Thai Youth Research Articles

Generation Z in Thailand

Generation Z has been said to have more in common with their global generational cohort than they do with their parents. The 24/7 access to information, through increasingly ubiquitous Internet access, has been credited as the facilitator of the spread of generational values and characteristics. While this may apply to Generation Z in many developed countries, does it apply in developing nations such as Thailand? For example, by the year 2015, only 40 percent of the Thai population had access to the Internet. Thus, this study attempts to understand to what extent proclaimed Generation Z characteristics and values ring true for a segment of Thai youth with the necessary access to and corresponding usage of connected technology. A literature review was conducted of both English and Thai language literature. Thai Generation Z university students were surveyed, and the results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. On the one hand, the results did support an affinity toward technology, on the other hand, it suggested that Thai youth valued and used the technology differently than their generational cohort in the west, especially concerning content creation. Furthermore, they differed from their global cohort in their preference for collectivism. They also differed from national cultural expectations as they showed tendencies toward low power distance. Finally, work values were largely consistent with international generational expectations in that they showed the strongest preference toward intrinsic and altruistic rewards. It will be essential for Human Resources (HR) to communicate these rewards to attract and retain this next generation of employees. This article contributes to the greater cross-cultural management scholarship by filling a gap in understanding the cultural and work values of a generational cohort in Thailand. It does this by highlighting the institutional and cultural setting this cohort came of age in and surveys cohort members to understand their values and preferences.

Comparison of drinking prevalence among Thai youth before and after implementation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act

ABSTRACT Background Underage drinking contributes to numerous health and social problems among adolescents. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, issued in Thailand in 2008, contains several clauses aiming at preventing underage and novice drinking, such as raising the minimum legal purchasing age from 18 to 20, banning alcohol sale and consumption in places frequented by youth, and banning alcohol advertisements. Objectives To estimate the changes in the prevalence of alcohol consumption and perceptions of drinking norms among high-school students 8 years after the Act was implemented. Methods Data from the Thai national high-school surveys in 2007 (N = 50,033; 49.9% female) and 2016 (N = 38,535; 49.8% female), using similar questionnaires, were analyzed. Prevalence rates and group norms toward drinking were compared between the two surveys, using weighted Poisson regression and prevalence ratios. Results Drinking prevalence significantly increased in females, with prevalence ratios ranging from 1.2 for 30-day intoxication to 2.1 for 30-day binging. In males, the 12-month drinking prevalence increased in 2016, but a non-significant change for binge drinking and a 40% decrease for intoxication was seen. Higher proportions of students in 2016 perceived that most of their friends also drank alcohol compared to students in 2007 (16.8% vs. 11.2%; 49.8% increase). A significant effect of the year of survey on drinking patterns was seen across all school levels. Conclusion Drinking rates decreased among males, but increased in females. These changes may be somewhat due to the Act, or to changes in the social environment in Thailand over this 8-year period.

A Game-Based Learning Approach to Improve Students’ Spelling in Thai

The problem of misspelled Thai words written in social media is increasing rapidly by youth in Thailand. To decrease the number of misspelled Thai words and improve the learning achievement for Thai youth, a first­person 3D mobile game was developed. The game is run on an Android smartphone applying a gyroscope sensor. This game has 3 levels in 5 stages. The learning achievement is evaluated from 37 players’ pre­ and post­test scores, who are bachelor’s degree students of Animation and Game, College of Arts, Media and Technology, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. The data were statistically analysed by a paired sample t­test. Pre­ and post­test scores were weakly and positively correlated (r = 0.666, p < 0.001). There was a significant average difference between pre­ and post­test scores (t36 = ­11.776, p < 0.001). On average, post­test scores were 15.027 points higher than pre­test scores (95% CI [­17.615, ­12.439]). The results of the research show that the game­based learning approach significantly improved players’ learning achievement in misspelled written Thai words.

“3S Project”: A Community Based Social Marketing Campaign for Promoting Sustainable Consumption Behavior Among Youth

This study aims to evaluate a community-based social marketing (CBSM) campaign for promoting sustainable consumption behavior (SCB) among Thai youth. As a result, the “3S Project” was a CBSM campaign innovation to promote SCB among Thai youth which was created and piloted with a small segment of university students. The project was evaluated using quasi-experimental research in the form of a non-equivalent control group, designed for checking the effectiveness. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) at .05 statistically significant level was employed in this analysis. After intervention, it found that the “3S Project” innovation was effective. The mean scores of the experimental group were higher than the mean scores of the control group significantly in all five indicators, including the attitude towards behavior, the subjective norm, the perceived behavioral control, the intention to perform SCB, and sustainable consumption behavior (SCB). These results were recognized as new findings in the field of social marketing communication. They extend the existing body of knowledge in this field of study because using CBSM for sustainable behavior change in Thailand is still considered as being in its initial stage. Therefore, the results of this research project will be strongly beneficial for social marketing practitioners, communication campaign planners, and any organizations related to promote SCB among youth on all levels (international level, national level, and even local level) in utilizing this CBSM campaign innovation for promoting SCB among the Thai youth, both effectively and efficiently. Keywords: Community-based social marketing (CBSM), sustainable consumption behavior (SCB), quasi-experimental research, youth, Thailand

Association Between Smoking, Alcohol Consumption, and Dietary Habits in Northern Thai Adolescents in Thailand, 2016 - 2017

Background: Smoking and alcohol consumption have been common among adolescents in recent years, both of which are risk factors of cardiovascular disease. They may be associated with unhealthy dietary habits that can add to cardiovascular risks in adults. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between smoking status, alcohol consumption, and dietary habits in adolescents. Methods: In this study, 4,372 adolescents (2,223 males and 2,149 females) aged 13 to 18 years were enrolled from randomly selected schools in Northern Thailand. They were asked to complete the Thai Youth Risk Behavior Survey regarding smoking, alcohol use, and dietary habits. Results: The mean age of the participants was 15.4 (1.7) years and 15.0 (1.6) years in males and females, respectively. The prevalence of smokers and alcohol drinkers was 21% and 28.3%, respectively. Among alcohol drinkers, 52.4% were also smokers. Besides, 11% of the participants were current smokers. The proportions of adolescents with healthy dietary habits, defined as drinking 100% fruit juice, drinking milk, fruit/vegetable consumption, and having regular breakfast, were significantly higher in the non-smoking/non-drinking group (P ≤ 0.05 to P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions: Adolescents who were smokers and alcohol drinkers were less likely to have healthy dietary habits. This can affect cardiovascular risks and associated diseases in the future. The proper advice for dietary and lifestyle modification among these high-risk groups may be needed from an early age.

Smart Learning Environment for Enhancing Digital Literacy of Thai Youth: A Case Study of Ethnic Minority Group

Digital literacy is needed for digital transformation. It is challenging to provide an appropriate digital literacy lesson for all people to satisfy their different goals. Therefore, the proper way of teaching and learning digital literacy requires personalized learning. Nowadays, the ethnic minority group can have equal access to a vast opportunity from the Internet through the smartphone. However, the Internet can also be harmful to them without proper protection. Therefore, it is necessary to promote digital literacy for them. This study proposes a smart learning environment for enhancing digital literacy of Thai youths from the ethnic minority group. The proposed smart environment modifies the objective distance, which is the distance between the satisfied and the current competency of each learner, for providing a personal learning path. There are 5 learning objects included. The experiment is conducted with 103 students who are the ethnic minority group in Chiang Rai province, Thailand. The comparison of post-test and pre-test reveals that the students can enhance their digital literacy after learning with the developed learning environment. Overall, the students agree on the provided personalized support. More specifically, they strongly agree that the provided content is suitable for their performances.

Following a wonderful overseas experience: What happens when Thai youths return home?

Reverse culture shock (RCS) has been claimed to negatively affect overseas sojourners during their return. In an attempt to better comprehend RCS on Thai youth tourists, this study aims to explore their perceptual and emotional stages, the coping strategies that occur after their return and the degree to which their RCS can be explained within previous western-originated frameworks. Pre-interview activities and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 participants. Results reveal a commonality and uniqueness of perceptions and emotions across three groups of overseas programme participants. Moreover, most Thai youth tourists are found to adopt a resocialised (optimistic-passive) coping strategy, and a majority of them report an emerging left-shifting curve, which differs from RCS western frameworks. Apart from theoretical contributions, the findings also yield crucial managerial implications for two key institutions (school and family) on ways to lessen the effects of RCS on Thai youth.

Gepopulariseerde cultuur, ritueel en het maken van erfgoed

Abstract The global interest in the search for and rescue of the Thai youth football team ‘the Wild Boars’, or the nationwide interest in the non-stop fundraising swimming-tour of Dutch swimmer Maarten van der Weijden, are examples of what in this lecture is called high density events: intense, often emotional occurrences, of an almost entertainment-like character, followed continuously by many. High density events shape and articulate ideas about who belong or do not belong to the (national) community. During such events, cultural forms, objects and practices are popularized, transferred and exchanged at a high pace, processes in which virtually anybody may become involved. Taking high-density events as object of research implies a focus on the making of heritage. In the repetitious, ritualized contexts of such events, certain cultural forms, practices and objects may become magnified and sacralised, to become heritage. Although any object or practice may be made heritage, the analysis should situate this making in its societal context, asking such questions as who were involved in the selection process, and why certain practices or objects are self-evidently attributed a heritage status and others not. With cultural identity becoming an ever more explicitly political issue, research into the making of heritage is the more urgent.

K-Pop as a Means to an End among Thai Youth: Korean Wave as Costume, Food, and Image

Assessments of the impact of K-pop beyond Korea, and of other aspects within the broader Korean Wave, often focus on groups of fans. The research reported here began from an intention to move beyond fandom, encouraged by a challenge to demonstrate that members of the British Thai community, aware of their heritage in Southeast Asia but growing up in the eclectic cultural mix of contemporary Britain, were interested in K-pop. We respond to academic literature on popular culture, on specialized music and dance training, and on the musical tastes of diasporic groups, by working with teenagers and students who study and perform Thai classical music and dance in two organizations, the Thai Music Circle in the UK and the Thai Dance Academy. We present the results of a survey, and contextualize our findings by exploring recent Thai literature and television programs about Korean Wave and K-pop.

Thai Youth's Leadership Code: Characteristics of Leadership from the Perspective of Thai Youth

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‘It's an ordinary matter’: perceptions of cyberbullying in Thai youth culture

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study focuses on youth perceptions of cyberbullying (definition, causes, consequences, and management). We also articulate how perceptions of cyberbullying among Thai youth are influenced by Thai culture, including Thai youth culture. Data were collected from 15 to 24 year-olds in Central Thailand through 22 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 4–6 participants each, as well as 26 in-depth interviews (IDIs), totaling 136 participants. These youth defined cyberbullying as harming others through mobile phones and the Internet. To count as cyberbullying, actions had to cause real harm or annoyance and be committed with malicious intent. The relationship between the parties involved also mattered: close friends were unlikely to be considered cyberbullies. Participants thought that the anonymity of cyberspace is a key cause of cyberbullying but also that cyberbullying often results from previous offline incidents of violence. In their view, cyberbullying impacts individuals and their social interactions. Participants tended to manage the problem by themselves and not consult their parents. Alarmingly, participants viewed cyberbullying as ‘an ordinary matter’. To raise awareness that cyberbullying is a societal problem with serious consequences, state agencies and educational institutions need to play active roles in preventing it and responding to it constructively when it occurs.

Ethnic Minority Educational Success: Understanding Accomplishments in Challenging Settings

Regardless of remarkable educational achievements for over the last 20 years, the academic attainment of Vietnam’s ethnic minority students continues to lag behind that of majority students. At upper-secondary education, not only has the educational disparity persisted, but it has increased over time. Recent studies have found ethnic minority students have to face many challenges including poor family socioeconomic background, long distances to school, poor school quality, and linguistic and cultural barriers. Despite challenges, some ethnic minority youths do enroll in and complete their upper-secondary education. Therefore, understanding how ethnic minority students manage to overcome barriers and succeed educationally can provide important insights regarding the means that policymakers, educators, and parents can pursue in order to address the educational disparity. The resilience literature exploring association between household adversities and children’s responses indicates that hardship does not always result in detrimental effects. This study used a mixed-methods approach and explored data from the Families and Communities in Transition study to examine risks and factors promoting upper secondary education among the Thai youth, the second largest ethnic minority group in Vietnam. The study found that poverty, low educated parents, low parental engagement in child’s education, school distance, being bullied, teased, and induced to dropout were challenges to ethnic minority’s upper-secondary school. More importantly, the study provided supporting evidence for a positive attitude toward schooling and effective support from their parents, relatives, school and in-school peers can prevent ethnic minority student from school dropout and promote their educational success.

The relationships between sexual risk behaviors and general health risk behaviors among unmarried youth in Thailand.

Objectives:The prevalence and correlates of sexual risk behaviors among unmarried youth in Thailand are poorly documented. The objectives of this study were to compare the differences in sexual behaviors across age groups and gender and to identify the relationships between sexual risk behaviors and general health risk behaviors among unmarried Thai youth.Methods:A population-based, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and March 2013. The Thai version of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire was used to collect data from 800 unmarried Thai youth.Results:Majority of the respondents (65.9%) had not engaged in any sexual risk behavior, 18.7% had engaged in 2–3 sexual risk behaviors, and only 5.5% had engaged in a single sexual risk behavior. Current sexually active youth had higher risk of participating in physical fights (odds ratio = 3.41, 95% confidence interval = 1.53–7.57), smoking cigarette (odds ratio = 4.05, 95% confidence interval = 1.89–8.67), and drinking alcohol (odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.08–4.36).Conclusion:Thai youth were more likely to be involved in multiple sexual risk behaviors than a single sexual risk behavior. Physical fighting was the strongest general health risk behavior associated with the sexual risk behaviors, followed by substance abuse.

Enhancing life purpose amongst Thai adolescents

This article describes experiences that enhanced life purpose in 21 Thai adolescents living in Southern Thailand. Thailand is undergoing rapid change from technology, a globalizing economy, and shifting social norms. A phenomenological analysis of in-depth interviews and stories to better understand how Thai youth themselves experience and describe their life purposes revealed two main themes. First, enhancing life purpose is a trial-and-error process that integrates receiving a good opportunity, being urged by others to contemplate the question ‘What will you do when you grow up?’ and having a positive role model. Second, enhancing life purpose is about accomplishing in life through love of self, gratitude to beneficent others, and sacrifice and awareness of responsibility towards society. Findings provide insights for parents, school nurses and teachers to assist adolescents to enhance life purpose.

\u201cAre Thai children and youth sufficiently active? prevalence and correlates of physical activity from a nationally representative cross-sectional study\u201d

BackgroundChildren and youth gain multiple health benefits from regular participation in physical activity (PA). However, in Thailand there is limited national data on children and youth’s PA behaviors and recent reports suggest that Thai children and youth have low levels of PA. Furthermore, there is almost no data on the factors associated with inactivity to support the development of a Thai National PA Plan. The purpose of this paper is to investigate Thai children and youth’s participation in PA and its correlates across sociodemographic characteristics and different PA domains.MethodsThis study applied a cross-sectional study design with a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling. A national representative sample of 13,255 children and youth aged 6-17 years were used for data analysis. A previously validated questionnaire was used to assess PA prevalence. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the relationships of socio-demographic factors, and participation in different PA domains with overall PA.ResultsOnly 23.4% of Thai children and youth met recommended levels of PA and there were large gender and regional differences. PA levels generally declined with age, although the level observed in the 10-13 year group was slightly higher than other year groups. A majority of children and youth engaged in a large number of different activities across PA domains. Sex, age, BMI, geographical regions, organized sports, participation in sport and recreational activities were significant predictors of meeting the global PA guidelines, whereas participation in physical education, active transport, and the number of screen time activities had no association. Girls were less likely to achieve sufficient PA levels (OR = 0.49, 95%CI; 0.45-0.54, p < 0.001), as were obese children (OR = 0.78, 95%CI; 0.64-0.94, p = 0.01), children living in the West (OR = 0.47, 95%CI; 0.38-0.59, p < 0.001), and those who did no participation in organized sports and sport/exercise activities, or minimal participation (1-2 activities) in recreational activities (OR = 0.79, 95%CI; 0.68-0.90, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe prevalence estimate of meeting the recommended guideline of sufficient PA in Thai children and youth is low, despite the high levels of engagement in a large number of PA. The results indicate that policy and interventions aimed at increasing PA are needed with special attention required to address specific groups less likely to meet the PA guideline. Strategies to promote a large volume of participation in all possible types of PA as part of Thai children and youth’s daily life should be considered.

The Happy Teen programme: a holistic outpatient clinic-based approach to prepare HIV-infected youth for the transition from paediatric to adult medical care services in Thailand.

Introduction: We developed an 18‐month Happy Teen 2 (HT2) programme comprised of a one‐day workshop, two half‐day sessions, and three individual sessions to prepare HIV‐infected youth for the transition from paediatric to adult HIV care services. We describe the programme and evaluate the change in youth's knowledge scores. Methods: We implemented the HT2 programme among HIV‐infected Thai youth aged 14–22 years who were aware of their HIV status and receiving care at two hospitals in Bangkok (Siriraj Hospital, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health [QSNICH]). Staff interviewed youth using a standardized questionnaire to assess HIV and health‐related knowledge at baseline and at 12 and 18 months while they participated in the programme. We examined factors associated with a composite knowledge score ≥95% at month 18 using logistic regression. Results: During March 2014–July 2016, 192 of 245 (78%) eligible youth were interviewed at baseline. Of these, 161 (84%) returned for interviews at 12 and 18 months. Among the 161 youth, the median age was 17 years, 74 (46%) were female, and 99% were receiving antiretroviral treatment. The median composite score was 45% at baseline and increased to 82% at 12 months and 95% at 18 months (P < 0.001). The range of median knowledge scores for antiretroviral management, HIV monitoring, HIV services, and family planning significantly increased from baseline (range 0–75%) to (range 67–100%) at 12 months and to 100% at 18 months (P < 0.001). Almost all youth were able to describe education and career goals at 12 and 18 months compared to 75% at baseline. In multivariable analysis, a composite knowledge score at 18 months >95% was associated with education level >high school (aOR: 2.15, 95%CI, 1.03–4.48) and receipt care at QSNICH (aOR: 2.43, 95%CI, 1.18–4.98). Youth whose mother and father had died were less likely to have score ≥95% (aOR: 0.22, 95%CI, 0.07–0.67) than those with living parents. Conclusions: Knowledge useful for a successful transition from paediatric to adult HIV care increased among youth participating in the HT2 programme. Youth follow‐up will continue to assess the impact of improved knowledge on outcomes following the transition to adult care services.

Youth Gangs, Violence, and Local Culture in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Drawing on twenty-four months of ethnographic research, this article examines the role of violence among northern Thai youth gangs at the intersection of global capitalism and local culture. Contrary to dominant representations that depict youth gang violence as a means for psychologically coping as victims of dramatic social change, I argue that youth violence may be viewed as active and creative ways of negotiating change under conditions of rapid urbanization and modernization. For gang youth in northern Thailand, violence offers an opportunity to “fit in and stick out” in an anonymous cosmopolitan city. While some Chiang Mai youth subcultures draw primarily on global cultural resources as a means of standing out and enhancing one’s “subcultural capital,” northern Thai youth gangs rely more heavily on local culture to achieve status and a sense of self-worth, particularly in relation to enduring Thai values of masculinity centered on notions of invulnerability.

Gender and young consumer ethics: an examination in two Southeast Asian countries

PurposeThis study aims to examine and compare ethical perceptions between genders on various potentially unethical consumer situations in Indonesia and Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted by distributing self-administered questionnaires to a convenience sample of university students in two large cities in Indonesia and Thailand. There are 278 respondents in Indonesia 158 participants for Thailand. Most respondents aged between 18-24 years.FindingsIndonesian youths were found to believe that “passively benefiting”, “questionable action” and “downloading” are more unethical than Thai youths do. The relationship between gender and consumer ethics is not consistent in Indonesia and Thailand. Female youths in Indonesia tended to be more ethical in four out of seven dimensions of Consumer Ethics Scales than their counterparts, while no gender differences were found in Thailand.Practical implicationsThe results show the different consumer ethics between Indonesia and Thailand that may reflect cultural variations, where Indonesia is more multicultural than Thailand. The mixed findings of the gender differences may suggest that there are no intrinsic gender differences in consumer ethics. Further, the results also provide implications for educators and public policy makers in both countries to encourage more active roles played by universities in building ethical sensitivity among future leaders.Originality/valueThis is one of the few studies examining the impact of gender on consumer ethical behavior in Southeast Asian countries, where various unethical behaviors (e.g. buying and using pirated products) are prevalent.

Validating the Effectiveness Indicators of Social Marketing Communication Campaigns for Reducing Health-Risk Behaviors Among Youth in Thailand

This study aims to validate the effectiveness indicators of social marketing communication campaigns for reducing health-risk behaviors among Thai youth by using a quantitative research with 1,000 undergraduate students aged 18-24 years old in Thailand. A second-order confirmatory factor analysis was used to check compliance with empirical data at the .05 significance level. The findings showed that the effectiveness indicators of social marketing communication campaigns for reducing health-risk behaviors among Thai youth consist of forty-nine indicators from eight core components: 1) attitude toward health-risk behaviors reduction, 2) subjective norms, 3) perceived behavioral control, 4) intention to reduce health-risk behaviors, 5) practices for reducing health-risk behaviors, 6) knowledge in dangers and impacts of health-risk behaviors, 7) campaign brand equity, and 8) communication networks. These new developed effectiveness indicators should be taken into evaluating the effectiveness of social marketing communication campaigns for reducing health-risk behaviors among youtheffectively and efficiently for a sustained success both in Thailand and in international level.

Parents' knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers to promoting condom use among their adolescent sons.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing in Thai youth. Consequently, a school-based National Condom Strategy program was launched in 2015 to reduce the rate of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. We conducted in-depth interviews of 31 parents/adoptive guardians of high-school age Thai boys to explore parents' knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and barriers to promoting condom use and its role in preventing HIV/sexually transmitted infections. A descriptive phenomenological approach and thematic analysis was used. Most participants had knowledge and positive attitudes about condom use. Half disagreed with the National Condom Strategy of placing condom vending machines in schools. More than half did not initiate teaching male youth about condom use until the youth had broached the question or only intended to do so when the youths were older. Barriers included parents' lack of condom experience and knowledge, embarrassment/discomfort when talking about condoms, and belief that youth were not sexually active. Parents are a key factor for supporting condom use in Thailand. This study supports the need for education programs for parents.