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Purpose: There are major gaps in our knowledge of hereditary ocular conditions in the Asia-Pacific population, which comprises approximately 60% of the world's population. Therefore, a concerted regional effort is urgently needed to close this critical knowledge gap and apply precision medicine technology to improve the quality of lives of these patients in the Asia-Pacific region., Design: Multi-national, multi-center collaborative network., Methods: The Research Standing Committee of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the Asia-Pacific Society of Eye Genetics fostered this research collaboration, which brings together renowned institutions and experts for inherited eye diseases in the Asia-Pacific region. The immediate priority of the network will be inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), where there is a lack of detailed characterization of these conditions and in the number of established registries., Results: The network comprises 55 members from 35 centers, spanning 12 countries and regions, including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. The steering committee comprises ophthalmologists with experience in consortia for eye diseases in the Asia-Pacific region, leading ophthalmologists and vision scientists in the field of IRDs internationally, and ophthalmic geneticists., Conclusions: The Asia Pacific Inherited Eye Disease (APIED) network aims to (1) improve genotyping capabilities and expertise to increase early and accurate genetic diagnosis of IRDs, (2) harmonise deep phenotyping practices and utilization of ontological terms, and (3) establish high-quality, multi-user, federated disease registries that will facilitate patient care, genetic counseling, and research of IRDs regionally and internationally., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The recent pandemic events in Thailand, Covid-19 in 2018, demonstrated the need for an event-based smart monitoring system. While a distributed multi-level architecture has emerged as an architecture of choice for a larger-scale smart event-based system that requires better latency, security, scalability, and reliability, a recently introduced data mesh paradigm can add a few additional benefits. The paradigm enables each district to become an event-based smart monitoring mesh and handle its analytics and monitoring workload. Districts can form a set of domains in a network of event-based smart community monitoring systems and provide data products for others during a crisis. This paper presents a distributed data mesh paradigm for an event-based smart monitoring product in a given community with predefined domains. The paper presents smart monitoring as a data product between domains. Key considerations for designing an event-based smart monitoring data product are given. The author introduces three possible domains necessary for creating a smart monitoring system in each community. Each domain creates a data product for a given domain and shares data between domains. Finally, a three-layer analytics architecture for a smart monitoring product in each domain and a use case is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the low prevalence and light intensity of Strongyloides stercoralis (S. stercoralis, Ss) and hookworm (HW) in Thailand, an increase in the efficacy of detection with the appropriate diagnosis is needed. This cross-sectional survey is aimed at using modified nonnutrient agar plate culture (mNNAPC) to assess the prevalence of S. stercoralis and hookworm infections and to report intestinal parasitic infections in La-Ngu villagers, Satun Province in Southern Thailand. We used wet smear, modified Harada-Mori filter paper culture (mHMFPC), and mNNAPC to investigate 204 villagers (4 villages) between August 2016 and January 2017. The combination of mHMFPC and mNNAPC raised the prevalence of S. stercoralis and hookworm infections among the study population from 3.4% and 1.0% to 6.9% and 2.5%, respectively. There were no significant differences between demographic characteristics and these infections (p < 0.05). Three types of protozoal infections, Blastocystis spp. (2.9%), Entamoeba histolytica-like (0.5%), and Giardia duodenalis (0.5%), and 3 species of helminthic infections, S. stercoralis (6.9%) (14 cases), hookworm 2.5%, and Enterobius vermicularis 0.5%, were demonstrated in this area. The mNNAPC showed the highest efficacy in detecting both parasites (Ss 92.9% and HW 80%), whereas the wet smear detected none. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides interim results of my PhD dissertation. The research hypothesis is "Firms increase and decrease employment in response to changes in expected demand." The paper seeks to answer the question "What are the determinants of changes in aggregate employment in the United States of America (U.S.)?" This is an important research topic because significant increases in unemployment can have a profound effect on an entire society, not just on its unemployed workers. When employment declines, public health declines, crime increases, suicides increase, and public revenues decrease. The paper uses quarterly data from 1948-2021 to estimate the effect of important macroeconomic variables on aggregate employment. The macroeconomic variables include personal consumption expenditures, U.S. federal government expenditures, nominal GNP, international trade (imports plus exports), M3 money stock, the minimum wage level, non-residential fixed investment, nonmanufacturing employment, and U.S. federal tax receipts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of the Gamified Metaverse as a platform for promoting library services. The study compares the effectiveness of a traditional library program with a Metaverse- based library program in terms of knowledge acquisition and library anxiety. The research also examines students' perceptions of implementing gamification within the context of the Gamified Metaverse platform. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including pre- and post-test analysis, statistical analysis, and qualitative data collection. The results indicate that both the traditional and Metaverse-based library programs effectively increased the participants' knowledge, with no significant difference between the two approaches. However, the Metaverse-based program was found to be less effective in facilitating interaction with librarians and reducing library anxiety. Additionally, students expressed positive perceptions of implementing gamification in the Gamified Metaverse platform, finding it engaging and motivating. These findings contribute to the understanding of the effect of the Metaverse as a tool for promoting library services and enhancing knowledge acquisition. However, it is not as effective in reducing library anxiety, particularly in terms of interaction with librarians and staff. It should be noted that the platform may have limitations such as high costs and potential side effects of virtual reality, making it more suitable as an additional tool for promoting library services, taking into account its feasibility and potential benefits for specific student populations and larger libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers conducting fieldwork, especially in comparative social research, face the complex issue of conceptualizing and practicing positionality. How we position ourselves affects the research approach, the interpretation of the data and, therefore, the whole research process. This paper discusses my own in-between or 'in-out-sider' positionality during my fieldwork studying the experience of youths in social movements in Thailand and Myanmar in 2020 and 2021. Drawing on data from a visit to Thailand and interviews with 40 Myanmar and Thai youths who participated in the movements, this article documents my experience of the subtle nuances of multiple positionalities and how I navigated through the fieldwork as an in-out-sider researcher. In this comparative context, especially, I believe that my in-out-sider positionality facilitated the research process, from interviewing participants to conducting the field visit. The discussion of this contextually situated positionality challenges the typical explanations of the insider/outsider dichotomy, suggesting the need for a rethinking of certain aspects of this explanation, such as the background and experience of the researcher, and the context in which the researcher and the researched interact. This paper therefore contributes to knowledge around this subject and its application, particularly in the context of comparative social research which studies specific groups of youth activists or protestors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper examines how organic pork (OP) production, marketing and consumption in Thailand contributes to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that affect food agri-food system sustainability. The paper discusses technical debates and academic literature sources about OP, socioeconomic and environmental impacts of organic agriculture (OA), food security and SDGs. It reflects on theoretical, practical, policy and empirical issues utilizing Thai case study data on willingness to pay (WTP) for OP to illustrate SDG linkages. The study raises broader questions, complications and contradictions about universal access to safe, healthy and affordable organic food. It suggests that WTP as a niche strategy supporting OP producers has responded to consumer demand and has potential for increased farmer incomes. But WTP for OP is an inadequate, problematic priority if it does not better address ecological, social and economic sustainability concerns, cross-cutting SDGs and national policies including inequities among richer and poorer consumers and farmers. It shows how OP may modestly contribute to SDG2 achievement or help realize other interlinked SDGs in Thailand but can also hinder some SDGs. We conclude that the OA movement and governments must better address difficult challenges affecting livestock systems sustainability, meat production, consumption, value chains and socioeconomic equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid ever-growing global value chains (GVCs). a major controversial topic relates to the extent to which developing economies benefit from participating in such value chains. To measure these gains, this paper examines data pertaining to value-added in exports from three Southeast Asian economies-Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The study estimates the sectoral income elasticities of the export demand of each country over the period 1980-2017, revealing that the highest income elasticities are observed in low value-adding sectors such as primary products, resource-based goods and low-tech industries. This implies that the three countries have been involved in simple and not high-skill tasks within GVCs. The paper also examines the sectoral domestic share of value-added (DVA) and foreign share of value-added (FVA) of exports of the three economies using the OECD Trade in Value-added (TiVA) database over the period 2005-15. We find that DVA in the medium- and high-tech industries that add greater value is smaller than FVA in atl three countries. Overall, these results suggest that developing nations need to step up their participation in GVCs through process and/or function upgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refuse derived fuel (RDF) from municipal solid waste (MSW) has been widely used in energy plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of RDF components from the MSW generated in Bangkok, Thailand. The MSW generated profile was observed from 2015 - 2020 to analyze the composition, proximate, ultimate, and heating values. The combustible categories of MSW were considered as RDF components, namely paper, plastics, food waste, wood/yard waste, textiles, and rubber. The average MSW generated in Bangkok was approximately 13.5% of the total MSW generated in Thailand. The combustible category represented 86.5% of total MSW. The predominant combustible category was food waste (43.1%), followed by plastics (16.6%), and paper (13%). Moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon, and ash contents ranged from 0.2 - 57.5, 74.5 - 95.2, 3.3 - 19.4, and 1.5 - 8.6 wt.%, respectively, depending on the materials. Lower heating values of RDF components ranged from 13.70 - 32.63 MJ/kg, of which plastics exhibited the highest value. The potential energy produced from RDF components was 513,123.4 x 102 GJ/yr, with approximately 1,847,757,371 kWh/yr converted into electricity. The findings from the research on characteristics of MSW from Bangkok city reveal that it has the potential to be used as an RDF resource in energy plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste represents an economic, environmental, and social threat, which makes it an important subject of investigation. Food waste behavior has a crucial effect on everyone's food security, food safety, economic growth, and the environment; hence, it requires further analysis. The article's objective is to study the food waste reduction behavior of individual consumers and to examine factors which can explain the intention to reduce food waste. The study's conceptual foundation is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which aims to explain the relationship between an individual's attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The paper extends the TPB by including new factors such as environmental concern, perceived ascription of responsibility, marketing addiction, moral norm, and waste preventing behavior. The data were collected via quota sampling and examined using the structural equation modeling (SEM). The study employed a sample of 369 people in Thailand. The results show that waste preventing behavior, attitude, and perceived behavioral control significantly impact the intention to reduce food waste. The subjective norm and environmental concern positively affects the attitude, which subsequently impacts the intention to reduce food waste. Marketing addiction negatively impacts perceived behavioral control and, hence, increases food waste. This research paper enlarges the understanding of the intention to minimize food waste. Moreover, it points out the implications on how consumers and the government may improve the desire to decrease food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper aims to investigate the impediments faced by innovation-driven enterprises in Thailand and to explore the current measures, policies, and mechanisms related to innovation-driven enterprises (IDEs)' development both domestically and internationally. The study encompasses a comprehensive approach, including an analysis of an innovation entrepreneur database comprising 320 investors and 883 IDEs. Moreover, semi-structure in-depth interviews were conducted with three investors, twenty-two IDEs' founders, eight executives, and experts from various sectors, including government, university incubators, and the private sector in Thailand. Through this multifaceted investigation, this paper sheds light on the key factors that hinder the success of IDEs in Thailand, which primarily revolve around the quality of entrepreneurs (Team), Product and Market Fit, and Support. These factors collectively impact the depth of knowledge, business incubation, acceleration programs, and the effectiveness of laws, measures, and policies in supporting innovation capability development within IDEs. In addition, this paper presents a framework for Thailand's IDEs hub, facilitating the connection between the university's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem with public and private stakeholders. This framework serves as a mechanism to address the identified hindrances and foster a conducive environment for IDEs development. To address the obstacles, this paper proposes three crucial strategies, namely, (1) talent management, (2) ease of doing scaleup, and (3) availability of funding. These strategies are envisioned to counteract the identified challenges and can be effectively implemented through an operating model and practical working procedures tailored to suit the specific context of Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pythiosis is a rare disease with high mortality, with over 94% of cases reported from Thailand and India. Prompt diagnosis and surgery improves patient outcomes. Therefore, continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for early recognition. However, a needs assessment related to a pythiosis CPD program has not been performed. Objectives: We conducted a needs assessment to develop a pythiosis CPD program. Patients/Methods: We conducted a survey study with 267 King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital residents (141 internal medicine (IM) residents and 126 surgery residents). A 30-item survey consisting of a knowledge assessment, demographic section, and an attitudes portion was distributed both electronically and via paper. The data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Sixty-seven percent completed the survey (110/141 IM residents, 70/126 surgery residents). The mean score [95% confidence interval] on the knowledge assessment was 41.67% [39.64%-43.69%] across all objectives. The three domains with the highest scores were pythiosis risk factors (67.22% correct), microbiologic characteristics (50.83%), and radiographic interpretation (50.56%). The three domains with the lowest scores were laboratory investigation (15.00%), epidemiology (29.17%), and symptomatology (30.83%). Most participants noted that the program should be online with both synchronous and asynchronous sessions, with a preferred length of 60–90 minutes per session. Conclusion: The pythiosis CPD program should emphasize education regarding symptomatology, laboratory investigation, and epidemiology, all of which are critical for the early detection of pythiosis to decrease mortality from this devastating disease. Most respondents felt this program was necessary and should be implemented in a virtual blended format. Author summary: Researchers conducted a needs assessment to develop a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program on pythiosis, a rare and often fatal disease prevalent in Thailand and India. The study surveyed 267 residents at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, revealing a 67% completion rate. The residents exhibited a mean knowledge score of 41.67%, with the highest proficiency in pythiosis risk factors (67.22%), microbiologic characteristics (50.83%), and radiographic interpretation (50.56%). Conversely, lower scores were observed in laboratory investigation (15.00%), epidemiology (29.17%), and symptomatology (30.83%). Participants expressed a preference for an online CPD program with both synchronous and asynchronous sessions, each lasting 60–90 minutes. The study emphasizes the need for education on symptomatology, laboratory investigation, and epidemiology to enhance early pythiosis detection and reduce mortality. Respondents widely supported the implementation of the proposed virtual blended CPD program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing recognition of the potential of migration to contribute to climate-change adaptation. Yet, there is limited evidence to what degree, under what conditions, for whom, and with which limitations this is effectively the case. We argue that this results from a lack of recognition and systematic incorporation of sociospatiality--the nested, networked, and intersectional nature of migration-as-adaptation. Our central objective is to utilize the translocal social-resilience approach to overcome these gaps, to identify processes and structures that shape the social resilience of translocal livelihood systems, and to illustrate the mechanisms behind the multiplicity of possible resilience outcomes. Translocal livelihood constellations anchored in rural Thailand as well as in domestic and international destinations of Thai migrants serve as illustrative empirical cases. Data were gathered through a multisited and mixed-methods research design. This paper highlights the role of the distinct but interlinked situations and operational logics at places of origin and destination, as well as the different positionalities and resulting vulnerabilities, roles, commitments, and practices of individuals and households with regard to resilience. Based on the empirical results, the paper distills a generalized typology of five broad categories of resilience outcomes, which explicitly considers sociospatiality. Our approach helps to grasp the complexity of migration-as-adaptation and to avoid simplistic conclusions about the benefits and costs of migration for adaptation--both of which are necessary for sound, evidence-based, migration-as-adaptation policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While foreign migrants contribute to economic development, they may impact public health by transmitting communicable diseases to the local population. With its geopolitical position, Thailand has been a primary destination for migrants from neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia and beyond. This positioning makes it a focal point for examining the complexities of migration dynamics and its implications for public health. Through a quantitative analysis, this paper investigates the influence of foreign migrants on physical health issues in Thailand, exploring their impact on various types of communicable diseases. The utilization of provincial-level data from Thailand offers insights into the localized effects of migrant populations on public health within the country. These insights can serve as a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers who conduct comparative analyses, facilitating a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between international migration and public health worldwide. Methods: A spatial panel autoregressive model (SAR) is applied on the provincial level communicable diseases and socio-economic data in Thailand from the period 2016 to 2021. Results: The results indicate that the influence of foreign migrants on communicable diseases in Thailand varies depending on the type of disease. While an increase in migrants correlates with a higher prevalence of respiratory and other communicable diseases, it conversely reduces the prevalence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Additionally, we found that migrants do not significantly impact the prevalence of food- and water-borne diseases, insect-borne diseases, animal-borne diseases, or sexually transmitted diseases in Thailand. Additionally, other factors, such as GPP per capita, unemployment, poverty, and technology access, strongly correlate with most types of communicable diseases. Conclusion: As revealed by this study, the increase in migrants leads to a rise in respiratory and other communicable diseases, as well as a decrease in vaccine-preventable diseases, which carries significant policy implications. These results urge policymakers, the Ministry of Labour, and the Ministry of Public Health to implement tailored policies and measures to enhance public health and effectively mitigate the risk of communicable diseases transmitted by migrants in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, conservation of resource theory and job demands-resources model, this paper aims to examine the effect of transformational leadership on psychological empowerment and employee engagement of faculty members in Bangladesh and Thailand. This study also integrates Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to justify whether transformational leadership could affect psychological empowerment of faculty members in these two countries differently. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data were collected from a total of 457 faculty members from two universities in Bangladesh (n = 243) and two universities in Thailand (n = 241). This study used partial least squares structural equation modeling for analyzing the proposed model. Findings: The evidence shows that faculty members who worked for department heads and who exhibited transformational leadership demonstrated high level of psychological empowerment and employee engagement. Psychological empowerment also mediates the effect of transformational leadership on employee engagement. Moreover, the degree to which transformational leadership positively affects psychological empowerment is stronger for faculty members in a higher power distance culture (Thailand) than for those faculty members in a lower power distance culture (Bangladesh). Practical implications: Because human capital plays a crucial role in determining the potential of universities to achieve superior performance, universities should provide leadership training to help department heads understand the key elements of transformational leadership and apply them in their management practices to promote empowerment and engagement of their faculty members. Originality/value: The finding provides new evidence that broadens the knowledge from existing research about the cross-cultural effectiveness of transformational leadership, which has not been explored in the area of psychological empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Franchising occurred in Vietnam during the implementation of government policy for economic reform and openness in the mid-1990s. The Vietnam-specific franchise law was passed in January 2006 to create a stable growth in the franchise sector in Vietnam. The legal framework in Vietnam generally follows international legal frameworks. However, the legal framework of franchising businesses is still uncertain. This paper explores Vietnam's franchising law and displays a comparison to the legal framework of Thai franchising law and the Republic of Korea franchising law. The paper concludes that while Vietnam's franchising law generally conforms to international standards, some legal issues should be addressed for further development of the Vietnamese franchising sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how employee voice in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is shaped by national culture. Specifically, the paper explores the relationship between national culture and organisational norms and signals. Furthermore, it explores the impact of such norms on employee voice behaviours. The paper chooses to address these issues in the SME context, in three countries with divergent cultural dimensions. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use Kwon and Farndale's (2020) typology as our "a priori" framework to explore the influence of national cultural values and cultural tightness on SME organisation norms, signals and employee voice behaviours. Our study uses qualitative data gathered through in-depth interviews with SME employees in England, Nigeria and Thailand. Findings: The results from our interviews are presented thematically. The data illustrates how the cultural dimensions identified by Kwon and Farndale (2020) can have an influence on organisational voice norms. The dimensions are power distance, uncertainty avoidance, in-group collectivism, performance orientation, assertiveness and cultural tightness. Originality/value: Historically, the impact of national culture as a macro factor on voice has been largely ignored by academic research. Studies in non-western contexts are especially rare. This paper derives its originality by offering unique insights into the culture–voice relationship from both western and non-western perspectives. This provides an international, cross-cultural, comparative dimension to our study. This research includes findings from under-researched settings in Nigeria and Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of traditional high‐voltage capacitor banks relies on an unbalance relay which operates when an internal fuse is blown. However, the unbalance relay cannot indicate the cause of the fault. Thus, an operator wastes time and human resources investigating the fault issues. In this paper, a fault which occurred in a 230‐kV power system of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand was observed by performing simulations using the Power Systems Computer Aided Design (PSCAD) program. The study system based on the double bus station and 72 MVAR capacitor banks was installed in the form of a back‐to‐back topology. Three scenarios were considered: normal condition, fault occurrence in one capacitor bank and fault occurrence in both capacitor banks. Current characteristics such as the current phase and difference in unbalance current were considered. In addition, discrete wavelet transform was applied to solve the ambiguity of current generated from the PSCAD. The authors' results suggest that identifying fault events using a coefficient of wavelet is more efficient than relying on the current amplitude. The findings mentioned in this paper can be applied in a traditional power system protection scheme to enhance a system's reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impacts of electricity generation from solar energy on the Thai electricity industry. In this paper, three scenarios (REF, Solar2015 and Solar2018) are developed to represent an increased levels of electricity produced from solar energy. A Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) model is employed, in this paper, to assess the impacts for the period 2019-2037. This paper assesses and analyses the scenario impacts in terms of diversification of electricity generation, fossil fuel requirement and emissions of CO2 and SO2. The analysis reveals that increased electricity generation from solar energy would help diversify energy supply for electricity generation, reduce fossil fuel imports, and therefore help improve energy security of the country. Furthermore, it would help mitigating CO2 and SO2 emissions - an issue of environmental significance. Despite several benefits, there are a number of emerging barriers for promoting electricity generation from solar energy in Thailand. These include the intermittency of solar energy, high-capital cost, unsupportable grid infrastructure and unfavourable regulatory framework. This paper, therefore, suggests that the implementation of energy storage system, provision of financial incentives to potential investors, improvement of grid flexibility and the revision of the regulations to support solar energy business could be effective strategies in order to address the barriers facing the Thai electricity industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the design and implementation of age-related human resource (HR) practices across organizations located in the institutional contexts of the under-researched emerging market economy of Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-case analysis of five organizations is conducted across industries. The empirical evidence in this paper draws on semistructured interviews and focus groups with older workers of each organization, semistructured interviews with top managers and/or HR managers of each organization, field visits to each organization located in Bangkok and other provinces in Thailand and a review of archival documents and Web-based resources. Findings: This paper proposes that firms design and implement various age-related HR practices, including the extension of the retirement age, financial planning facilitation, the bundling of maintenance and the bundling of utilization, to ensure that older workers in their firms maintain their current level of functioning to cope with the problem of skill shortage in the Thai labor market, have sufficient savings after retirement to respond to the "productivist informal security" welfare state regime and return to previous levels of functioning after facing losses in their careers. Research limitations/implications: Due to the fact that this research is based on case studies of age-related HR practices in five firms across industries in Thailand, the findings may not be generalizable to all other firms across countries. Rather, the aim of this paper is to enrich the discussion regarding the design and implementation of age-related HR practices in organizations. Another limitation of this research is that it does not include firms located in several industries, such as the financial services industry and the education industry. Future research may explore age-related HR practices in organizations located in these industries. Moreover, quantitative studies using large samples of firms across industries might also be useful for fostering an in-depth understanding of the design and implementation of age-related HR practices in organizations. Practical implications: This paper provides practical implications for top managers and/or HR managers of firms in Thailand and other emerging market economies. That said, these top managers and/or HR managers can implement age-related HR practices to respond to the problem of skill shortage in the labor market, ensure that older workers have sufficient savings after retirement and help older workers return to previous levels of functioning after facing deterioration in health conditions and/or losses in their careers. Social implications: This paper provides policy implications for the government and/or relevant public agencies of Thailand and other emerging market economies that still face a severe skill shortage problem. Older workers who possess tacit knowledge and valuable experience and are still healthy can be considered excellent alternates for firms to help alleviate the skill shortage problem in the labor market. However, firms should implement age-related HR practices to retain this group of employees overtime. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature on comparative institutionalism and human resource management, specifically regarding age-related HR practices, in the following ways. First, this paper examines how firms design and implement age-related HR practices to respond to the country's macro-level institutions. Additionally, in this paper, the author triangulates the findings from older workers with those from employers to ensure that actual HR practices perceived by older workers are in line with HR practices perceived by top managers and/or HR managers. Moreover, the literature on age-related HR practices has likely overlooked emerging market economies, including the under-researched country of Thailand, because most studies in this area have focused on developed economies. Therefore, the findings in this paper provide an in-depth analysis of the design and implementation of age-related HR practices across firms located in the emerging market economy of Thailand to respond to the national institutional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Thailand, the Department of Disease Control (DDC) regularly performs visual larval surveys throughout the country to monitor dengue fever outbreaks. Since 2016, the DDC switched from a paper-based to a digital-based larval survey process. The significant amount of larval survey data collected digitally presents a valuable opportunity to precisely identify the villages and breeding habitats that are vulnerable to dengue transmission. Methods: The study used digitally collected larval survey data from 2017 to 2019. It employed larval indices to evaluate the risk of dengue transmission in villages based on seasonal, regional, and categorical perspectives. Furthermore, the study comprehensively scrutinized each container category by employing different measures to determine its breeding preference ratio. Results: The result showed that villages with a very high-risk of dengue transmission were present year-round in all regions, with the highest proportion during the rainy season. The Southern region had more high-risk villages during the winter season due to rainfall. Slums and residential communities were more vulnerable to dengue than commercial areas. All container categories could potentially serve as breeding habitats for dengue-carrying mosquitoes, with abandoned containers being the most significant breeding sites. Conclusions: The risk of dengue transmission was present year-round throughout Thailand. This underscores the importance of community and government initiatives, along with sustained public awareness campaigns and active community engagement, to efficiently and permanently eradicate mosquito breeding habitats. It should be noted that larval indices may not strongly correlate with dengue cases, as indicated by the preliminary analysis. However, they offer valuable insights into potential breeding sites for targeted preventive measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate electricity demand forecasting serves as a vital planning tool, enhancing the reliability of management decisions. Apart from that, achieving these aims, particularly in managing peak demand, faces challenges due to the industry's volatility and the ongoing increase in residential energy use. Our research suggests that employing deep learning algorithms, such as recurrent neural networks (RNN), long short-term memory (LSTM), and gated recurrent units (GRU), holds promise for the accurate forecasting of electrical energy demand in time series data. This paper presents the construction and testing of three deep learning models across three separate scenarios. Scenario 1 involves utilizing data from all-day demand. In Scenario 2, only weekday data are considered. Scenario 3 uses data from non-working days (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays). The models underwent training and testing across a wide range of alternative hyperparameters to determine the optimal configuration. The proposed model's validation involved utilizing a dataset comprising half-hourly electrical energy demand data spanning seven years from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT). In terms of model performance, we determined that the RNN-GRU model performed better when the dataset was substantial, especially in scenarios 1 and 2. On the other hand, the RNN-LSTM model is excellent in Scenario 3. Specifically, the RNN-GRU model achieved an MAE (mean absolute error) of 214.79 MW and an MAPE (mean absolute percentage error) of 2.08% for Scenario 1, and an MAE of 181.63 MW and MAPE of 1.89% for Scenario 2. Conversely, the RNN-LSTM model obtained an MAE of 226.76 MW and an MAPE of 2.13% for Scenario 3. Furthermore, given the expanded dataset in Scenario 3, we can anticipate even higher precision in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) causes an economic impact on the patients and their households. Although Thailand has expanded the national health benefit package for TB treatment, there was no data on out-of-pocket payments and income losses due to TB from patients and their household perspectives. This national TB patient cost survey was conducted to examine the TB-related economic burden, and assess the proportion of TB patients and their households facing catastrophic total costs because of TB disease. A cross-sectional TB patient cost survey was employed following WHO methods. Structured interviews with a paper-based questionnaire were conducted from October 2019 to July 2021. Both direct and indirect costs incurred from the patient and their household perspective were valued in 2021 and estimated throughout pre- and post-TB diagnosis episodes. We assessed the proportion of TB-affected households facing costs > 20% of household expenditure due to TB. We analyzed 1400 patients including 1382 TB (first-line treatment) and 18 drug-resistant TB patients (DR-TB). The mean total costs per TB episode for all study participants were 903 USD (95% confident interval; CI 771–1034 USD). Of these, total direct non-medical costs were the highest costs (mean, 402 USD, and 95%CI 334–470 USD) incurred per TB-affected household followed by total indirect costs (mean, 393 USD, and 95%CI 315–472 USD) and total direct medical costs (mean, 107 USD, and 95%CI 81–133 USD, respectively. The proportion of TB-affected households facing catastrophic costs was 29.5% (95%CI 25.1–34.0%) for TB (first-line), 61.1% (95%CI 29.6–88.1%) for DR-TB and 29.9% (95%CI 25.6–34.4%) overall. This first national survey highlighted the economic burden on TB-affected households. Travel, food/nutritional supplementation, and indirect costs contribute to a high proportion of catastrophic total costs. These suggest the need to enhance financial and social protection mechanisms to mitigate the financial burden of TB-affected households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon geological storage (CGS) is one of the key processes in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, which are used to reduce CO2 emissions and achieve carbon-neutrality and net-zero emissions in developing countries. In Thailand, the Mae Moh basin is a potential site for implementing CGS due to the presence of a structural trap that can seal the CO2 storage formation. However, the cost of CGS projects needs to be subsidized by selling carbon credits in order to reach the project breakeven. Therefore, this paper estimates the economic components of a CGS project in the Mae Moh basin by designing the well completion and operating parameters for CO2 injection. The capital costs and operating costs of the process components were calculated, and the minimum carbon credit cost required to cover the total costs of the CGS project was determined. The results indicate that the designed system proposes an operating gas injection rate of 1.454 MMscf/day, which is equivalent to 29,530 tCO2e per year per well. Additionally, the minimum carbon credit cost was estimated to be USD 70.77 per tCO2e in order to achieve breakeven for the best case CGS project, which was found to be much higher than the current market price of carbon credit in Thailand, at around USD 3.5 per tCO2e. To enhance the economic prospects of this area, it is imperative to promote a policy of improving the cost of carbon credit for CGS projects in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the integration of magnetic susceptibility measurements and whole-rock geochemical compositional and Nd–Sr isotopic ratio analyses for granite samples collected from the Ranong, Lam Pi, Ban Lam Ru, and Phuket granite bodies in the Western Granitoid Belt of Thailand. In addition, U–Pb dating was performed on zircons extracted from the samples. All samples are proper granites based on their mineralogical and geochemical characteristics. Two samples collected from the Lam Pi granite body were classified as magnetite-series and I-type. The remaining granite samples were classified as ilmenite-series and S- or A-type. Furthermore, all granites were classified as syn-collision granites. Excluding the magnetite-series samples from the Lam Pi granite body, the other samples exhibit enrichment in incompatible elements, such as Nb, Sn, Ta, Pb, Bi, Th, U, Ce, Rb, and Cs. Zircon U–Pb dating yielded ages of ca. 60 Ma for the magnetite-series granites from the Lam Pi granite body, whereas ages of 88–84 Ma were obtained for the other granite bodies. Initial Nd–Sr isotopic ratios indicate a higher contribution of mantle material in the Lam Pi magnetite-series granites and a higher contribution of continental crust material in the other granites. Based on these compositional and zircon U–Pb age data, it is inferred that the 88–84 Ma granites formed as a result of the thickening of the continental crust owing to the collision between the Sibumasu and the West Burma blocks. In contrast, the ca. 60 Ma Lam Pi magnetite-series granites are thought to have been generated via partial melting of the mantle wedge associated with the subduction of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic crust beneath the West Burma Block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the association between the combined roles of chief executive officer (CEO)-chairman titles (CEO duality) and investment efficiency, defined as a lower deviation from expected investment for targeted S-curve firms used to propel an innovation-driven economy. This study also aims to investigate the moderating effect of financial reporting quality on this association. Design/methodology/approach: This paper focuses on the ten targeted S-curve industries – under the definition of the Thailand 4.0 model – listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) from 2000 to 2019. Data related to CEO/chairman titles and investment supports were manually collected from the annual reports, the SET market analysis and reporting tool database and the company websites. Financial data used to estimate investment behaviors and discretionary accruals were extracted from 1999. The study analyzes unbalanced panel data using fixed-effects regressions. Additional tests embrace replacing the sample with nontargeted firms, partitioning into granted and nongranted firms, adding CEOs' demographic moderators, using alternative variable measures and analyzing for lagged independent variables. Findings: The main findings show that CEO duality reduces overinvestment but worsens underinvestment in targeted firms. Financial reporting quality (FRQ) appears to strengthen CEO duality in mitigating extreme spending but has no impact on the association between CEO duality and underinvestment. Additional results, for example, conclude that CEO duality has no association with both over- and underinvesting at nontargeted firms, but its effect becomes positively significant on overinvestment when financial reporting quality is high. The negative association between CEO duality and overinvestment is found only in government-granted and targeted firms. FRQ encourages CEO duality in lowering overinvestment among targeted firms without grants. CEOs' female and serviced early years appear to elevate those main findings. Practical implications: These findings assist innovative corporations in choosing a proper leadership structure to cope with investment inefficiency. The research gives the government and regulatory bodies an insight into the qualifications of the leadership structure and financial information that helps them put forward effective policies. Originality/value: To the best of the author's knowledge, this study is among the first to establish the association between CEO duality and investment efficiency for innovation-driven firms in a transforming economy. The study fills the gap in the literature on management, accounting and finance by unveiling the interplay between dual leadership and financial reporting in affecting the efficiency of investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Apomorphine, a potent dopamine agonist, is a therapeutic option for patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations. However, the adoption of and adherence to this therapy have been limited by the need for complex delivery devices and specialized care as well as resource consumption, posing challenges for new physicians. Thailand is a unique example of a developing nation that has successfully implemented and continued the use of this therapy by employing cooperative technology that has dramatically enhanced apomorphine delivery services. Methods: Establishing apomorphine delivery services requires significant resources and step-by-step solutions. We began our services by implementing various strategies in three chronological stages: the initial stage (2013--2015), intermediate stage (2016--2019), and current stage (2020--present), each presenting unique challenges. Together, we also implemented a proposed set of five mottos to strengthen our apomorphine delivery service. Using additive technology, we developed a patient registry platform that combined electronic data acquisition, video and remote monitoring using wearable sensors, and in- house mobile applications to support our service. Results: At the initial stage, we assembled a team to enhance the efficacy and confirm the safety of apomorphine treatment in our hospital. At the intermediate stage, we expanded our apomorphine delivery services beyond just the patients at our hospital. We supported other hospitals in Thailand in setting up their own apomorphine services by educating both physicians and nurses regarding apomorphine therapy. With this educational undertaking, increased apomorphine-related knowledge among medical professionals, and a greater number of hospitals providing apomorphine services, an increasing number of patients were administered apomorphine in subsequent years. Currently, we are providing effective apomorphine delivery to improve patient outcomes and are seamlessly integrating technology into clinical practice. Incorporating integrative technologies in our apomorphine delivery program yielded positive results in data collection and support throughout patient care, in tracking patients' statuses, in the long-term use of this treatment, and in increasing medication adherence rates. Conclusion: This perspective paper describes how technology can help provide supportive healthcare services in resource-constrained environments, such as in Thailand, offering a step-by-step approach to overcoming several limitations. The valuable insights from our 10-year journey in successfully integrating technology into apomorphine delivery services can benefit new physicians seeking to replicate our success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Energy usage in has been increased due to the rising demand of cloud infrastructure. The government policy has been focused on building the green IT data center. The energy data need to be collected in order to monitor the energy usage. However, in an old typical data center, the building has been built with no support of such data collection. In this research, we aim to design the energy data collection system for our existing data center, a case study of data center in Thailand at the university. Based on the collected data, an energy usage monitoring system and prediction can be developed. Methods: In the case study of Kasetsart University data center, the building and electric layouts were predetermined. The building layout and existing IT hardware were investigated. We designed the meter types and the number of meters to be installed for the building the energy data collection system. The corresponding database system was also designed for data logging, data visualization and analysis purpose. Results: As a result, 25 installed meters along with the add-on network system were installed for logging data. A data usage example was demonstrated by building the data visualization and analysis. The presented 1 year dataset collected showed the changes of energy usages which can be used to compare with real activities happening in the campus. This encourages the integration of other related environment data such as outside temperature which may affect the electric billing cost. The dataset can be used for prediction of the electric usage; thus, the policy for reducing the electric billing cost could be established. In this paper, as a data note, we focus on the methodology of data collection required for data center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a vast concern about high income inequality in Thailand as opposed to empirical findings around the world showing people's preference for fair income inequality over unfair income equality, it is therefore important to examine whether inequality in income distribution in Thailand over the past three decades is fair, and what fair inequality in income distribution in Thailand should be. To quantitatively measure fair income distribution, this study employs the fairness benchmarks that are derived from the distributions of athletes' salaries in professional sports which satisfy the concepts of distributive justice and procedural justice, the no-envy principle of fair allocation, and the general consensus or the international norm criterion of a meaningful benchmark. By using the data on quintile income shares and the income Gini index of Thailand from the National Social and Economic Development Council, this study finds that, throughout the period from 1988 to 2021, the Thai income earners in the bottom 20%, the second 20%, and the top 20% receive income shares more than the fair shares whereas those in the third 20% and the fourth 20% receive income shares less than the fair shares. Provided that there are infinite combinations of quintile income shares that can have the same value of income Gini index but only one of them is regarded as fair, this study demonstrates the use of fairness benchmarks as a practical guideline for designing policies with an aim to achieve fair income distribution in Thailand. Moreover, a comparative analysis is conducted by employing the method for estimating optimal (fair) income distribution representing feasible income equality in order to provide an alternative recommendation on what optimal (fair) income distribution characterizing feasible income equality in Thailand should be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can we ensure quality elections when the key institutions responsible for the organisation of polls are openly partisan and anti-democratic? In their 2017 paper, Birch and van Ham suggest that partisan electoral management bodies (EMBs) do not matter for the quality of polls so long as effective alternative oversight institutions exist, are active and independent. These institutions can make up for the EMBs’shortcomings and ensure that a relatively highquality election is still achieved. I argue that the notion of active and independent alternative oversight institutions leaves us guessing under which conditions it works. Adopting James’s network-based approach to electoral management, I show on the example of the 2019 Thai election that electoral governance networks that are characterised by high levels of political polarisation, the presence of entrenched authoritarian elites and formally independent EMBs that are too powerful make substitution untenable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion in Thailand is severe due to the deforestation of mangrove forests, which naturally dissipate waves, making it necessary to establish how to reproduce mangrove forests of a suitable size. First, a survey of mangrove forests was performed in 2012--2013 along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, where mangrove vegetation has been affected by human activities. The survey showed that tentacle-root mangroves (Rhizophora mucronata) accounted for the largest proportion of the mangrove trees in the area. The distribution characteristics of the root number per mangrove tree and the diameters of root systems and main trunks were also clarified. The parametric results were used to make replicas of mangrove vegetation. Hydraulic experiments were carried out in a wave tank in 2014, and a calculation diagram for obtaining the wave transmission ratio was constructed, which was improved over 2015--2018. Moreover, experimental data of eight existing papers were used to increase the value and reliability of this diagram. As a result, a wave transmission ratio can be obtained as a function of the density of mangrove vegetation and the ratio of the incident wavelength to the offing direction width of a mangrove forest. Next, the wave transmission ratio of existing detached breakwaters made of geotextile sandbags was evaluated by simulation using the numerical model [V. T. Ca: VNU J. Sci., Earth Sci. 23 (2007) 160], then the required width of a mangrove forest for it to have the same effect as an existing detached breakwater was estimated. The wave transmission ratio of this breakwater was 0.33, and the offing direction width of the tentacle-root mangrove forest was 250 m with a tree density of 0.8 (the number of trees/m²). By performing verification simulations using experimental data, the high reproduction accuracy of the topographical changes obtained by the numerical model of Ca et al. was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Thailand undergoes a long democratization process, significant barriers to the country's consolidation of democracy include reserved domains and tutelary powers. While states are usually treated as homogenous units in understanding their behaviors in the international arena, the internal processes are important determinants of states' actions. Therefore, the swings in the embeddedness of Thai reserved domains and tutelary powers can shape the domestic constraints that governmental actors face in foreign policy formulations. In this paper, the Thai democratization trajectory was investigated in a comparative study to trace the changes in the prevalence of reserved domains and tutelary powers in different periods. Then, through an exploration into Thailand's foreign policy decisions that the country enacted towards the major powers and the neighboring countries in the Cold War and the post-Cold War periods, these foreign policy actions were scrutinized in connection to the dynamic of the decision-making apparatus of the time. The information was compiled through official papers, government statements, newspapers, and scholarly literature. The paper demonstrates that when tutelary powers and reserved domains are highly embedded in the policy-making structure, and conflicting standpoints on a foreign policy decision are presented, the outcomes of the policy-making process will lean towards the camp advocated by the non-democratic actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether logistics upgrading activities undertaken by firms can compensate for the poor quality of logistics infrastructure at the national level. To do so, the study makes use of the World Bank's Enterprises Surveys (ESs) of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand for the 2015-16 period. This is the first study to analyse the logistics upgrading efforts of firms across multiple Southeast Asian countries. The key finding is that, while Indonesia lags behind the other two ASEAN members in terms of physical infrastructure investment, cumbersome regulatory procedures are the common challenge in all three countries. The inter-country, firm-level cross-sectional econometric analysis suggests that there is ample room for firms to improve their logistics capabilities to mitigate related bottlenecks at the national level. Moreover, certain forms of subsidies or tax incentives might be needed to offset the additional costs incurred by the firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the impact of COVID-19 on different demographic groups in the Thai labour market using the Labour Force Surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019. We construct a new set of COVID-19 impact indicators capturing both the degree of risk in industries and the degree of occupational flexibility in the Thai context. The results show that the effect of COVID-19 is highly divergent across demographic groups, which may further worsen the pre-existing inequality in the Thai labour market, given the composition of industrial sectors and occupations. The results also indicate that education attainments and income levels play a significant role in protecting individuals, suggesting the key contribution of human capital. In addition, marriage affects men and women workers differently during the crisis, with married women appearing to suffer more. Finally, this study highlights the need for targeted government support to vulnerable groups, including workers with low education, informal sector workers, private employees, older women and the young, who are more likely to be affected by COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palms (OP) produce palm oil, a unique commodity without commercial alternatives. A serious disease of OP is basal stem rot (BSR) caused by Ganoderma boninense Pat. Climate change will likely increase BSR, thereby causing mortality of OP and reduced yields of palm oil. Work is being undertaken to produce modified OP (mOP) to resist BSR, although this will take decades for full development, if successfully produced at all. mOP will not be 100% effective, and it would be useful to know the effect of mOP on the key parameters of BSR incidence, OP mortality, and yield loss. The current paper employed CLIMEX modeling of suitable climates for OP and modeling narratives for Indonesia and Thailand. Indonesia is the largest producer of OP and Thailand is a much smaller manufacturer, and it was informative to compare these two countries. The gains from using mOP were substantial compared to the current production of some other continents and countries. The current paper, for the first time, assessed how climate change will affect BSR parameters for conventional and mOP. Greater consideration of the potential benefits of mOP is required to justify investing in the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the efficacy of 0, 5, and 20 sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for reducing symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Thirty‐six male children with ASD (mean age 2 years 3 months, SD 4 months, age range 1 years 6 months–2 years 11 months) were balanced and stratified by age, sex, and baseline severity of ASD, to: (1) a control group that received 20 sessions of sham tDCS; (2) a 5‐session tDCS group (5‐tDCS) that received 5 sessions of active tDCS followed by 15 sessions of sham tDCS; and (3) a 20‐session tDCS group (20‐tDCS) that received 20 sessions of active tDCS. All groups participated in the special school activity of Khon Kaen Special Education Center, Thailand. The primary outcome was autism severity as measured by the Childhood Autism Severity Scale. Results: The 5‐tDCS and 20‐tDCS groups evidenced greater reductions in autism severity than the control group at days 5 and 14, and months 6 and 12. There were no significant differences in the outcome between the 5‐ and 20‐tDCS groups at any time point. Within‐group analysis showed clinically meaningful improvements starting at month 6 for the participants in the control group, and clinically meaningful improvements starting on day 5 in both active tDCS groups, all of which were maintained to month 12. Interpretation: The 5‐ and 20‐session tDCS seems to reduce autism severity faster than sham tDCS. These effects maintained at least for 1 year. What this paper adds: Twenty sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) were not superior to five sessions.Sham tDCS with a special school activity can reduce autism severity starting at 6 months after treatment.The benefits observed for 5 and 20 sessions of tDCS last for at least 12 months. What this paper adds: Twenty sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) were not superior to five sessions.Sham tDCS with a special school activity can reduce autism severity starting at 6 months after treatment.The benefits observed for 5 and 20 sessions of tDCS last for at least 12 months. This original article is commented on by Wilson on pages 730–731 of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multigenerational employees can evidently impact human resource management practices in terms of effective employee retention. Arguably, a high turnover intention of young employees can hinder a company's human resource development, while a high volume of retirement of senior employees can create a skill deficit and even a labor management dilemma. This study explored how a supportive work environment can retain employees of different age groups in Thailand's small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly Generation X and Y. It modeled a supportive work environment that impacts the behaviors of Generation X and Y employees, taking into consideration the relationship among factors such as person–job fit, person–group fit, person–supervisor fit, person–organization fit, person–environment fit, and turnover intention. This paper statistically analyzed a set of data drawn from an attentive survey of a total of 400 employees of SMEs in 4 populous provinces in Thailand using structural equation modeling (SEM) and multigroup analysis (MGA) with the moderation effect of generations. This paper then found that person–job fit, person–group fit, person–supervisor fit, person–organization fit, person–environment fit, and turnover intention can influence an employee's intention to remain in his/her job. Additionally, the relationship manipulation among the aforementioned variables might influence Generation X and Y employees differently. Under the circumstances, supervisory support with less group involvement may encourage the retention of Generation Y employees, whereas a sufficient focus on job suitability could improve the retention of Generation X employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phlebopus portentosus is a favorite wild, edible mushroom in the tropical region of China and northern Thailand. P. portentosus is the only bolete in the Boletales order that has been commercially cultivated. Sclerotia produced by the mushroom are often found in its natural habitats and cultivated media. These sclerotia play a key role in its life cycle. However, the regularity and growth characteristics of the sclerotium are unknown. In this paper, the whole process of birth, growth, death and rebirth of the sclerotium of P. portentosus under natural and lab conditions is reported for the first time. Sclerotium formation in nature is due to environmental stress, such as drought or low temperature. The less rainfall, the more sclerotia are produced. It appears that a lower temperature can also initiate sclerotium formation; however, the relationship between sclerotium formation and temperature is not as clear as that between sclerotium formation and rainfall. Under artificial conditions, the sclerotium formation of P. portentosus is related to the fungus' physiological maturation. The presence of sclerotia is always accompanied by the exudation of liquid droplets on the colony. The results of this study should provide a platform for research on the importance of sclerotium formation in the life cycle of P. portentosus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the impact of cultural differences between China and Thailand on emotion and consumer behavior, this paper studied the impact of awe on diversified consumer behavior and the moderating effect of cultural differences between China and Thailand on the impact by the experimental method. In this paper, 280 students in Nanchang for China and Bangkok for Thailand were selected as the research object, and the students in these two places were divided into four groups: the Chinese control group, the Chinese experimental group, the Thai control group and the Thai experimental group. The research showed that awe had a significant negative impact on the diversification of consumer behavior, and awe had an impact on both Chinese and Thai consumers. However, the impact on Chinese and Thai consumers had not reached a significant difference, that was, the cultural differences between China and Thailand have no significant moderating effect on this effect. This paper could provide some empirical references for future cross-cultural researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on spatio-temporal geostatistical modeling remains a critical challenge in numerous scientific and engineering disciplines. This paper introduces a novel extension of dual kriging, called spatio-temporal dual kriging (ST-DK), in which drift functions with fixed and adaptive coefficients are established. The approach appears to be effective in modeling complex spatio-temporal dynamics, particularly when relevant auxiliary variables exert substantial influence on the target variable. To illustrate its performance, we compare the ST-DK model with the classical spatio-temporal regression kriging (ST-RK) and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) models for estimating temperature and air pressure data from Thailand in 2018. Our findings demonstrate that both the ST-DK and ST-RK models when utilizing adaptive coefficients outperform their fixed coefficient counterparts. Furthermore, the ST-DK method consistently exhibits superior performance compared to the ST-RK and GTWR methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging process of transmission lines has a direct impact on the reliability and safety of the power grid. Therefore, an accurate age estimation method is imperative for effective maintenance planning and infrastructure investment. This paper introduces a systematic methodology for estimating the age of overhead transmission lines, utilizing the percentage statistical health index (%SHI) and the failure probability curve-fitting (FPCF) method. The %SHI, employing a scoring and weighting approach derived from test results and inspections, is used to assess the actual condition of transmission line equipment. Additionally, the FPCF approach is applied to illustrate the connection between the SHI and the likelihood of failure, facilitating the assessment of transmission line age by fitting failure probability curves to the SHI data. This age is directly associated with the probability of experiencing a failure. The evaluation was conducted on 924 towers situated along four transmission lines connecting the 115 kV substations S1–S2, S3–S4, S5–S6, and S7–S8. These transmission lines are in four regions with diverse terrain and environments such as mountains, rice fields, and more. In the SHI calculation, practical testing results and historical failure data were applied. The results clearly indicate that there were notable disparities in the age estimations for transmission lines in diverse geographical regions of Thailand when compared to their actual ages. These discrepancies can be attributed to various factors, including the local environment, such as rainfall, flooding, and salt-laden air as well as specific geographical features like mountainous and coastal terrain. To mitigate the deterioration of transmission lines in all regions, it is essential to implement a proactive maintenance strategy. This strategy should involve more frequent inspections, the use of advanced monitoring technologies, and the establishment of robust maintenance procedures, with which it would become possible to enhance the accuracy of equipment condition assessments, ultimately resulting in an overall improvement in the reliability of transmission lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primarily driven by conflict, displacement and economic pull factors over the past three decades, a homegrown system of mother-tongue-based education for migrant children from Myanmar has been developed in Tak Province, Thailand. This network of Migrant Learning Centers depended mainly on external organisations for teacher professional development (TPD), with few Centres having opportunities to develop school-based models. This paper documents learning from creating the ‘teacher leader’ role to build school-level capacity to sustain TPD by giving new responsibilities to 31 teachers as peer coaches during the pandemic. Mixedmethods analysis used Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory, specifically, Power Distance, Individualism – Collectivism, Uncertainty Avoidance and Long-Term Orientation to frame sensemaking and the extent to which teachers’ perceptions of the new role were consistent with its implementation. The teacher leader role contributed to a perceived reduction of power distance between teachers and promoted long-term orientation regarding TPD. Its emphasis on collaboration allowed collectivist ideals to be played out practically without disturbing the status quo. The prioritisation of reflective practice and teacher-level collaboration improved coaching self-confidence and teaching competencies. Teacher-led peersupport systems within and across schools assisted in the retention of institutional knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to explore the impact of self-regulated learning strategies on English language abilities and knowledge of 421 final-year undergraduate students at a public university in Thailand. The instruments used in the present study were 1) the 65-item Questionnaire of English Self-Regulated Learning Strategies (QESRLS), and the English Exit Exam (EEE) comprising 80 multiple-choice items, namely, 20 items for the grammar part, 20 items for the reading part, 20 items for the writing part, and 20 items for the language function (speaking) part. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation as well as inferential statistics of Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) Model were utilized to analyze the data gained. The findings reveal the correlation between the participants' use of self-regulated learning strategies and the overall English language abilities and knowledge as well as the four aspects of them: grammar, reading, writing, and language function (speaking). Besides, the interpretation guessing strategies, the self-evaluation strategies, and the persistence strategies when faced with challenges were positively associated with the English language abilities and knowledge. The findings shed some light on the integration of self-regulated learning strategies into English language courses or curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate electricity demand forecasting is essential for global energy security, reducing costs, ensuring grid stability, and informing decision making in the energy sector. Disruptions often lead to unpredictable demand shifts, posing greater challenges for short-term load forecasting. Understanding electricity demand patterns during a pandemic offers insights into handling future disruptions. This study aims to develop an effective forecasting model for daily electricity peak demand, which is crucial for managing potential disruptions. This paper proposed a hybrid approach to address scenarios involving both government intervention and non-intervention, utilizing integration methods such as stepwise regression, similar day selection-based day type criterion, variational mode decomposition, empirical mode decomposition, fast Fourier transform, and neural networks with grid search optimization for the problem. The electricity peak load data in Thailand during the year of the COVID-19 situation is used as a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. To enhance the flexibility and adaptability of the approach, the new criterion of separating datasets and the new criterion of similar day selection are proposed to perform one-day-ahead forecasting with rolling datasets. Computational analysis confirms the method's effectiveness, adaptability, reduced input, and computational efficiency, rendering it a practical choice for daily electricity peak demand forecasting, especially in disrupted situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]