Kasetchai Laeheem

Narathiwat Province, in Thailand’s southern border region, is a multicultural society with distinctive cultural heritage. Although cultural conflict has weakened cooperation in heritage preservation, some communities have successfully collaborated across ethnic boundaries to preserve the cultural heritage of all groups equally. This study examined the conditions that facilitate cross-cultural collaboration for inclusive cultural heritage preservation in Narathiwat Province. A qualitative research design was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observation with 30 purposively selected key informants representing three ethnic groups—Thai Siamese, Thai Chinese, and Malay Muslim Thais—from three culturally diverse communities. Data credibility was ensured through triangulation, and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings identified four conditions: (1) fostering mutual understanding and trust between government officials and local communities, and among people from different religious and cultural backgrounds; (2) creating shared spaces for cultural heritage learning through equal representation, joint planning, neutral venues, and respect for Islamic principles; (3) all groups recognizing the shared benefits of heritage preservation, including moral development, experiential learning, and income generation; and (4) promoting diverse cultural heritage through online media. These conditions strengthen social cohesion by fostering mutual trust, equitable participation, and shared ownership of cultural heritage.

Promoting morality among youth is an important educational priority in Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces. However, few culturally grounded learning interventions based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy have been systematically developed and evaluated. This study aimed to develop and preliminarily evaluate the Digital Learning Innovation for Strengthening Society (DLISS), a culturally grounded learning intervention designed to promote self-reported morality among youth. A four-phase research and development design was employed, including needs assessment, intervention and instrument development, preliminary field implementation, and post-implementation expert appraisal. Self-reported morality was assessed using the Sufficiency Economy Moral Scale (SEMS), which underwent psychometric evaluation with 1640 youth. Preliminary implementation involved 22 youth leaders assessed at pretest, immediate posttest, and post-reinforcement assessment. The SEMS demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties. Participants showed statistically significant within-participant changes in the five measured dimensions of self-reported morality across the three assessment occasions. Experts rated the DLISS model favorably for its appropriateness, feasibility, utility, and contextual relevance. The DLISS model represents a promising culturally grounded learning intervention for promoting self-reported morality among youth. The findings provide preliminary evidence supporting further evaluation using larger samples and controlled research designs.

This qualitative study explored the conditions that shape effective volunteer activity organisation by emerging adult university students (aged 18–25) in a religiously and ethnically diverse Thai setting. The study was conducted at Prince of Songkla University (PSU), Hat Yai Campus, where Buddhist and Muslim students form the two largest religious communities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 30 purposively selected student volunteer leaders and analysed using a hybrid deductive-inductive content analysis approach. Four conditions emerged as foundational: (1) motivational readiness to engage across cultural boundaries; (2) substantive knowledge of cross-cultural communication, both verbal and non-verbal; (3) the capacity to examine and adjust one’s own cultural assumptions; and (4) active, structurally expressed respect for religious and cultural diversity. The findings reveal that family-transmitted stereotypes, knowledge gaps regarding Islamic practice, and the absence of institutional accommodation jointly constrain inclusive participation. Drawing on Cultural Intelligence (CQ) theory and Putnam’s social capital framework, the study advances two arguments: first, that intercultural competence among emerging adult volunteers cannot be reduced to individual skill and disposition; and second, that institutional programme design—schedules, catering arrangements, and physical infrastructure—constitutes an independent determinant of inclusion that CQ frameworks have not yet adequately theorised. The four-condition model offers a structured, trainable framework for volunteer leadership development and extends the literature on civic formation and intercultural learning during the formative years of emerging adulthood.

This study aimed to systematically categorize and critically analyze the feasibility of developing a cultural resource-based tourism route in Betong District, Yala Province, the southernmost area of Thailand, which is called “the city in the mist.” Research and development techniques were employed using a simulated map from an information system and community forums to create and revise a cultural resource-based tourism map in these areas: the Aiyoeweng, Tano Maero, Betong, and Than Nam Thip Subdistricts. The participants from five communities, 10 people per community, totaling 50 participants, were selected through purposive sampling to join in drafting a cultural resource map by pinpointing important areas in each subdistrict. The fieldwork data collected in each subdistrict were categorized and the content was analyzed to examine the feasibility of the approach to creating a map based on cultural resources. The results found that the tourism patterns resulting from a strong resource base could be divided into tangible and intangible cultural resources. The selected resources include local food, learning centers, tourist attractions, interesting entertainment activities, and community service centers. These were then used to create a simulated map, which was analyzed to determine the feasibility of a tourism route based on resource capital, abundant forests, cultural capital in historical sites, and social capital that were covered in community tourism policies, plans, and guidelines for tourism management to achieve maximum benefits, resulting from the community process that had to jointly design the process. The results of this study are part of the restoration of tourism based on resources for income management and for local organizations to expand and upgrade tourism to the regional economic zones in the southern border provinces.

Amidst the protracted socio-political volatility of Thailand’s southern border provinces, youth have emerged as pivotal agents of social architecture rather than mere passive observers of conflict. This study investigates Emotional Intelligence (EQ) not merely as a personal trait, but also as a critical psychosocial infrastructure for peace. Adopting a qualitative lens through in-depth interviews and focus groups with youth leaders, the research elucidates how EQ functions as a strategic mechanism for identity negotiation and intergroup reconciliation. The findings delineate five cornerstone competencies: acute self-awareness within structural constraints; emotional regulation as a safety stratagem; collective resilience-driven motivation; multicultural empathy as a catalyst for prejudice reduction; and non-violent communication. These attributes empower youth to undergo a profound transformation from victims of circumstance to proactive peacemakers. By bridging the internal emotional landscape with external social stability, the study argues that fostering emotional maturity is fundamental to communal resilience. From an educational standpoint, the paper advocates for the systemic integration of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to cultivate collective emotional capital. Such a pedagogical shift—moving toward human security-centered curricula—is essential for fostering sustainable coexistence in multicultural, high-pressure environments. This study situates Emotional Intelligence within the framework of peace education, conceptualizing it as a psychosocial foundation for fostering relational peace, emotional resilience, and sustainable coexistence in conflict-affected contexts.

This study addresses declining social trust and emerging moral challenges among youth in Thailand’s conflict-affected southern border provinces by developing a strategic framework grounded in the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy (SEP). A quantitative approach was employed, integrating the Modified Priority Needs Index and Priority Matrix analysis to examine discrepancies between current performance and perceived importance. The findings reveal differentiated patterns of moral development. Discipline and Responsibility are identified as a high-priority need, reflecting high importance but comparatively lower performance. Gratitude and Filial Piety, together with Kindness and Generosity, emerge as established strengths, functioning as cultural assets. Unity and Social Harmony and Social Sacrifice are classified as secondary yet contextually significant dimensions, indicating partial internalization. Based on this classification, the study proposes a differentiated strategy comprising targeted self-regulation development, strength-based reinforcement, and experiential activation through service-learning and multicultural engagement. Central to this approach is the creation of “multicultural social action spaces” that enable meaningful interaction across diverse groups. The findings suggest that aligning moral education with matrix-based priorities and contextual realities may support ethical resilience, social cohesion, and sustainable peace in pluralistic and conflict-affected societies.

This study developed and validated a specialised emotional intelligence (EI) scale for youth in the conflict-affected southern border provinces of Thailand. The primary objective was to establish a psychometric instrument tailored to this unique multicultural and sensitive context. Utilizing a sample of 500 local youth leaders, the instrument’s quality was rigorously evaluated through Second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using Maximum Likelihood estimation. The final validated model comprises 25 indicators categorized into five dimensions: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Self-Motivation, Social Awareness/Empathy, and Relationship Management. Results indicated an excellent model fit with empirical data (χ² = 284.15, df = 265, p = 0.198, CFI = 0.99, GFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.02). Factor loadings ranged from 0.72 to 0.92, while composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) values exceeded 0.88 and 0.61, respectively, confirming high internal consistency and construct validity. Social Awareness/Empathy emerged as the most significant dimension (B = 0.91). This study suggests that the scale is a robust tool for assessing EI in conflict zones, providing a critical foundation for targeted psychosocial interventions and sustainable peace-building initiatives among youth in the region.

Thailand is facing a rapidly aging society, raising concerns about how retiring workers will maintain their quality of life. Insured persons in the social security system—especially voluntary members under Section 40 of the Social Security Act B.E. 2533 (1990), who are often informal workers—frequently lack formal retirement plans, underscoring the need for interventions that address financial security and subjective well-being (SWB) in later life. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a retirement planning program designed to enhance subjective well-being and improve the quality of life for pre-retirees in Songkhla Province. A Research and Development (R&D) design was employed in four phases. Phase 1 (R1) involved a needs assessment: survey data from 500 insured individuals (ages 40–60) were collected to identify gaps between current and desired retirement preparedness. Phase 2 (D1) utilized the needs assessment results and theoretical frameworks to design a Subjective Well-being Retirement Planning Program, encompassing financial, health, and psychosocial components. Content-relevance experts validated the draft program. Phase 3 (R2) involved implementing the program with 15 volunteer participants over four weekly workshops (each 3 h long) and evaluating its short-term pilot outcomes using pretest-posttest measures of subjective well-being. Phase 4 (D2) refined the program based on evaluation findings and expert feedback. Results indicated that following participation in the program, participants’ overall subjective well-being and all sub-dimensions (life satisfaction, positive and negative affect balance, sense of meaning, social connectedness, security, and health) were significantly higher than before (p < 0.001). Additionally, the proportion of participants classified as inadequately prepared for retirement (high-risk due to low planning) decreased markedly, suggesting increased readiness within the pilot group. Expert evaluations of the program design reflected a high content validity index and strong agreement on the program’s accuracy, appropriateness, and usefulness for the target group. In conclusion, the developed retirement planning program was associated with short-term improvements in subjective well-being and quality-of-life indicators among insured pre-retirees. This theory-informed program, developed through an R&D process, offers a model for supporting aging workers in the social security system, with implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to promote healthy, happy, and secure retirements in an aging society.

Introduction: Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) in adolescents are one of the major public health problems. The incidence of STDs has gradually increased in Thailand, which can be related to risky sexual behaviors. Objectives: This study aimed to identify predictors of safe sexual behaviors among adolescents in Songkhla province, Thailand. Materials ...

This quantitative research study investigates youth's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors concerning the use of Thai Traditional Medicine in Singhanakhon District, Songkhla Province, Thailand. The researcher used a closed-ended questionnaire to collect data from a sample of 140 participants. Sample size determination followed the guidelines of Hair (2010). Eligible participants were Thai-speaking individuals aged 15–24 years who consented to and cooperated in the study, during the period from February to October 2021. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with program R, including calculations of mean, standard deviations, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Findings revealed statistically significant positive correlations between attitudes toward herbal medicine, reasons for use, and herbal medicine usage behaviors among youth (p < 0.05). Furthermore, perceptions related to disease treatment and the perceived benefits of herbal medicine were positively associated with usage behavior at a higher significance level (p < 0.01). The results suggest that favorable perceptions and adequate knowledge of Thai Traditional Medicine contribute to increased adoption among young individuals. Social influence, family background, and accessibility to herbal products were also identified as influential determinants of herbal remedy usage behaviors. These findings provide foundational insights that may guide the development of educational strategies to foster appropriate attitudes and behaviors toward Thai Traditional Medicine among youth. They also offer practical implications for researchers, educators, and policymakers seeking to promote informed and safe usage of Thai Herbal Medicine. Future studies could explore experiential learning approaches to enhance awareness and ensure responsible use of traditional remedies among young populations.