International and Area Studies Commons^™

Ideologies And Fears As Mechanisms Of Military Regime Legitimation : A Comparative Analysis Of Sarit Thanarat In Thailand And Ne Win In Burma, Hyeon-Min Kim

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines how Sarit Thanarat in Thailand and Ne Win in Burma legitimized their military regimes through ideological narratives and threat discourses. Both leaders, who came to power through coups d’état without democratic legitimacy, sought to justify their authoritarian military rules by constructing discourses that transformed coercion into moral guardianship. Sarit emphasized traditional Thai values, lak-thai, aligning them with the monarchy and anti-communism to portray his military regime as the protector of national identity. Ne Win, by contrast, promoted Burman ethno-nationalism and the Burmese Way to Socialism and emphasized the Burmese Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)’s role in safeguarding the unity …

A Comparative Case Study Of Face-To-Face Vs Virtual Fortune Telling In Bangkok In The Aftermath Of Covid-19 : Relevance And Adaptation, Jade Evalyn Di Donato

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study explores the adaptation of Thai fortune telling practices, specifically astrology and tarot card reading, in response to increasing digitization and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the practice has been traditionally rooted in face-to-face interactions, it has transformed in recent years with the growing prevalence of online consultations. Utilizing Catherine Bell's theory of ritualization alongside the Transfer of Ritual theory, this research analyzes how the ritual meaning and symbolism of Thai fortune telling are preserved across digital and physical spaces, especially in a post-pandemic world. Relying on a comparative case study of two female fortune tellers—one who …

The Representation Of The Lgbtq2+ Community In The Context Of Pride Month In Thai Online Media From 2022 To 2025, Julia Borawska

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines the representation of Thai Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community in Thai online media between 2022 and 2025. It provides a comprehensive analysis of content featured on both individual- and organization-based media, distinguishing between social media and mainstream news outlets. Within the social media sphere, the study further differentiates between influential Thai celebrities—particularly actors and actresses involved in queer-portraying productions—and organizational entities involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy as well as BL/GL production companies. The first two groups rarely feature queer-related content or express explicit support for Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community, choosing to engage only when personally …

Identity, Norms And Recognition : A Constructivist Account Of Singapore–Taiwan Relations Under Strategic Constraint, Mohamad Faisal Bin Jamain

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines the enduring resilience of the Singapore–Taiwan relationship, which persists despite intensifying geopolitical constraints, rising diplomatic risks and modest material incentives. This persistence presents a realist paradox: while traditional materialist accounts establish the structural constraints (such as the “One China” policy and great-power rivalry) that rationally predict disengagement, they fail to systematically account for the specific mechanisms and ideational strategies that underpin the relationship's resilience. Addressing this critical theoretical gap, this study applies a constructivist framework centred on identity, norms and recognition, situating these ideational insights alongside material and geopolitical constraints to offer a holistic explanation. The primary …

Chilean Perceptions Of Thailand As Seen Through Social Media (2015 – 2024), Nicolas Agustin Castillo Aldunce

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis has two main objectives: 1) to examine the perception of Thailand as seen in Chilean social media between 2015 and 2024 and 2) to identify the prevailing narratives and stereotypes and underline the factors responsible for these perceptions. 120 social media posts about Thailand from 11 institutional and independent Chilean content creators are collected and analyzed and Richard Gregory’s theory of perception is applied as its theoretical framework. It is found that there was an increase in online contents related to Thailand since 2015 after the ratification of Chile-Thailand Free Trade Agreement, particularly between 2022 to 2024 when …

Imagining Peace From Abroad : How Myanmar Students In Bangkok Define Peace, Shinhyoung Choi

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines how Myanmar students living in Bangkok understand and define peace through their everyday experiences, social positions, and transnational lives. Drawing on a multi-stage, qualitatively driven research design—including a narrative survey, a structured follow-up survey, and in-depth interviews—the study investigates how students’ peace perceptions emerge while they navigate between Myanmar’s instability and Bangkok’s relative institutional order.Findings from 105 participants show that students’ peace orientations cluster into two dominant narratives: a Development-Oriented Narrative emphasizing education, opportunity, and gradual change, and a Resistance-Oriented Narrative emphasizing justice, accountability, and structural reform. Although the initial hypothesis assumed that Bangkok’s stability would directly …

Walkable City Development In Bangkok : A Case Study Of The Ari-Pradiphat Area, Shengnan Li

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Walkable city development has become an important concept in sustainable urban mobility development, because it can create multiple benefits to improve people’s quality of life. Bangkok city has joined this walkability initiative, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), promoted “Bangkok Good Walk Project”. However, it still faces challenges in improving walkability, such as lack of safety, discomfort, and inaccessibility. Previous walkability study have focused more on physical walking conditions and fewer in people’s walking perception, although perception is a key step for improvement. It is necessary to supplement the existing knowledge of people’s walking perception to promote walkable city development. Following this …

The Popularity Of The Untamed In Thailand And I Told Sunset About You In China : Reciprocal Fandom And Cultural Diplomacy, Yuanwei Gao

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study aims to explore cross-cultural fan interactions between China and Thailand and their influence on cultural diplomacy. In recent years, television dramas from both China and Thailand have gained remarkable popularity in the respective countries. Among various types of dramas, BL (Boys’ Love) dramas stand out as a typical case of transnational fan interaction due to their large cross-border audience and highly active online and offline interaction. Among them, the Chinese TV drama The Untamed (Chen Qing Ling) has received wide attention in Thailand, and the Thai TV drama I Told Sunset About You (แปลรักฉันด้วยใจเธอ) has sparked heated discussions …

Peripheral Rebels: Western-Derived Symbols Of Resistance In Thai And Colombian Films About Male Youth Subculture, Andres David Garcia Suarez

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This paper examines how Thai and Colombian films portrays marginalized male youth reworking Western countercultural symbols as forms of empowerment and resistance. Focusing on Nonzee Nimibutr’s Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters (1997) and Víctor Gaviria’s Rodrigo D: No Future (1990), it examines how Thai gangsters in 1950s Bangkok and Colombian punks in 1980s Medellín confront structural violence and generational alienation through the rearticulation of American rock and roll and British punk. Drawing on Homi K.Bhabha´s notion of cultural resignification, García Canclini´s theory of cultural hybridization, and Theodor Roszak´s understanding of counterculture, this paper analyzes how both films depict the adoption …

Religion And Culinary Practices In Thailand : From Buddhist And Islamic Dietary Restrictions To Social Hierarchy And Identity, Gao Yaxuan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study adopts the analytical framework of "food as a moral economy" to explore how the dietary practices of Buddhism and Islam in Thailand constitute two parallel yet complementary religious ethical systems, and further shape social relations and cultural identities. The research holds that in the social environment of Thailand, "eating" and "giving food" are not only the satisfaction of physiological needs, but also important ways for religious values to be practiced, expressed and negotiated in daily life. The Buddhist mechanism of almsgiving and accumulating virtue emphasizes the establishment of emotional networks and social reciprocity through diet. The halal dietary …

From Chinese Danmei To Thai Y-Series : A Case Study Of The Sino-Thai Co-Produced Y-Series My Stand-In, Xinyi Su

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study examines the Sino-Thai co-produced series My Stand-In as a case of cultural translation and dissemination of Chinese Danmei (Boys’ Love) fiction through transnational screen adaptation. It analyzes narrative transformation, localization, and cultural reproduction across three levels: text, industry, and audience. Reviewing the development of Chinese Danmei from 2006 to 2025, the study shows that My Stand-In exemplifies a collaborative production model in which Chinese platforms provide financing and distribution while Thai teams lead production. The series retains the original storyline while adapting visual and cultural elements to the Thai context. At the communication level, the series’ circulation is …

Opportunities And Challenges Of Thailand's Durian Exports To The Chinese Market, Yafang Tang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Thailand remains the world's leading durian exporter, with China emerging as its most dynamic and influential import market. This thesis explores the competitiveness of Thai durian exports to China amid intensifying regional rivalry. Its objectives are threefold: (1) to evaluate Thailand's internal strengths and weaknesses; (2) to identify opportunities and threats in the Chinese market; and (3) to benchmark Thailand against Vietnam and Malaysia to formulate strategic recommendations. The study employs a mixed approach, combining SWOT analysis with Porter's Diamond Model and using secondary data, policy documents, and industry reports. Findings reveal that Thailand's competitive advantage lies in large-scale production, …

Liberalizing The Nuclear Energy Sector: Small Modular Reactors, Net-Zeros, And Perceptions In India, Hely Desai

International Journal of Nuclear Security

The experimental small modular reactors (SMRs) have come to gain immense attention and importance given the global quest to quickly achieve net-zero goals. The Indian Government, too, has been pushing for SMRs to aid its industrial decarbonization targets and eventually wield the supply mediation in the race to acquire this novel technology. However, one of the key debates driving SMR discourse in India is the dilemma of allowing the involvement of the private sector into the nuclear energy realm. Although this idea seems to be an exciting solution to India’s energy woes, the reevaluation of a 60-year-old energy law comes …

The Rise Of Mao: Chinese Civil War And The Role Of Sub-State Actors, 1924-1949, Jackson Trahant

Tenor of Our Times

Mao Zedong led one of the most successful peasant rebellions in human history, changing the global stage of politics forever. Analysis of the 30 year war between Mao’s CCP and the Nationalist Party regime, led by Chiang Kai-shek, reveals the vital role of the Chinese peasant class as a force for revolution. Through ideological pedagogy, Mao formed a highly loyal army that in turn transformed him into a premier political figure of the 20th century, both hated and revered. His story informs the modern field of comparative politics as to how intrastate conflicts rely on sub-state actors for their success.

Indopacom Force Structure: A Trajectory Into The 2030s, Robert Burke

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Over the past ten years Taiwan has become a major point of friction between the United States and People’s Republic of China with both militaries preparing for a potential conflict over the island. China vastly expanded its military forces and capabilities over the past thirty years and is intent on obtaining the ability to both seize Taiwan by force and prevent the United States from generating enough combat power to intervene and defend the island. The Pentagon began to restructure its conventional forces in the Western Pacific at the end of the 2010s, implementing new operational concepts designed to fight …

A Forgotten Piece Of History: The Story Of The First Municipal Council Of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Chandra Richard De Silva

History Faculty Publications

The website of the Municipal Council of Colombo asserts that it was founded in 1865 (Colombo Municipal Council, 2015). This is also the story that is recounted in scholarly histories of Colombo, in modern websites and in popular accounts of the history of the city. The objective of this article is to demonstrate that Colombo had a municipal council as early as the sixteenth century and to illuminate the story of its existence for over 70 years - until well into the seventeenth century. It also explores the functions of the council, its relationship with Portuguese officials who ruled the …

Governing Intelligence: Singapore’S Evolving Ai Governance Framework, Jason G. Allen, Jane Loo, Jose Luna

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper provides an outline analysis of the evolving governance framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Singapore. Across the Singapore government, AI solutions are being adopted in line with Singapore’s “Smart Nation Initiative” to leverage technology to make impactful changes to the nation and the economy. In tandem, Singaporean authorities have been assiduous to release a growing number of governance documents, which we analyse together to chart the city-state’s approach to AI governance in international comparison. Characteristics of Singapore’s AI governance approach include an emphasis on consensusbuilding between stakeholders (particularly government and industry but also citizens) andvoluntary or “quasi” regulation, …

How Can Chinese Culture Go Abroad? Evidence From Successful Establishment Of Chinese Academic Foreign Translation Projects, Tian Lan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Compared to Chinese economy scale, the global understanding and recognition of Chinese culture are quite superficial, it is crucial to promote Chinese culture go abroad through academic exchanges between China and other countries. This study explores and validates the relationship and applicability of Chinese culture “Going Global” based on the translation project of Chinese academic works. Through case analysis and the development of data models, it aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical tools for relevant institutions and individuals.

The study begins with qualitative research on cases, describing and analyzing typical examples to demonstrate how Chinese Academic Translation (CAT) projects …

Instruments Implementation Audits And Development Strategies For Taiwan As A Non-Member State Of The Imo, Hui-Huang Tai, Tun-Hao Hsu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has formulated numerous maritime-related conventions. The promotion of mandatory audits is required to ensure that the implementation of maritime management systems in various countries complies with the IMO Instruments Implementation Code (III Code) and that both member states and non-member states implement these conventions. This is not only an obligation but also a responsibility for all countries to promote the development of the maritime industry. This study investigates how Taiwan, one of the non-member state of the IMO, implements the audit process and develops future implementation strategies for various maritime conventions. This issue is of …

Powering Understanding: Cultural Underpinnings Of U.S.-China Competition In The Green Energy Transition, Bryan J. Soh

CMC Senior Theses

Rejecting the structural determinism of contemporary IR theories that neglect diverging epistemic predispositions in different states, this paper traces the cultural rationalization of green transition policies in the U.S. and China, thereby paving a way towards a positive understanding of how bilateral climate diplomacy can be better adapted for cooperation, rather than antagonistic competition, on an issue that transcends borders.

Risk Spillover Effect Of China-Asean Supply Chains: Insights Of Industrial Transfer, Zeyang Bian, Yuning Zhang, Keng Siau, Yaqian Zhang, Jianjia He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

As labour costs in China increase, labour-intensive industries are migrating to ASEAN countries, attracted by lower labour costs and market potential. This shift not only affects the economies of China and ASEAN but also reshapes the global manufacturing landscape. This paper investigates the correlation and spillover of supply chain risks using production exposure indicators derived from inter-country input-output data and the R-Vine Copula model. We assess the risk spillover of each country within the global supply chain. Our findings indicate that industrial relocation can significantly alter supply chain structures, thereby affecting the concentration and direction of risks. While China's role …

Diaspora Politics And A Rising China: Ambivalent Ties Amid Geopolitical Changes, Jiaqi M. Liu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Over the past decade, the rise of China on the global stage has witnessed the emergence of members of the Chinese diaspora as new meso-level actors in mediating Sino-Western relations. As part of China’s burgeoning “public diplomacy” around the globe, Chinese migrants organize cultural events to establish grassroots and semi-official exchanges between China and the West. This chapter provides a state-of-the-art examination of so-called “diasporic public diplomacy” whereby the Chinese diaspora plays an increasingly important role in promoting China’s soft power abroad. Based on long-term fieldwork in a prominent emigrant community, I analyse how Chinese national policies envision two specific …

To Negotiate A Labyrinth: Indonesia Within And Without Asean During The Third Indochina War (1978-1991), Daniel Mccoy

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

When the Vietnam War ended in 1975, Southeast Asia arrived at its most stable condition since the close of World War II. In Indochina, international communism triumphed over Western democracy. However, regional peace was fleeting and tenuous. Disparate communist ideologies and combustible, extra-regional power designs soon clashed. American retrenchment emboldened the Soviet Union and China, two competing communist forces, to fill the power vacuum and inflame the enmity unfolding between their respective client states: Vietnam and Cambodia. Mounting violence between the pair culminated in late 1978 when Vietnam invaded Democratic Kampuchea, unleashing the Third Indochina War. The Vietnamese-Cambodian War, the …

China's Global Leadership Aspirations And Domestic Support For Climate Policy, Chen Xiang, Terry Van Gevelt

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

In recent years, China has pivoted towards a global leadership role in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Notwithstanding the complex political economic reasons underlying China's global leadership aspirations, we are interested in seeing whether the associated national discourse championed by the state increases domestic support for climate policy. That is, do China's international leadership aspirations foster a unifying sense of national pride among the domestic population, thereby lending support to the legitimacy of the state and expediting the implementation of costly domestic climate policies? To test our hypothesis, we enumerated a vignette experiment embedded with conjoint analysis to a …

China, Feminism, And The Legacy Of Confucius, Sor-Hoon Tan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

As the double burden of paid work and family demands leads Chinese women to think twice about marriage and children, we can rush to blame Confucianism’s sexism. But this is a mistake, writes Sor-hoon Tan. We need to separate Confucian philosophy from the oppressive patriarchal norms of its time. Confucian values of care and cultivation can enrich today’s feminism and support equal opportunities for all.

The Philippine Digital Paradox: Challenges, Opportunities, And The Way Forward, Shamir Jakaria

Asian Review

The rapid growth of digital technologies is reshaping public governance. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation in Philippine public administration. While digital technologies offer significant benefits such as streamlined services, enhanced transparency, and improved citizen engagement, the Philippines faces critical barriers including infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity risks, and a persistent digital divide. Through a systematic review of academic studies, government reports, and policy documents, the study identifies key strategies for advancing e-governance, such as infrastructure development, cybersecurity reforms, and digital literacy programs. The paper highlights successful local and national initiatives, including the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) and …

Nationalism And Indian Community In Malaya During The Japanese Occupation, 1941-1945, Ji-Eun Lee

Asian Review

This study examines the transformation of the Indian community in Malaya during the Japanese occupation (1941–45), with a focus on the rise of nationalist consciousness and collective identity. Through the formation and activities of the Indian Independence League (IIL) and the Indian National Army (INA), the Indian community experienced significant organizational and ideological changes. Under Subhas Chandra Bose’s leadership, civilian participation and support for the INA increased dramatically, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Comparative analysis highlights the differing wartime experiences of Malaya’s major ethnic groups: while Malays benefited from Japanese policies, the Chinese faced harsh repression, leading to …

Fluctuating “Indianness” Or “Belonging” : Singapore Indian Dancers And Their Encounter With Southeast Asia At Ramayana Festival, Yoshiaki Takemura

Asian Review

This article investigates the dynamic relationship between cultural heritage and regional identity among the Indian diaspora in Singapore, specifically focusing on the experiences of classical Indian dancers. Historically, the process of “Indianization” deeply influenced the cultural landscape of Southeast Asia, evidenced by the regional prominence of the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Using the context of a regional Ramayana Festival, this paper analyzes how Singaporean Indian dancers, while performing art forms rooted in the Indian subcontinent, negotiate their identity when confronted with diverse Southeast Asian interpretations of the same epic narrative.The study argues that this encounter forces a …

The Library Of Andrew Rippin The Rise Of A QurʾĀnic Philologist, Majid Daneshgar

Asian Review

Andrew Rippin passed away in Victoria, Canada, on 29 November 2016. The current generation of scholars, many of whom began working on Qurʾānic studies within the last decade, have paid a lot of attention to Rippin’s scholarship.  His books and articles have been translated and reviewed in Arabic, Indonesian, Malay, Persian, Turkish and Urdu languages, and are the subject of dissertations and articles throughout the Muslim world. As a contribution to Rippin’s legacy , this communication piece provides an account of the young Rippin and a library collection that he accumulated in the 1970s and 1980s before becoming one of …

Introduction, Jirayudh Sinthuphan

Asian Review

This issue of Asian Review brings together four research articles that examine critical dimensions of political economy, governance, and institutional transformation in Southeast Asia. Each article offers a unique analytical lens on the evolving challenges, contradictions, and pathways shaping the political and administrative landscapes of Thailand and the Philippines. Together, they provide an integrated perspective on the interplay between historical trajectories, institutional arrangements, legal frameworks, and digital innovations in these countries, enriching our understanding of their contemporary governance and political development.