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Purpose: The Thai video game domain has witnessed substantial growth in recent years. However, many games enjoyed by Thai players are in foreign languages, with only a handful of titles translated/localized into the Thai locale. Some Thai video game enthusiasts have taken on the role of unofficial translators/localizers, contributing to a localization domain that accommodates both official and unofficial translation/localization efforts. This general review paper aims to outline the author's experiences in collecting data within the domain of video game translation/localization in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: Using a descriptive approach, this general review paper employs the netnography method. It sheds light on the complexities of video game translation/localization in Thailand and incorporates semi-structured interviews with a snowball sampling technique for the selection of participants and in-game data collection methods. Findings: The netnography method has proved instrumental in navigating the intricacies of this evolving landscape. Adopting the netnography method for data collection in this research contributes to establishing more robust connections with the research sites. "Inside" professionals and individuals play a significant role in data gathering by recommending additional sources of information for the research. Originality/value: While netnography is conventionally applied in the market and consumer research, this paper demonstrates its efficacy in unraveling the dynamics of video game translation/localization in Thailand.

This paper describes a case study of an online physics laboratory course implemented for 254 engineering students at Walailak University in Thailand in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The laboratory sequence was designed based on the United Kingdom Professional Standards Framework and covered eight experiments on fundamental concepts of motion, electricity, waves, and fluid mechanics. The experiments were conducted at students' homes using physics education technology simulations, Tracker for video analysis, smartphones, and home-based apparatuses. During the experiments, students shared their progress with classmates and lecturers through screen sharing, which facilitated exchanges of ideas and difficulties. The paper discusses the successful implementation of the online laboratory course and the challenges encountered, such as student engagement, resource limitations, and practical skill development. The insights gained from this case study may be useful for online laboratory education beyond the pandemic.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate and discuss the application of mindfulness practices rooted in Buddhism as the methodological praxis in implementing participatory action research (PAR) projects with older Thai adults. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on the researchers' reflexive accounts of participatory action conducted with older Thai participants in a series of four PAR projects in the five senior schools located in the northern, southern, northeastern and central regions of Thailand. Findings: The paper demonstrates the translation of Buddhist mindfulness into a PAR methodological approach and shares actual practices of mindfulness in each stage of the research process. Originality/value: This paper provides practical implications for researchers to incorporate the mindfulness methodology to unlock presuppositions and attachments to pre-existing PAR frameworks and open new ways of knowing that emerge out of the lived experience at the present contextual moment.

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 (2) 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.

This research paper aimed to develop a training curriculum to enhance the competency of music teachers in Buriram Province who graduated from Rajabhat University and became professional teachers in active learning management. The study involved 50 music teachers who participated in workshops and academic exchange forums. The training curriculum consisted of eight components, including the development of active learning unit plans and lesson plans. The research instruments used were the training curriculum, the active learning unit plan assessment form, and the active learning lesson plan assessment form. The use of the curriculum resulted in positive outcomes, with most of the active learning unit plans receiving high assessment scores, and the academic exchange forums effectively showcased best practices. This study provides insights into the development of a training curriculum aimed at enhancing the competencies of music teachers in active learning management, which can be adapted to other teaching fields.

This study aims to examine the diverse strategies employed in apology and request, investigate the influence of cultural factors, social power, and social distance on these strategies, and explore the existing limitations and gaps in the literature for future research. Data collection is conducted using the qualitative technique. Qualitative content analysis is employed for data analysis. The SLR process provides a structured framework for analyzing various strategies employed in speech acts and investigates the impact of cultural variables and social distance on these strategies. Through the implementation of a predetermined review procedure, a total of 16 papers published between 2018 and 2022 were identified and analyzed. The findings demonstrated that many studies examined apologies and requests using different strategies and sub-strategies. Notably, politeness usage by Indonesian English teachers reflected social power dynamics, while linguistic strategies among Thai students and EFL learners were shaped by social distance. Thai study underscored the importance of cultural immersion, variations among interactants, and teaching factors in pragmatic competence. The PRISMA-guided systematic review effectively synthesized existing literature. The gaps, novel insights, and unresolved issues identified provided a roadmap for researchers to propel the field forward. This systematic review contributed a snapshot of current knowledge, charted a course for future investigations, identified gaps, and leveraged the strengths of systematic approaches.

The objective of this study was to study the composition and indicators of innovative organizations of secondary schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission using research papers study principles and concepts. Then, data was collected, analyzed, and synthesized to obtain the composition and indicators of the innovative organization of secondary schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission. The tools used to collect data included document notes and assessment forms for the suitability of elements and indicators by confirming elements and indicators from 9 experts. Among the informants are notable people. Three expert groups' credentials are ascertained by Purposive Sampling: Group 1: Academic staff members in postsecondary education establishments who hold a Ph.D. in education, educational administration, or a related field and are assistant professors or higher. Group 2: Educational Administrators having a Ph.D. in Education and a minimum of five years' experience in the field. Group 3 consists of school administrators who have at least five years of experience managing schools and a doctorate in educational administration. The results of the study showed that 1) the innovative organizational composition of secondary schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission consisted of 5 components: (1) Vision and Strategy, (2) Organizational Structure, (3) Organizational Culture, (4) Human Resource Development and (5) organizational communication. 2) Elements and indicators of vision and strategy are most appropriate, 3) Elements and Indicators of organizational structure are most appropriate, 4) Elements and Indicators of Human Resource Development and 5) Elements and Indicators of corporate communication are most appropriate.

Native English speakers' accents are generally regarded as ideal models of English accents. However, in real-world communication, where English is used as a lingua franca for intercultural communication among people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, English users inevitably encounter a wide variety of accents. This paper presents part of a broader study that explores the attitudes of Thai students and teachers toward native speaker accents, Asian accents, and their own accents (i.e., Thai accents). Specifically, we focus on the attitudes of 123 Thai students attending a public secondary school in Thailand. We collected data through an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews and analyzed it using descriptive statistics and thematic coding. Our findings indicate that American accents were overwhelmingly viewed as the most favorable and served as the standard for pronunciation. While Asian English accents were generally perceived as intelligible and acceptable, some participants expressed negative attitudes toward their own Thai accents, considering them to be deficient. These findings highlight the importance of raising awareness about the diversity of English accents in both English language teaching and policy.

The review article presents an analysis of the literature on environmental literacy in sustainable development. By utilizing techniques to examine multiple documents published between 2013 and 2023, including citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, subject area analysis, and keyword analysis, this study aims to provide valuable information and insights into the research landscape surrounding environmental literacy and its contribution to promoting sustainable development. A systematic search was conducted to gather several scientific articles, conference papers, and publications from the Scopus database from 2013 to 2023. The findings of this analysis shed light on authors, influential institutions, and active research groups that contributed to the study of environmental literacy and sustainable development. This comprehensive review offers an understanding of the state of research in this field while identifying areas for further exploration and research gaps. The insights gained from this study can be highly beneficial for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to advance knowledge and take action toward promoting literacy's role in sustainable development. This analysis is a foundation for advancing our understanding of literacy's significance while emphasizing its vital role in sustainable development efforts.

Purpose: This study aims to explore how student recruitment practitioners at regional Australian universities strategise student recruitment efforts in Thailand. There is scarce research addressing regional universities, with prior studies focusing on metropolitan universities. Similarly, most prior studies have focused on high-volume markets, with little research exploring emerging markets such as Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with student recruitment practitioners from regional universities that were responsible for recruiting Thai students. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes. Findings: Regional universities lack strategic ambidexterity in their approach to recruiting international students. They viewed Thailand as requiring longer term investment and were unwilling to dedicate their limited resources towards developing this market at the expense of other markets that would yield enrolments to contribute towards short-term targets. Practical implications: Implications are provided with relevance to the student recruitment practitioner, with strategic ambidexterity discussed. Originality/value: The paper fills a gap in the research by exploring international student recruitment and contextualising both regional universities and Thailand as a recruitment market. This study provides useful considerations that may be relevant to other emerging markets.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore students' mathematization through a flow of lessons using the Thailand Lesson Study Incorporated Open Approach (TLSOA) to improve the excellence of instruction. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 16 Grade 4 students were selected because they have been taught using the TLSOA model for four years. Six Lesson Study (LS) team members participated, and two instruments were utilized, namely student worksheets, and field notes. An ethnographic research design was employed. Findings: The results revealed that the students' mathematical ideas were developed from the real world to the mathematical world through a flow of lessons based on the four phases of the Open Approach (OA). Practical implications: Firstly, the students demonstrated their ability to represent the real world independently when the teacher posed an open-ended problem. Secondly, the students demonstrated their ability to use semi-concrete aids to develop their ideas while self-learning. Thirdly, the students showed how they developed their ideas to solve the open-ended problem using relevant objects or related concepts as part of a whole-class discussion and comparison exercise. Finally, the students demonstrated their abilities to represent the mathematical world using numbers and symbols to communicate their ideas when they were required to make a summary by connecting their mathematical ideas. Originality/value: This study adds new insight to the literature on students' mathematization using the TLSOA model.

Thailand's general education policy has been intended to provide students with the necessary basic knowledge for their subsequent major studies, as well as to serve other important functions in daily life practices. The university has several reasons for requiring the general education program as part of degree completion. In this paper, I will discuss pedagogical languages of general education through the lens of anthropology of learning. It can be argued that the importance of anthropology of learning is rooted broadly in class traditions and fieldwork that once demanded students to develop a breadth of diverse knowledge. By reframing the question of anthropological fieldwork, I would like to use my teaching experiences in the general education program over the decades to discuss what and how to interact with students and academicians, resulting in improved teaching techniques and learning processes.

Recent work on linguistic landscapes at schools (schoolscapes) has highlighted the complex dialogic relationship between the semiotics of public signage in educational spaces and policies seeking to enforce dominant ideologies. In this paper, we discuss the results of research conducted in the Deep South of Thailand, a minority region in which the predominant language, ethnicity and religion are different from the rest of the nation, and which has over the last century been exposed to significant assimilatory pressure. Drawing on an analysis of language use in two Islamic schools in the region, as well as interviews and focus groups with administrators, teachers and students, we focus on the temporality of meanings - how schoolscapes are anchored in narratives of the past, present and future. Historical memories evoked by particular elements of the schoolscapes are discussed, particularly in light of the efforts of the local population to resist assimilatory policies. We also discuss the aspirations of our participants for the future, observing that, while recent language policy in Thailand has focussed primarily on promoting Thai and English, our participants saw a much more varied plurilingualism as relevant to their lives.

'Mooditj' known as 'good' or 'solid knowledge' in Noongar language based in Western Australian, is an impact evaluated sexuality education program developed in 2002 by Sexual Health Quarters after an extensive consultation process with WA First Nations populations. The program uses interactive activities designed to educate 11-14-year-old First Nations youth about sexual health, life and relationship skills. In conjunction with local and Indigenous leaders within hilltribe communities, Borderless Friendship Foundation (BFF) and Borderless Friendship WA (BFWA) adapted the Mooditj training program to a hilltribe youth audience. Hilltribe people are the Indigenous culture of Thailand, typically living in remote villages that often have little to no electricity, access to safe water, health services or education. Hilltribe youth are at risk of entering the sex trade due to multiple vulnerabilities as a population and education is recommended to reduce risky sexual behaviours. This paper explores the acceptability of Mooditj program content and delivery to suit the cultural contexts and need of hilltribe communities.

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]

Aims: This study aimed to present national data for children and adolescents requiring hospitalization in Thailand. Background: Feeding and eating disorders can cause life‐threatening and negative health impacts. In Asia, the prevalence is rising. Data from children and adolescents in Thailand are limited. Design: This study is a retrospective study of the national database. Methods: Data from the National Health Security Office database on Universal Health Insurance Coverage (2015–2019) of 0–17‐year‐olds were analysed by diagnosis (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, vomiting associated with psychological disturbances, other eating disorders and unspecified eating disorders). Descriptive statistics, chi‐square test and multinomial logistic regression were used. Results: There were 163 patients, averaging 9.4 ± 5.2 years old, requiring 205 admissions. Most diagnoses showed stable trends, except for a slight decrease in anorexia and unspecified eating disorders. Most admissions were due to unspecified eating disorders and psychogenic vomiting, followed by anorexia nervosa. The overall prevalence was 3.86 per 100 000 admissions. Anorexia had the highest hospital costs and re‐admission rates. Anorexia nervosa was most prevalent in early adolescence and females, while bulimia nervosa was most prominent in middle adolescence and had a male predominance. Conclusion: Early recognition in clinical practice could increase early detection and improve outcomes. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that involve unhealthy eating habits and cause fatal medical complications.Most studies have been reported from Western or developed countries; recently, more data are emerging from the East, particularly in developing countries including the Southeast Asia.Underdiagnoses and underdetection can cause delayed treatment and prognosis. What this paper adds? Some types of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have specific characteristics. ○Anorexia nervosa was mostly prominent among early adolescents but was also found in younger children. Patients with anorexia nervosa required a longer length of stay, had the highest re‐admission rate and had the highest treatment cost per admission.○Bulimia nervosa was more prominent during middle adolescence. Contrasting to previous literature, we found that Thai males were diagnosed with bulimia nervosa 2.5 times higher than females.○Psychogenic vomiting was prominent in children of both sexes. The implications of this paper: We present the prevalence of national data on feeding and eating disorders among children and adolescents, but we believe that there are more patients with eating disorders outside the health care system, who remain underdetected and underdiagnosed.For early detection, minimizing admissions and complications, clinicians, nurses and health care providers who are at the front line are encouraged to recognize eating disorders, particularly in this era where body image is a concern for adolescents.This study portrays feeding and eating disorders among children and adolescents in Thailand, and the trends may represent counties that have similar socioeconomic backgrounds and health care systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: What is known on the subject?: Stigma associated with care homes has been found to influence residents' lives, and it is a known risk factor for depression among older adults worldwide.Older residents in Asia and particularly, in Thai care homes commonly experience stigma due to being strongly influenced by a traditional cultural paradigm of filial piety.The understanding of how residents perceive and experience the stigma associated with residing in care homes, as well as its link to the development of depression, remains very limited. What does the paper add to existing knowledge?: This research explains the dynamics of the process of the stigma associated with living care homes among Thai older residents.This research highlights the various ways in which stigma impacts residents, their families and care home staff.This study identifies mitigating stigma factors, including social support, coping strategies (karma, mindfulness and religious devotions) and activities that may mitigate perceived stigma associated with care home residency. What are the implications for practice?: There is a compelling need to improve the well‐being of older people living in care homes and to combat the cultural stigma associated with living in care homes through promoting positive attitudes and educational interventions in society, communities and care homes themselves and involving residents' families in the planning and delivery of care for residents. We advocate that the government promotes security and sustainable life for all Thai older adults. Introduction: Stigma associated with living in care homes is a known risk factor for depression among care home residents in Asia, including Thailand. However, little is understood about how such stigma is experienced among residents and care home staff. Aims: To examine older adults' perceptions of stigma and to understand how stigma associated with living in care homes causes or exacerbates depressive symptoms. Methods: A qualitative case study approach was used to gain an in‐depth view of stigma, from two public care homes in northeast Thailand. Data were collected by in‐depth interviews with 50 participants (30 older residents and 20 care home staff), and non‐participant observation was conducted over 1 month. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: The study identified three major themes of stigma, comprising the causes of stigma, reactions toward stigma, and mitigating factors. Discussion: Negative beliefs about care homes and residents, contribute to stigma. Residents exhibited negative emotions and behaviours, including depressive symptoms. Residents reported using particular coping strategies that helped them cope with their perceptions of stigma. Implications for Practice: Future research should focus on strategies or research to combat stigma in order to prevent depression and reduce perceptions of stigma. [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: This study aims to explore how student recruitment practitioners at regional Australian universities strategise student recruitment efforts in Thailand. There is scarce research addressing regional universities, with prior studies focusing on metropolitan universities. Similarly, most prior studies have focused on high-volume markets, with little research exploring emerging markets such as Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with student recruitment practitioners from regional universities that were responsible for recruiting Thai students. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes. Findings: Regional universities lack strategic ambidexterity in their approach to recruiting international students. They viewed Thailand as requiring longer term investment and were unwilling to dedicate their limited resources towards developing this market at the expense of other markets that would yield enrolments to contribute towards short-term targets. Practical implications: Implications are provided with relevance to the student recruitment practitioner, with strategic ambidexterity discussed. Originality/value: The paper fills a gap in the research by exploring international student recruitment and contextualising both regional universities and Thailand as a recruitment market. This study provides useful considerations that may be relevant to other emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rather than confining the investigation solely to intentions, as typically done within the unifinality paradigm (e.g. Structural Equation Modeling with prespecified hypotheses), this paper extends the traditional approach by delving into the actual behaviors of tourists through diverse pathways. Employing mixed methods, we aim to uncover potential explanations for the formation of green behavioral patterns among tourists. While our findings reveal a limited variance in behavior explained solely by intention, it is imperative to recognize the critical role of intention as a significant determinant of behavior, as supported by our empirical data. [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]

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]

Thailand in 2018 became the latest developing country to impose mandatory rules on its fiscal policy that included a national limit on the accumulation of public debt and direct control of local government budgets. Such fiscal recentralization is generally assumed in the literature on multi-level finance to weaken local economic, fiscal, and policy conditions. Yet a newer emphasis in this literature asserts the potential value of central governments in steering and constraining local governments through public finance. Such central steering may strengthen rather than weaken local governments via fiscal, economic, and policy conditions. In this paper, we use the emergent theory of pro-local fiscal recentralization to examine the initial evidence, as well as the emergent opportunities, for local governments in Thailand. We find grounds for optimism that fiscal recentralization will have positive effects, and identify strategies for local governments to optimize those effects. We conclude with recommendations for research and practice on fiscal recentralization in other developing country contexts. [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]

Academic advising is an integral component of higher education that impacts student achievement, university retention, and graduation rates. Given the current competitive arena in Thai higher education, advising plays an increasingly critical role in students' and universities' success. However, advising is a complex process, and what actually occurs, with whom, when, and where is complicated. Furthermore, little is known of the current state of advising in Thai higher education as in the extant literature there are as yet no articles in English on the subject. The present article presents an auto-ethnographic reflection of the author's lived experience in conducting advising at a university in Thailand between 2020 and 2022. The purposes of this article were to shed light on the current state of advising in Thai higher education by sharing the author's lived experience, and to connect this experience to broader issues in advising at Thai universities. Suggestions are given to further the professionalization and quality of advising in Thai higher education, including a call for a paradigmatic shift from a traditional, prescriptive approach to a developmental, holistic one. Given the lack of English literature on advising in Thailand, this paper provides needed insights into the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at exploring the economy-wide impacts of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 in Thailand. This study developed a recursive dynamic Asia-Pacific Integrated Model/Computable General Equilibrium (AIM/CGE) model of Thailand for the assessment. The macroeconomic impacts of Thailand's net-zero GHG emission targets by 2050 are analyzed relative to its 2-degree pathway. Results indicate that Thailand should put more effort in GHG mitigation actions to achieve the emissions peak by 2025 and net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Improvement in energy efficiency; increasing electrification; expanding renewable energy utilization; deploying green hydrogen; bioenergy; carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS); and behavioral changes are the key identified pillars of decarbonization to drive Thailand towards the pathways of net-zero emissions by 2050. Results show that there is a possibility of attaining net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 at the expense of an economic loss for Thailand. The gross domestic product (GDP) loss would be as high as 8.5% in 2050 to attain net-zero emissions. Lower productivity from the energy intensive industries such as petroleum refineries, coal and lignite mining, manufacturing industries, and transport are the key contributing sectors to the GDP losses. The price of carbon mitigation would shoot up to reach USD 734 per tCO2eq in 2050 from USD 14 per tCO2eq in 2025 to attain net-zero emissions in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internalized sexual stigma is an important contributor to LGBT mental health disparities. In Thailand, the absence of validated instruments represents a research barrier. The study's purpose was to translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Revised Internalized Homophobia (IHP-R) scale. Based on the cross-cultural principle, team translation was applied. The IHP-R was translated by the principal author and reviewed by bilingual Thai nurses, and clarifications were made. Multidisciplinary experts provided back translation and reconciled the finalized Thai version. The psychometric properties were established in 412 Thai LGBT individuals. Data was collected via online and paper-pencil surveys and analyzed using SPSS. Most participants were male, age ranged 18–53, with moderate levels of internalized homophobia (M = 2.3, SD = 1.04). The inter-item and item-total correlations were.38-.63 and.55-.68. The content validity index was high (I-CVI, S-CVI/UA/Ave = 1). The exploratory factor analysis confirmed one construct of internalized sexual self-stigma (factor loading =.702–.816). Scores on IHP-R were correlated with stress and experiences of discrimination (r =.14 and.12). Internal consistency reliability was also high (Cronbach's alpha coefficient =.83). The IHP-R Thai version has high psychometric properties and is appropriate for LGBT research in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to examine QR code payment acceptance during the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand. A comprehensive research model answering QR code payment users' intentional behavior was insufficient to some extent. Moreover, the recent pandemic crisis has increased the perceived susceptibility to COVID-19. To explore the behavioral intention during the unprecedented time more thoroughly, the technology acceptance model was extended with the subjective norm, facilitating conditions, personal innovativeness, perceived susceptibility, and perceived security. The data were collected from 384 QR payment users and the final sample was 377. The IBM SPSS Statistics and Amos programs version 28 have been utilized for data analysis. Besides, the structural equation modeling was applied to test the structural relationship and hypotheses. The results confirmed that perceived usefulness, facilitating conditions, personal innovativeness, and perceived security have a significant influence on the behavioral intention to use QR code payment. Notwithstanding, perceived ease of use, subjective norm, and perceived susceptibility had an insignificant impact on behavioral intention. The influence of perceived susceptibility on behavioral intention was rejected due to the users had a high familiarity and previous experience before the epidemic. This research paper practically contributed to the retail businesses, online applications and platforms, commercial banks and digital payment application providers, digital payment methods, and the Thailand government. Additionally, this study theoretically contributed to a saturated TAM theory with the essential determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates fiscal sustainability in Indonesia and draws comparisons with Malaysia and Thailand. The analysis encompasses an evaluation of fiscal rules, fiscal performance, and an assessment of fiscal sustainability across these three countries. Given that the Coronavirus Disease (COVID‐19) pandemic affected budget deficits in each country starting in 2020, the empirical assessment utilizes data from 2010 to 2019. Despite persistent fiscal deficits in each country, the results suggest that all three countries maintain fiscal sustainability. A more detailed analysis of the Indonesian case focuses on government revenue and expenditure. The discussion addresses challenges in these areas, aiming to identify feasible policy options for enhancing fiscal sustainability in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper study the effects of Thailand's 2014 military coup on Thailand's economy using the control method to create synthetic Thailand, which represents hypothetical Thailand had the 2014 coup not occurred. The empirical findings reveal no statistically significant effects on key economic variables such as gross domestic product, unemployment, military expenditure, and income inequality. Contrary to previous research, military expenditures did not increase following the coup. Supporters of the coup may interpret these results as evidence that the coup had no negative effects on the economy. At the same time, critics may argue that the coup did not lead to improved economic outcomes compared with the politically unstable precoup period, thus perpetuating a state of national stagnation. [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]

This study aimed to compare the factors causing affective and ineffective Solid Waste Management (SWM) in Uonuma city in Japan and Mae Chan District in Thailand, and to determine the best way to apply Japanese solid waste management techniques in Mae Chan District, which could serve as a waste management guideline for agricultural areas in Thailand in the future. The findings showed that waste generation and composition in Mae Chan District and Uonuma city were not considerably different; however, waste sorting in Uonuma city, like in every city in Japan, is well-organized, prioritizing the separation of waste into combustible and noncombustible categories for proper disposal through incineration. From the comparison, the main factors indicating the ineffective SWM in Mae Chan District included inadequate waste sorting system, waste collection and transportation, leading to opening dumping, uncooperative waste treatment and disposal resulting in a negligently operated landfills, lack of strict policies and regulations allowing open burning, and inconsistent proper waste sorting practices, waste collection and transportation. Therefore, it is advisable to formulate improved policies and regulations that advocate for the 3Rs, mandate solid waste management (SWM) service fees and violation penalty fees and provide information about SWM to enhance the waste management situation in Mae Chan District. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION In Thailand, school smoke-free policies initially targeted cigarette smoking but now extend to include electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Yet, the impact of this expansion on curbing e-cigarette use in schools is uncertain. This study seeks to explore how e-cigarette control policies and educational initiatives in Thai secondary schools influence students' legal knowledge, perception of harm, current e-cigarette use, and susceptibility to future use. METHODS This cross-sectional survey was conducted in four regions of Thailand between May and August 2023, involving 6147 students selected through multistage sampling. Data collection utilized a self-reported online questionnaire in Thai, developed using Google Forms. For continuous outcomes, multiple linear regression models assessed relationships between school e-cigarette policy perceptions, covariates, knowledge of e-cigarette laws, and harm perception. Multiple logistic regression models analyzed the association between policy perceptions, covariates, and categorical outcomes: current e-cigarette use and susceptibility. RESULTS Adjusting for covariates, a positive association was found between students' perceptions of e-cigarette policies and teachings and their knowledge of e-cigarette control laws (B=0.083, p<0.001) and harm perceptions (B=0.491, p<0.001). Additionally, these perceptions were protective against current e-cigarette use (AOR=0.970; 95% CI: 0.95-0.99, p=0.002) and susceptibility among non-users (AOR=0.962; 95% CI: 0.95-0.97; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS A heightened perception of e-cigarette policies and teachings in schools is associated with increased legal knowledge, heightened harm perception, and a lower likelihood of current or future e-cigarette use. This underscores the importance of enforcing the e-cigarette-free policy in schools to mitigate vaping susceptibility amid the ongoing youth e-cigarette epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION In Thailand, smoking cessation services have been developed to reach smokers who want to quit. However, in universities, smoking cessation services are still limited. This study aimed to identify smokers' opinions on smoking and customized cessation, and to synthesize a cessation model in the university context using the Health Belief Model. METHODS A qualitative research method was designed. In-depth interviews with semi-structured questions following the Health Belief Model framework were conducted with students, teachers, and supporting staff who were current smokers. The study was conducted from January to March 2022 at a Thai public university comprising schools of health sciences. Purposive sampling and a snowball technique were applied until data saturation was reached. Interview questions were constructed and validated for content. Verbatim transcriptions were used to perform thematic analysis with investigator triangulation. RESULTS Forty-three participants were included in this study. Of six main themes and 19 subthemes, most subthemes were consistent between groups except in economic-related themes and customized cessation services. Perceptions of harm showed positive awareness of self-harm and harm to others. Barriers included addiction, being around smokers, social norms, not trusting the counseling services, and having no information about the services. Self-efficacy to quit smoking was found in a few participants. Customized cessation services varied among groups and included convenient services with 24/7 services, services units, generous counselors, communication with an application, online counseling, and medications for cessation. Moreover, the cessation services in a university were mentioned including a quit-smoking community, more activity areas, fewer smoking areas, alliance counselors from schools, and more public relations for cessation units. CONCLUSIONS The perception and self-awareness of harm ranged from relaxed to being serious. Because of barriers, smoking cessation was hard to achieve, and it was hard to reach smokers. Strategies to support cessation were suggested by providing health education programs, promoting facilities and activities on campus, and designing easily accessible and customized cessation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic site effect which is controlled by local geological conditions is a key parameter of seismic hazards analysis. This paper presents an observational study of microtremor data to investigate the dynamic characteristics of soil in the Chiang Mai basin (Chiang Mai and Lumphun province), Northern Thailand. The Chiang Mai basin was formed on terrace sediments and alluvium sediments. The horizontal vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) analyses of ambient noise data at 101 sites in the basin were analyzed for an average smoothed HVSR curve to estimate the amplification factor and fundamental resonance frequency of each observation point. We also evaluated the shear wave velocity using the HVSR inversion technique based on the diffuse field assumption. Tests undertaken include a comparison of the HVSR of a significant earthquake that was detected at stations in the basin and a nearby bedrock site. The results indicate that the resonance frequency ranges between 0.15 - 0.4 Hz at sites having large thicknesses of soft sediments. The lowest resonance frequencies occur in the center of the basin, whereas higher resonance frequencies were observed in the areas of the shallowest bedrock in the west and east of the basin. It can be inferred that the western margin of the Chiang Mai basin is a steep slope, while the eastern margin of the basin is a lowangle west-dipping basement. The amplification factor ranges between 3 - 5 times, in the middle of the basin. Most of the Chiang Mai basin area is classified as site D soil (stiff soil) relative to alluvium sediments, and a region of class C soil (very dense soil) conforms to the terrace sediments located on the eastern edge of the basin. The soil classification is based on shear wave velocity (Vs30) determined by HVSR inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej formulated the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP). "Sufficiency" means balancing reasonable moderation in production against the need for protection from sudden internal and external shocks. SEP follows the middle path as a guiding principle for all classes of society and government. Knowledge, thoughtfulness, prudence, and ethical integrity are essential to achieve the middle path. This paper explores the use of SEP as a method of social innovation for enhancing delivery of public services and for localizing the process of sustainable development. Such innovative use of SEP is illustrated by three exploratory case studies of local administrative organisations (LAOs) in Thailand. All three LAOs' case studies have mayors with significant entrepreneurial talent useful in teaching entrepreneurial action to their residents, their staff, and other local leaders. Together, these cases show the potential of SEP as a method of bottom up social action and sustainable development. A brief discussion of the wider need for and use of innovation, including social innovations, and underpinning entrepreneurship, is included prior to the Thai case studies. There is also a short section examining similar types of activities to those observed in the cases in the European context by way of comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2020 and 2022, Thailand instituted a series of policies to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many of the regulations were rooted in structural discrimination against the migrant population. This paper reveals how the discriminatory nature of the government's policies heightened the vulnerability of migrant workers in Thailand's commercial fishing and seafood processing industries. COVID-19 containment measures and immigration policies, coupled with the exclusion of migrant workers from social protection programs, inadvertently subjected migrant workers in Thailand's seafood industry to increased risk of forced labor. At the same time, further restrictions on freedom of association rights and the weakening of labor inspections during the pandemic hampered workers' ability to report labor abuses and the government's ability to identify and remedy cases of forced labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aid agencies have in recent years recalibrated their interventions to encompass social media technologies within their programmes. This uptake can in part be explained by the unprecedented opportunities for connectivity – and therefore scalability – that social media technologies allow for. This is particularly evident amongst aid organisations within the migration policy sector. Whilst the efficacy of such approaches remains contested, less attention has been devoted to how migrant associations instrumentalise social media for emancipatory purposes. This paper explores how migrant associations attain operational space and scale by combining social media's connective capabilities with pre-established forms of relationality (reciprocity and patrimonialism). These two forms of connectivity amplify state effects and scalability, evidenced by how migrant assistance groups both emulate yet become antagonistic towards state authorities, which ultimately renders migration assistance unstable. Hence, social media's scalability goes hand in hand with state emulation and contestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively investigates the collaborative framework and competitive landscape of Thailand's evolving music industry, driven by technological progress and changing consumer preferences. By examining data obtained from Thailand's Department of Intellectual Property, specifically 138,868 songs, it explores the complex network of relationships among music creators, artists, and various rights-holders, including those associated with recording, music, melodies, and lyrics. Utilizing social network analysis, this research uncovers a power law distribution in these networks, reflecting a scale-free market configuration. This characteristic is marked by a few dominant players exercising considerable market influence, contrasted with numerous less-interconnected participants. This investigation notes regular patterns of collaboration between artists and different rights-holders. Furthermore, the network of music creators displays small-world properties, with short collaborative distances fostering efficient information exchange and creative synergy. Crucially, this study identifies key influential players instrumental in directing the industry's major trends, highlighting their role in market concentration. These significant findings will provide critical evidence for informing future policy development aimed at improving efficiency and equity in the digital content industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal tourism has grown significantly across South‐East Asia from the 1960s, particularly in three key destinations hosting large tourist numbers: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It encompasses different scales from basic backpacker accommodation in budget enclaves to large scale capital‐intensive luxury resort enclaves. Coastal tourism studies typically range from descriptive analyses of destinations' evolutionary dynamics and resort morphology to more granular ethnographic inspections of socio‐economic patterns of transformation and resource conflicts. More recent critical research theorizes the spatial reorganization of coastal tourism in relation to economic restructuring processes. Although national tourism policy and economic development is often analysed, forces shaping coastal tourism development have been little examined and research typically focusses on impact case studies without analysing the underlying political economy. This paper interrogates the political‐economic drivers of the historical‐geographical and spatial organization of coastal tourism in these three major destinations and demonstrates how processes of tourism capital accumulation are experienced/contested via intensified commodification leading to increasingly complex and diversified coastal tourism political economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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INTRODUCTION Tobacco use contributes significantly to premature deaths worldwide. A key strategy to curb tobacco consumption involves limiting the tobacco supply through the transition to substitute crops. This study aims to provide insight into why tobacco farmers desire to switch to alternative crops and the support required for a successful transition. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 tobacco farmers expressing a desire to transition to other crops in two communities in Thailand. Data were recorded and transcribed verbatim in Thai and subsequently translated into English. A deductive content analysis applied the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) framework, contextualizing factors for the transition among tobacco farmers. RESULTS Four main categories emerged: 1) push factors, encompassing negative experiences in growing tobacco, such as poverty, health problems, and hopelessness; 2) pull factors, representing positive experiences in transitioning to alternative crops, particularly having a role model; and 3) mooring factors, highlighting characteristic disadvantages of tobacco farmers, particularly the receipt of small tobacco growing quotas. The fourth category focused on the support needed for a successful transition, including the suspension of tobacco debt payments, access to low-interest loans, and the development of marketing capabilities. CONCLUSIONS The study provides a comprehensive understanding of farmers' motivations to switch from tobacco to alternative crops and outlines the necessary support for a successful transition. Offering financial assistance and enhancing the production and marketing capabilities of alternative crops are essential steps toward facilitating a successful switch for farmers and ensuring a secure livelihood beyond tobacco farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the case of Thailand, this paper provides a fresh critical perspective on the purpose and practice of land use planning in the Global South. Thailand is going through a period of rapid urbanisation. Significantly such urban change is occurring most intensely in locations in which land use plans are several years out of date. From urban planning theory, the strategic zoning of land for different uses is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of urban governance. Yet how such planning takes place, and the economic and political role and value that land itself plays is often overlooked. Through analyses of institutional structures and functions and key land use policy documents, supported with case studies of land contestation, the paper argues that the practice of land use planning opens grey space for negotiation and speculation and thereby accumulation of political power. In practice, the complicated process of planning and approval creates a vacuum period through which implementation is shaped by discretionary powers. The use of discretionary power is increasingly routinised, creating new arenas of negotiation and power. However, such formalised discretionary systems in planning and decision-making reaffirm the symbolic authority of planning agencies who produce plans that are not implemented, or necessarily intended to be implemented. • Rather than plans to be implemented, land use plans in Thailand are a point of reference for negotiation and contestation. • The formalisation of discretionary powers creates new arenas of negotiation dominated by state-private sector alliances. • Planning decisions are influenced by the power of alliances and their arguments rather than the quality of evidence. • Land as sites for capital accumulation has a political role in land use decisions, overlooked in urban planning theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asia–Pacific region has had decades of progress in reducing malaria cases and deaths. The region is now accelerating its efforts towards malaria elimination by 2030 using a science-based approach by applying evidence-based best practices alongside existing tools. However, there are concerns of knowledge gaps and external factors challenging this goal. The COVID-19 pandemic served as reminder of the need for a holistic approach. This report summarizes the outcomes of the discussions from the "Asia Pacific Conference on Mosquito and Vector Control" held in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 27 to 30 November, 2023. The conference aims to provide insights into recent research, cutting-edge tools, and the strength of the Asia–Pacific regional mosquito and vector control capacity post-COVID-19 pandemic era. The conference featured discussions on mosquito surveillance, monitoring and control; enabling the resolution of local problems with local expertise and forging new partnerships; and exploring recent research advancements in vector control strategies. More than 500 experts from 55 countries attended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how livelihood security is co-produced through multiple strategies in Southeast Asia's agrarian transformation, by considering the case of Cambodian migrant workers, who cobble together their livelihood through a combination of land, labour and debt. These workers leverage small landholdings as collateral to take on debts to finance migration to Thailand, where low wages and insecure employment inhibit their ability to repay such debts. The traditional social welfare role of land as a safety net is superseded by the use of land as collateral to access microfinance loans, which are also commonly used to respond to livelihood shocks. In this financialised context, social protection schemes insufficiently address the combined livelihood risks that are assumed by workers and do not provide meaningful protection to workers. Drawing on field interviews, we argue that these various supposed sources of livelihood security rather act to increase precarity for workers, by exacerbating labour discipline and dependence on employers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of antimicrobials in Thailand has been reported as one of the highest in the world in human and animal sectors. Our engagement project aimed to improve our understanding of the issue of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among adult Thai communities, and co-create locally relevant solutions to AMR, especially those focusing on raising awareness to improve related policies in Thailand. We conducted a series of online and in-person 'conversations' according to Wellcome's 'Responsive Dialogues' engagement approach, designed to bring together different voices to understand complex AMR problems and find potential solutions. This approach enabled key AMR stakeholders and policy makers to hear directly from communities and members of the public, and vice versa. Conversations events took place between 25 November 2020 and 8 July 2022, and we engaged 179 AMR key stakeholders and members of the public across Thailand. The issues found were: there were quite a lot of misunderstandings around antimicrobials and AMR; participants felt that communications and engagement around antimicrobial resistance had limited reach and impact; asking for and taking antibiotics for self-limiting ailments is a social norm in Thailand; and there appeared to be a wide availability of cheap antimicrobials. To mitigate the spread of AMR, participants suggested that the messages around AMR should be tailored to the target audience, there should be more initiatives to increase general health literacy, there should be increased availability of AMR related information at the local level and there should be increased local leadership of AMR mitigation efforts. Trial registration Thaiclinicaltrials.org registration: TCTR20210528003 (28/05/2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses contradictions in the Thai engagement with UNESCO discourse by examining how concepts relating to Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education have been interpreted in key national policies. Thai education policy discourse signals convergence with certain aspects of the international sustainability agenda while selectively excluding key elements in the name of Thai 'tradition'. Crucially, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) is portrayed as a distinctively 'Thai' approach to modernisation, endorsing hierarchy and inequality. Divergent understandings of key concepts extend to contested notions of democracy, human rights, secularism, and moral education. Analysing these tensions in historical context, we trace the politics of education to Thailand's semi-colonial past, before focusing on contemporary SEP discourse. In conclusion, we situate this case in a wider comparative frame, showing how Thai claims to uniqueness are, in fact, anything but unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the air–rail integration continues to emerge around the globe, the successful and maintainable implementation of such schemes can be influenced by many factors within administrative, social, infrastructural, and economic aspects. With the existing airport rail link system that shifted from air–rail integration at beginning to air–rail cooperation at present, this work aims to assess the success factors of air–rail integration development in Thailand and evaluate the partnership level required to achieve a long-term and indefinite horizon of relationship based on an ongoing airport rail link project in the country. The factor assessment results from using fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) revealed different perspectives from regulators and operators, while directing the high influence of administrative, economic, and infrastructural factors. The partnership evaluation suggested the highest level of partnership; although, the operators still express doubt whether the competitive advantages incurred from the partnership and the partnership itself would be sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the perceptions of quality of life among older Thai adults with hypertension. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive qualitative design was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 40 older adults. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings: The analyses were divided into six major themes: happiness in life; health and functionality; activity in social relationships; religion anchor; autonomy to manage their own life; and security in finances and environment. Practical implications: The findings can guide health care professionals and policymakers when planning and implementing interventions and policies for improving the quality of life of older adults, particularly that of rural older adults with low incomes. Originality/value: The findings showed minor differences between urban and rural older adults in financial security, where the rural participants expressed greater financial insecurity than the urban counterparts. However, no other major differences emerged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]