and didactic lecture for BLS training in Thai dental students on knowledge, skill, and satisfaction. This was a randomized controlled, single-blinded, non-inferiority trial in fifth-year students from Khon Kaen University's Faculty of Dentistry from August 2015 to February 2016. Online learning was conducted using Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) 2.9 and required 90 min. Those in the didactic lecture group received a 90-min lecture covering similar content. Both groups received 2 h of skill training. After training, we evaluated their ability to pass a skills test, knowledge scores (immediately after training and 3 months later), and course satisfaction (5-point Likert scale). We included 78 students and randomized them to online learning (39) or didactic lecture (39). The difference in proportion (95% confidence interval [CI]) of students passing the skills test on their first attempt was -1.5 (-20.8, 23.8), and all passed on their second attempt. The mean differences (95% CI) between the groups' immediate and 3 months knowledge scores were -2.5 (-6.2, 1.2), and -1.3 (-4.9, 2.3), respectively. The mean difference (95% CI) in satisfaction score was 0.02 (-0.28, 0.32). Online learning and didactic lectures yielded comparable knowledge and skills, including satisfaction in Thai dental students. Online BLS training may alternatively aim for self-paced learning and increase flexibility. The recommendation is to increase online BLS learning in Thai culture.

Auto-Part Terms in Thai: a Cognitive Semantic Analysis

Abstract This article presents an investigation of Thai auto-part terms in Cognitive Semantics. With at least 1,000 auto-part terms in our data analysis, we argue that the conceptual naming strategy is linguistically effective in understanding auto parts in the Thai culture. Metaphorically, the resemblance operation enhances the degree of lexical richness by enabling the auto-part conceptualization with four source domains: surrounding object, animal, human, and plant. Metonymically, source domains such as shape, function, part, material, position, involved organ, motion, sound and space function in the source-in-target operation, and the category machine/ device appears as a source domain in the target-in-source operation. The article not only verifies and supports the cognitive theory that holds that language is part of the cognitive abilities of humans in general, and thus describes the world as people understand it, but also sheds light on the association to a further pragmatic analysis of implicature.

Mothers’ Cooking: Perspectives of Givers and Takers

The burden of malnutrition of children is a global challenge. Promoting mothers to prepare their own meals at home is indicated as an important strategy to prevent malnutrition and improve nutrition in children. Despite the fact that meals prepared by mothers are healthier, little is known about what cooking means in the Thai context. This descriptive qualitative research is intended to describe the perceptions and perspectives of mothers’ cooking among Thai mothers and school-age children. Descriptive qualitative research, using in-depth interviews with 10 mothers aged 31 to 80 years old and 10 school-age children aged 10 to 12 years old, was conducted. Participants were selected using purposive sampling from 10 sub-districts that are partners of the mothers’ cooking network project of Songkhla province. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The results provided by the mothers' and children's perspectives indicated that Thais perceived mothers’ cooking quite differently based on whether the perspective toward mothers is as the giver or whether the children addressed the perspective of the taker. For the giver, mothers’ cooking was defined in terms of the power of love, happiness time, feeling of self-worth, and mother’s role and responsibility. For the taker, mothers’ cooking was defined in terms of the best thing and the most delicious, family relationship, giving and sharing, and demonstration of love and care. Additionally, this study highlighted that the mother’s perception of cooking can be divided into 3 steps, namely, preparation, cooking and eating together. These findings may help in determining how public health programs can be improved and the role of mothers promoted within a healthy nutrition strategy.&#x0D; HIGHLIGHTS&#x0D; &#x0D; The provision of optimal nutrition during childhood is critical to good health, growth, and development&#x0D; “Mother's cooking” is still a common tradition in Thai culture and daily life, but little is known about Thai attitudes toward mothers’ food&#x0D; Cooking activities demonstrated the mothers’ love and transferred their wisdom to their children&#x0D; Eating meals as a family strengthened bonds and became a family rule or habit passed down from generation to generation&#x0D;

Molecular characterization of biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids during different developmental stages in the copepod Apocyclops royi

Copepod Apocyclops royi can biosynthesize long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) when fed low-PUFA precursors. Previously, two elongases and two desaturases in the n-3 PUFA biosynthetic pathway were identified from A. royi. However, the complete PUFA biosynthesis pathway in this copepod species is poorly understood. Here, we report 13 genes, of which nine are novel genes, encoding PUFA biosynthesis-related enzymes belonging to the fatty acid desaturases (ArD6D, ArD5D, ArD4D, ArO3D-1, and ArO3D-2) and elongases (Elovl1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) families identified from a Thai culture of A. royi (A. royi-TH). Identification of the fatty acid contents using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analysis indicated that the copepodid and adult stages were high in PUFAs, with omega-3 fatty acids, while the nauplius stage had the lowest level of PUFAs. Moreover, all copepod stages of A. royi-TH fed Tetraselmis suecica contained higher levels of LC-PUFAs, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), than the microalgae fatty acid content, which was deficient in omega-3 DHA. Changes in transcript expression levels were determined in three developmental stages of A. royi-TH. Interestingly, the increased gene expression of the fatty acid desaturases (ArD6D, ArD5D, ArD4D, ArO3D-1, and ArO3D-2) and elongases (ArElovl3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) in the adult stages was reflected in the increased fatty acid concentration of DHA and EPA in the adult stages compared with the other developmental stages, suggesting the possible function of these genes for LC-PUFA synthesis in the different copepod developmental stages. These results indicate that the nauplius, copepodid, and adult stages are capable of synthesizing DHA from low PUFA through a LC-PUFA biosynthesis pathway.

Achieving Fulfilment in Life: Cultivating the Mindset of Gratitude Among Thai Adolescents

Gratitude plays a significant role in nurturing holistic health and wellbeing in adolescent. However, cultivating the mindset of gratitude is associated with several factors, in particular, culture and religion. Therefore, an opportunity exists for studies to be undertaken, exploring gratitude specifically within the Thai culture. This grounded theory study aimed to understand how Thai adolescents cultivated a mindset of gratitude. Data were gathered from 27 participants, aged 15 to 19 years. Purposeful and theoretical sampling techniques were used to select participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, written stories, and drawn pictures. Data analysis was guided by Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory. The core category of “Achieving Fulfilment in Life”—reflecting the process of cultivating the mindset of gratitude among Thai adolescents—comprised three categories: (a) condition: appreciating the value of oneself and others; (b) strategies: committing to live life on a positive life path; and (c) consequence: attaining true happiness. The findings illustrated the processes involved in cultivating the mindset of gratitude, highlighting how this may help in the development of a holistic health promotion program using the concept of gratitude to enhance the health and wellbeing of adolescents.

A neo-Marxist anthropology of urban workers and peasant farmers in Thailand

This manuscript is an original cultural anthropological study that is based on fieldwork done by the principal investigator, Antonio L. Rappa, on groups of urban workers and peasant farmers of Bangkok, Chiangmai, and Pattaya from 1998 to 2016. The focus of this manuscript is on how these workers survive late modernity within the neoliberal capitalist world scenario. The fieldwork also showed the importance of materialism among Thai workers and how they remain trapped in giving up the surplus labor value of their work to the bourgeoisie (Marxian Theory). Since 1932 (the Siamese and since 1946), the Thai workers have been suppressed and exploited by the ruling elite (Power Elite Theory). Whether we use a Cultural Anthropological/Marxian, neo-Marxist Anthropological, or Power Elite theory (C. Wright Mills’ Theory) approach, it remains clear in 2022 that the Thai people still continue to be imprisoned by a desire for luxury goods and services (Thorstein Veblen). Then, there is the complication of religion. At least 93% of all Thai people are Theravada Buddhists and staunchly believe in worshiping the Buddha as well as in various superstitions. The remaining 5–7% are Muslims and Christians. It is only the Muslims who have consistently given political trouble to the Bangkok capitalists but the Muslims are not socialists or communists since they believe in the god known as Allah. Ever since the 1970s, Thailand came under serious threat from communism like many Southeast Asian states. King Bhumiphon Adulyadej (Rama IX) was already a deeply respected monarch and a virtual demi-God to the superstitious and animistic Thai Buddhists. Few Thais realized at that time that the King was also a well-read scientist knowledgeable in urban planning and agriculture. Rama IX applied the knowledge that he garnered from Switzerland and Cambridge, Massachusetts, toward building a new kind of thinking, called Self-Sufficiency Economy (SSE). Rama IX’s SSE was not unique to Thailand and commonly practiced to various effects in South Asia, the Far East, and Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, the king thought that the SSE would be a good way out for his people. He believed that if each Tambon or village could cooperate using existing resources, provincial assistance in agricultural knowledge, and the model-village concept, then the Thai people would be self-sufficient in many aspects. This was also known as the One-Tambon, OneProduct (OTOP) policy. This is itself a manifestation of the materialist cultural anthropologic of Thai culture itself. The manuscript concludes with an analysis of the dual pricing system or two-tier pricing system, and why the Thai people appear to support Thorstein Veblen’s Theory and C. Wright Mills’ Theory rather than any neo-Marxist theory of land distribution and property ownership.