Council on Thai Studies

Established in 1972 at Northern Illinois University by Dr. Clark D. Neher and Dr. Ladd Thomas, the Council on Thai Studies (COTS) was envisioned as a laboratory for scholars and students engaged in the study of Thailand to assemble and exchange ideas, share their research, and advance knowledge on Thailand.

The 2024 COTS Conference is sponsored by the Center for International Studies.

2024 Conference Schedule

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8 
THE FRIENDS OF LIBRARY ROOM (319), ALDEN LIBRARY

12:00-1:00 PM
Registration 

1:00-1:30 PM
A Book-launch talk “Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand” by Dr. Paul Chambers, Naresuan University, Thailand.

Who’s who in the Thai military? Why and how has the military evolved to enjoy the enormous power it wields in 2024? Why have coups occurred? What is the future of the Thai military? Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand, published in August 2024 by ISEAS Publishing, Singapore, addresses these and other related questions. The book is a chronology of the armed forces in Thailand, from its founding as a permanent standing army in 1852 and service to the absolute monarchy, its martial dominance roughly from 1932 until 1973, reasserted power after 1976 until 1988/1992, backseat role in the 1992-2006 guided democracy, and reinvigorated sway since 2006. By 2024, Thailand had experienced 14 successful, overt military coups (depending on the definition of coup), and, despite currently being headed by a civilian Prime Minister, continues to possess a military which could stage a coup at any time. This book’s relevance is that it is one of the first works in English to focus attention on the history of a highly relevant Thai political actor responsible for changing multiple governments — the military. Readers of this book and those attending this talk will learn how the military evolved to be so powerful and its relations with civilian governments as well as direct ties with other governments (such as the United States) across time. The author will bring copies of the book which will be sold at discount prices.

1:30-1:40 PM
Thai traditional blessing dance sponsored by the Royal Thai Consulate General in New York

1:40-2:30 PM
Welcome Address
Pittaya Paladroi-Shane, Assoc. Professor of Instruction in Thai and World Languages, World Languages Coordinator, Center for International Studies and Jeffrey Shane, Southeast Asian Reference Librarian, Center for International Collections, Alden Library, Ohio University 
Dr. Matthew Ando, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Ohio University
Dr. Scott Titsworth, Dean of the Scripps College of Communication, Ohio University
Rob Ross, Dean of Ohio University Libraries, Ohio University
Consul General Somjai Taphaopong, Royal Thai Consulate-General, New York
Dr. Gillian Ice, Interim Associate Provost for Global Affairs, appreciation remarks to the Thai Consul General, New York

2:30-3:00 PM
Special Guest Lecture, Introduction by Dr. Haley Duschinski, Director, Center for International Studies, Ohio University
Ira Sukrungruang, Kenyon College
“The Narrative of Thai Immigrants in the U.S.: A Chicago Perspective by Ira Sukrungruang”

Immigrant narratives have been made simple. It has been formed to tell the story of how one comes to this country, how one makes a home in a foreign land. When one reads the word “immigrant” a narrative is formed, and sometimes (many times), the narrative is not written by the immigrant. This is true of the Thai immigrant experience, which is not the typical immigrant narrative. In this reading and talk, author Ira Sukrungruang will share his Thai immigrant upbringing in Chicago to offer a counter narrative to the overly politicized notion of immigrant and immigration.

3:00-3:20 PM
Discussion

Coffee Break

3:40-4:25 PM
Panel 1: Disrobing, Ordination, and Identity: Exploring Modern Buddhism in Thailand and Laos"
Moderator: Brian Collins, Ohio University
Katherine Bowie, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Erasure: The Largest Forcible Mass Disrobings of Monks in Modern Thai History”

In 1936 one of the largest mass disrobing of Buddhist monks and novices in modern history took place in northern Thailand.  Although the number may have been as many as 2,000, a more conservative assessment would suggest that some 1,000 monks and novices were disrobed.  The disrobed monastic clergy were members of the “Tiger Order”; the movement took its name from its head, Khruba Srivichai (1878-1939), who was born in the Year of the Tiger. Srivichai is the most famous Lanna monk; however, during his lifetime he was put under temple arrest multiple times.  The mass disrobing was part of a concerted effort by the central Thai government to bring the population of the once independent Lanna kingdoms under its jurisdiction. This talk draws attention to the magnitude and the impact of this forcible mass disrobing and considers the factors underlying its seeming erasure from historical memory.

Ian Baird, University of Wisconsin-Madison 
“The History of the Thammayut Theravada Buddhist Order in Laos: Before and After 1975”

The Theravada Buddhist Thammayut Order was established in 1833 in Bangkok by the future fourth King of the Chakri Dynasty of Siam, Prince Mongkut, when he was still a monk. The Thammayut Order in Laos was established some years later by Phra Khou Kam Sampano, who was born and raised in Laos, but who had disrobed and then reordained as a Thammayut monk in Bangkok before returning to Laos to establish the first Thammayut temple on Khong Island. Eventually, the Thammayut Order expanded to over 30 different temples in southern Laos. Three temples were also established in the Vientiane area. Other monks were not Thammayut, but were aligned with them through practice. The Thammayut were generally stricter than other monks. However, considerable animosity emerged between villages with Thammayut temples, and those with Mahanikay ones. In 1975, the Lao PDR government abolished the Thammayut and Mahanikay Orders in Laos and created a single Order for all Lao Buddhists, the Prasong Lao. However, even before 1975 the Royal Lao Government was already trying to contain Thammayut expansion in Laos. The Thammayut was seen as Thai, not Lao, and as causing division within the Lao sangha. Some of the Lao Thammayut monks that left Laos after it became communist in 1975 variously supported anti-Lao PDR resistance fighters between the mid-1970s and the early 1990s. While there are officially no longer any Thammayut temples in Laos, the legacy of the Thammayut remains evident, although it is gradually being forgotten.

Daphne Weber, Washington State University 
“Emotional Insight and Transformation: The Interplay of Body, Mind, and Practice in Thai Samaneri Ordination”

This paper examines the transformative potential of samaneri ordination, focusing on emotional regulation as a key mechanism for subjective change. By analyzing the role of emotion in ordination, this paper highlights how weaknesses tied to emotional states, often cited by aspirants during their applications, become central to the training and self-reflection processes. Through comparative analyses of emotional subjectivities before and after ordination, the paper argues that embodied practices play a crucial role in reshaping internal states. Within the cultural context of Thai samaneri ordination, the paper explores how emotional expression, from restrained displays to cultivated equanimity, is deeply intertwined with social and personal dynamics. This transformation unfolds through both individualized meditation practices that bring emotional insight and intersubjective interactions that ground these insights in social experiences. Visualization techniques further enhance the ability to observe and regulate emotional responses, fostering equanimity and an understanding of impermanence. Ultimately, this paper contends that samaneri ordination facilitates profound subjective change, offering a pathway for emotional growth that strengthens both personal and communal connections.

4:25-4:45 PM
Discussion

4:50-5:50 PM
Panel 2: Rural Democracy and Public Diplomacy: Gender, Culture, and Expertise in Cold War Thailand
Moderator: Pamela Kaylor, Ohio University
Mike Rattanasengchanh, Midwestern State University
“Training the Countryside: The Thai Developing Democracy Program”

During the Cold War, the Royal Thai Government (RTG) sought to increase its reach into the countryside in order to meet the perceived threat of communism and state-build. We have works like Eugene Ford, Sinae Hyun, and Paul Carter that look at government attempts to control rural areas. The Ministry of Interior was one organization involved in this endeavor. An important part of state-building was to establish a relationship between the people and the government. Normally, villagers had little contact with provincial leaders and Bangkok. By 1965, the Thai and US governments saw that to stabilize the nation and stymie a possible communist revolution, local administration needed improvement. With US help, the MOI created programs to improve the quality of leaders and their relationship with locals, with one being the Developing Democracy Program (DDP). The DDP was not meant to promote democracy but to increase villager participation in development and for the government to increase security. Theoretically, Thai and US officials were to work with the local committees to fix to their own problems. The MOI instituted trainings to teach leaders democratic practices like debate and 
voting. However, in reality, the DDP brought the government’s influence more closely into the lives of Thais in the countryside. According to archival materials from Thai and American sources, we learn that the MOI used the DDP to develop political connections and relationships on the ground-level. The goal was to have more people become “eyes and ears of the nation.”  

Panuwat Arunrung, Thammasat University
“We Come as a “มิตร/Mit”: The Rise and Decline of the United States Information Service’s Mobile Information Team (MIT) and Its Public Diplomacy in Thailand, 1961-1970”

During the 1960s, the United States’ prominent role in Thailand was driven by its containment policy in Asia. Thailand became the U.S. anti-communist base in Southeast Asia. Besides enormous military and economic assistance programs, the U.S. implemented an information program in Thailand through the United States Information Service (USIS). The USIS aimed to foster Thai public support for the Thai monarchy and government, and most prominently, the U.S. national interest in the region. In Thailand's rural areas, particularly in the vulnerable northeastern and northern regions, the USIS operated through the Mobile Information Team (MIT). This initiative became one of the flagship projects of USIS in Thailand and firmly cooperated with various Thai government agencies. This study’s questions are: How did MIT operate? What factors influenced MIT’s operations? What was MIT’s impact? The study employed diverse sources from both U.S. and Thai sides, including documents from online databases of U.S. and Thai agencies, documents from the National Archives of Thailand, memoirs and interview recordings, newspapers, research studies, books, and selected USIS media. The study illustrates that MIT originated from USIS’s mobile units, which were established around 1954. During Kennedy's and Johnson’s administrations, MIT quickly developed and gained prominence, paralleling the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy toward Thailand. MIT’s activities including media dissemination and civic action programs developed a favorable view of the Thai monarchy and government, and the U.S. in Thailand’s rural public. However, the shift in U.S. foreign policy during the Nixon’s administration led to the dissolution of MIT in 1970.

Namfon Narumol Choochan, Cornell University
“The Gendered Contest for Political Legitimacy: The Women’s Cultural Committee in the early Cold War”

This paper examines how the Women’s Cultural Committee (hereafter: WCC), led by La-iad Phibunsongkhram, constructed its political ideal of femininity as Thai national identity. This non-monarchical project began in 1941 when Phibunsongkhram’s military-led regime sought legitimacy in the Asia-Pacific War and decolonization movements in Southeast Asia. As the state promoted the ideal monogamous heterosexual family of ethnic Thais as the foundation of its modern nation-state, the WCC encouraged Thai women to perform as nurturing, dutiful, and faithful housewives and mothers through radio campaigns. When tension between the US and communist camps simmered, La-iad and WCC members began flaunting Thai universal suffrage rights at international conferences. While existing historiography portrays how the WCC and the 1932 coup allowed and expanded political participation for Thai women, this paper argues that they constructed the ideal based on traditional gender roles and harnessed it as opportunistic diplomatic tools when the new world order shifted towards the US. Contrary to the historiography emphasizing on American dominance over Thailand’s anti-communist policy, the official correspondence reveals the Phibun’s complicity with the WCC’s alliance with the US, seeking to secure legitimacy from intricate political conflicts with a spectrum of oppositions: from leftists to royalists. Ultimately, while scholars often analyze political institutions for the 1957 coup's key factors, this paper suggests the revival of hyper-royalism is gendered. Comparing newspaper portrayals of Phibunsongkhram and Bhumibol’s family shows how opposing factions utilized WCC’s ideals against Phibun while promoting the King and Queen as the representation of a true Thai family.

Romain David, Harvard University
“A New Headquarters for the Bank of Thailand: Cultural Exceptionalism and the Coloniality of Expertise”

This paper examines the afterlives and persistence of expertise's coloniality in Thailand during the "Counter-Insurgency" era through the design and construction of the Bank of Thailand's new headquarters in Bangkok (1963-1982). Commissioned in 1963 to the Dutch architect Marius Duintjer and the engineering firm De Weger, the project crystallized shifting anxieties about sovereignty and neo-colonialism in Thailand. The project would become the regular target of different actors and professional associations to challenge what they described as the "economic and cultural domination of the West." The Bank of Thailand as a building and institution turned into an ambiguous and contested object of sovereignty, evidence of economic emancipation but also of the lasting hold of foreign powers and expertise on the country. Cultural exceptionalism and nationalism became claims for the Thai transnational elites against the neo-coloniality of foreign expertise and a way to challenge the military dictatorship by operating in the discursive space of nationalism promoted by the regime. However, this engagement wasn't without ambiguities or self-interest. Indeed, during the draft of the Alien Occupation Bill of 1973, originally designed to exclude Southern Chinese migrants from the agricultural sector, architects, engineers, and construction firms would explicitly mention this project to have their professions included in the bill and secure an ethno-national monopoly on their expertise and labor. This paper, therefore, examines the articulation between the critique of expertise's coloniality, cultural exceptionalism, and the consolidation of ethno-national monopoly on labor.

5:50-6:10 PM
Discussion

6:15-7:00 PM
Panel 3: Intersection of Culture and Technology: Artistic Trade and Innovation in Southeast Asia
Moderator: Garrett Field, Ohio University
Nicolas Revire, The Art Institute of Chicago 
“The Return of a 12th-Century Khmer Pilaster to Thailand”

The Art Institute of Chicago’s recent decision to deaccession a 12th-century Khmer pilaster, originally from the Phanom Rung temple in Buriram province, northeast Thailand, highlights significant progress in provenance research. Initially misattributed to Cambodia, extensive archival research, stylistic analysis, and site visits confirmed the pilaster’s true origin, mirroring the 1988 return of a Vishnu lintel to Phanom Rung. Both artifacts underscore the complexities surrounding the provenance of Khmer artifacts. The AIC’s proactive decision to deaccession and return the pilaster to the Kingdom of Thailand in June 2024 not only rectifies historical inaccuracies but also exemplifies a growing commitment to cultural diplomacy and transparency. This case sets a precedent for western museums, underscoring the importance of meticulous provenance research and collaborative efforts in preserving Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage.          
  
Catherine Raymond, Norther Illinois University
“Trans-Asian Artistic Trade as reflected on Temple Mural Paintings between Isaan, Laos and Vietnam in the early 20th century.”

Mural Paintings in Buddhist temples in Isaan in connection to Lao temple mural paintings have been understudied, particularly for those temples outside of Vientiane and Luang Prabang: two important former artistic centers during the Lanxang kingdom. Meanwhile the Savannakhet region in Laos, East of Thailand was for centuries a particularly rich historical nexus: a major axis and strategic crossroads between Thailand’s Isaan region to the west, and central Viet Nam to the east: thus, facilitating artistic collaborations. It was reactivated under French colonial rule. But to date there has been little systematic investigation of mural paintings located throughout its more remote areas. Recently the Lao PDR Ministries of Information, Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Province of Savannakhet with other partners have been interested in developing and optimizing this area as a tourist hub. They have been focused on both ecotourism and on nearby cultural assets: e.g., those three Buddhist temples in Taleo Kao, Ban Thouat, and Nongbotha. Their unique mural paintings illustrate well known Buddhist stories such as the Pha Vet (Vessantara) but also Sinxay, the monk Phra Malay and others. In this presentation I would draw attention to their iconography and explore their connections to mural paintings created elsewhere in Laos and Isan at that time, as revelatory of rich artistic continuities along this key intra-Southeast Asian trade route.

Alan Potkin, Independent Scholar
“Exemplary Thai-centric Developments in QR Technology”

Heretofore, the key limitation of QR tech is the need to ordinarily scan QR glyphs—either physical or virtual— with the handheld devices (smart phone or tablet) integral cameras; producing relatively tiny images largely unsuited to ambitious and complex textual or visualization media... (Doctor Zhivago on a postage stamp?) An existing, but not much widely used work-around is an inexpensive adaptor that interfaces output—from, e.g, "lightning" (on Apple handhelds) or USB3-C on newer hardware with HDMI jacks for laptops and desktops, driving high resolution LED or LCD displays of any size; or even theatrical-scale digital projectors. Neither of these approaches is compatible with a museological environment or an historical site where nobody is going to stand in place for hours opening and reading through dozens or hundreds of QR hot linked mediatic interpretive files. More recently, a potentially superior approach is cheap (USD $5!) software (currently available for Mac OS only) that scans, virtually, QRs embedded in accessible digital files —from any source and in any media— the original QR-linked content and delivers full-screen presentations on internal or external hirez displays. Our Zoom-only remote contribution to COTS 2024 deploys screen-shared videos (generally available to download for later online viewing) unpacking aspects of QR-facilitated interpretive projects —completed and proposed— for cultural and environmental documentation/conservation at these sites in Thailand: 
Wat Jong Klang (Mae Hongson)| Wat Pathumwanaram/Wat Phra Kaew (Bangkok)| Wat Phra Kaew/Wat Ron Khun (Chiang Rai)| Wat Doi Suthep (Chiang Mai)| Wat Thung Sri Muang/Pak Mun Dam Museum (Ubon Ratchathani)| Ayutthaya Museum (Ayutthaya)       

7:00-7:20 PM
Discussion

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9
450 SCHOONOVER CENTER

8:30-9:00 AM
Breakfast

9:00-10:00 AM
Panel 4: Evolving Dynamics in Thai Politics: Decentralization, Electoral Shifts and Diaspora Influence 
Moderator: Takaaki Suzuki, Ohio University
Patawee Chtoanan, Ubon Ratchathani University
“The Irony of Decentralization in Thailand”

In Thai political history, decentralization was first stipulated in the constitution in 1997. To promote decentralization and local government, the Thai government passed the Determining Plans and Process of Decentralization to Local Government Organization Act 1999 two years later. However, there were two coups in 2006 and 2014, the latter of which negatively impacted local government. The junta halted all local elections and consolidated power away from local governments. Since Thailand held General elections again in 2019 and 2023, there have been trend callings for the Thai government to decentralize power to local governments. As described previously, this article contains two questions. 1. What are the characteristics of decentralization in Thailand? 2. How do they occur? This article argues that the Thai state's decentralization since 1997 has increased the power of the bureaucratic polity, particularly regional administration. On the contrary, despite having elected leaders, local governments have limited power and are tightly controlled by the provincial government. The characteristics of decentralization have resulted from Thailand's political instability, national political leaders who are uninterested in decentralization, bureaucrats obstructing decentralization, and a weak civil society.

Narut Wasinpiyamongkhon & Arunee Santhitiwanich, Ubon Ratchathani University
“The 2024 Thai Senate Selection: An Analysis of the Selection and Its Political Implications”

The Thai Senate selection in June 2024 was unique and perhaps the most complicated senate selection process in the world. Originally designed to select politically independent, qualified senators with knowledge, expertise, and experience from various areas of society, the outcome diverged significantly from these intended goals. This paper examines how the selection process affects the political role of the Senate in the future. In terms of quality, the paper argues that the process results in the appointment of individuals with limited knowledge, expertise, and experience in their respective fields. Consequently, these senators are unable to enhance the quality of laws and policies passed in the parliament. Moreover, many selected senators are not as impartial as intended, since they appear to have ties to major political parties, notably the Bhumjaithai Party. These senators with political connections are likely to be controlled by major parties, thereby creating more powerful political blocs. However, for those senators without strong political ties, an analysis of their personal and socio-economic backgrounds suggests they are more likely to support policies, bills, and procedures with conservative political agendas rather than progressive ones.

Napisa Waitoolkiat, Naresuan University
“The Emergence of Programmatic Parties in Thailand: Evidence from the 2023 General Election”

Thailand’s democratic development has been on a rollercoaster since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932.  After the long grip of power by the military junta since 2014, the 2019 and 2023 elections resurrected hope for democratic progress.  The 2023 electoral results appear to be the victory of pro-democratic forces.  Supporters of pro-democracy parties seem to have cast their ballots based upon ideology, thus encouraging party voting.  Indeed, party voting plays a key role in strengthening the party system and sustaining democracy.  However, Thailand‘s seemingly coherent pattern of party voting needs to be scrutinized more prudently. This study examines voting patterns across Thailand in the 2023 general election (mixed-member electoral system [one ballot for constituency and another ballot for party list]). Using data from that poll, it argues that voting based upon party identification (ID) only took place with regard to Move Forward while the other parties competing won votes based upon the personalism of the candidate or a mixture of party ID and candidate personalism. The pattern of party voting across parties can thus be analytically put on a party-voting versus candidate-centered voting continuum. The study anticipates a high level of party-centered voting (less split tickets between constituency and party list ballots) in strong programmatic parties.  Nevertheless, personalism and political families’ domination encourage split ticket voting. This study’s findings reveal that the new trend in party politics is increasingly tilting toward large, programmatic parties, though traditional political families still have some clout.

Daungyewa Utarasint, New York University Abu Dhabi
“The Politics of Tom Yum: Thai Diaspora Voters in Malaysia”

For years, migrant workers from Thailand's southernmost provinces have migrated to Malaysia in search of better economic opportunities. Predominantly employed in the restaurant industry, they are colloquially termed the "Tom Yum" group. Currently, an estimated 200,000 Thai migrant workers reside in Malaysia. Given the relatively seamless border crossings between Malaysia and Thailand, this paper investigates whether these migrant workers remain engaged in Thailand's general elections or become politically disengaged. Cross-border political participation has implications for domestic politics, yet there exists a challenge in discerning how migrants participate in electoral processes when distanced from their homeland. This paper aims to understand Thai migrant workers' social conditions and voting rights. Comparing low-skilled migrant workers to the higher-skilled migrant workers, the low-skilled migrant workers not only have a poor understanding of their labor workers' rights but also have less freedom and political rights when it comes to political participation in their home country. Using interpretivist approach, this research examines voting patterns, political networking, collaborations between political parties and interest groups, and the nuances in external voting procedures contingent upon the constituencies these migrants are from. The primary question is how these workers navigate their voting decisions, being distanced from the electoral campaign activities in Thailand. In line with the research question, the research also delves into the determinants that sway a migrant's voting preference: the accessibility of campaign information, their understanding of voting rights, potential barriers to voting, and any conflicts arising from differing electoral opinions within the diaspora.

10:00-10:20 AM
Discussion

10:25-11:25 AM
Panel 5: Power, Resistance, and Identity in Contemporary Thailand: Military, Margins, and Media
Moderator: Joshua Hill, Ohio University
Paul Chambers, Naresuan University
“Civil-Military Relations in Post -2023 Thailand”

In Thailand’s post-2023 tutelary democracy, what is the state of civil-military relations? How have elected civilians been able to maneuver in the face of a powerful military institution? To what extent has Thailand’s military either acquiesced to or been able to ignore civilian control efforts? To what extent has cooperation existed between civilians and the military in Thailand? Using the theoretical frameworks of Merkel (2004), Schedler (2006), and Croissant et al. (2013), this study examines the balance of decision-making power between civilians and the military in different issue areas, the strategies which the Srettha Thavisin government has tried to use to retain civilian control, and what the military has done to try and step around it. The study argues that Thailand since 2023 has become a defective tutelary democracy (but might also be considered an electoral authoritarian regime) whereby a parallel state (monarchy and military) overshadows, intervenes in, and informally ignores any efforts at civilian control.  In fact, the government has had to use an assortment of strategies to maintain military cooperation.  Civilian control has proven to be more successful in terms of legislative oversight than executive monitoring since civilian legislators have more successfully monitored the armed forces than the Defense Ministry. To some extent joint civilian-military committees have proven to be helpful in sharing information and reducing tensions between civilians and military officers.  However, there is still an abundant lack of trust while civilians are currently unable to sanction military recalcitrance.

Tyrell Haberkorn, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Behind Bars: Political Prisoners and History in Thailand”

This paper takes the imprisonment of dissident thinkers as a point of departure to outline a new chronology, propose new categories of actors, and develop a new method of writing Thai history. Surveying both the range of ideas cast as dangerous in different periods and the modes of writing employed by political prisoners, including Suphot Dantrakul’s lexicon, Prontip Mankhong’s memoir, and Arnon Nampa’s letters, this paper argues that it is those ideas and people who are imprisoned who fundamentally shape the Thai nation and constitute its history. Reading from the inside of the prison out, what has been made impossible in the polity, and what must be made possible in the future?

Katherine Pulaski, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Border Spaces and Familiar Faces: Organizational Support Networks in Thai Border Towns”

Decades of oppression and violence inflicted by Myanmar’s military regime continue to drive a steady flow of migrants across the Thai border. The activation of The People’s Military Service Law in Myanmar on February 10, 2024, has further stimulated migration into Thailand, increasing the demand for response organizations to establish channels of support. With a focus on the border town of Mae Sot, located in Tak province, this discussion explores the various methods implemented by Thai-based organizations to support migrant communities facing constant oppression and exploitation. In employing ethnographic methods, I visited and engaged with multiple formal and informal groups based in this area to better understand strategies for navigating obstacles that arise from the presence of multiple authoritarian states. By leveraging the privileges of Thai legal recognition and pre-existing community connections, these entities rely on extensive collaborations among multiple organizations and groups. The networks formed by various educational, clinical, legal, and environmental establishments create spaces for creativity and freedom beyond the reach of the state. Beyond simply providing resources for immediate survival, many projects emphasize creative approaches to healing trauma and preparing for the future, grounding programming in the vision of a free Myanmar. Operating with the mindset that these networks exist in a temporary context, hope and strong community bonds continue to thrive within the conviction that a safe return home for Myanmar communities remains inevitable.

Jeremy W. Webster, Ohio University
“Explicating Depictions of LGBTQ+ Relationship in GMMTV BL Series: 2016-2024”

When Thailand’s parliament approved same-sex marriage in June, multiple social media outlets attributed it to the popularity of BL dramas, series that depict romantic relationships between young, handsome men. The scholarship on the consumption of Thai BLs would arguably lead us to the same conclusion. This work has examined the genre’s popularity in Thailand, other Asian countries, and around the world (Prasannam 2019; Lizada 2024); the rise and impact of celebrity culture centered on the genre’s leading actors (Lizada 2022; Baudinette and Svetanant 2023); and the increasing influence of BLs on Thai attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people, especially among younger, often female fans (Shimauchi 2023; Shimauchi 2024). This paper adds to this consumer-focused scholarship by employing textual analysis to show the evolution of LGBTQ+ content in series produced by GMMTV, the most prolific producer of Thai BLs since 2016. My argument is two-fold. First, I maintain that GMMTV has consistently deployed representations of LGBTQ+ issues (including sexual health, coming out, social discrimination, and same-sex marriage) to educate its viewers’ understanding of and attitude towards LGBTQ+ identities and relationships. Second, I argue that delineating how GMMTV’s representation of LGBTQ+ identities and relationships has evolved over time helps to their cultural impact. I conclude that depictions of queer relationships in five GMMTV series—SOTUS (2016), Theory of Love (2019), Be My Favorite (2023), Our Skyy 2 (2023), and Wandee Goodday (2024)—evolve from what Ying-kit Chan (2021) calls heteropatriarchy in the earlier series to one based on personal and social acceptance of queerness in the most recent ones.

11:25-11:45 AM
Discussion

Break

11:55-12:25 PM
Panel 6: Gastronomic Explosion: Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts to Thailand
Moderator: Kanjana Hubik Thepboriruk, Northern Illinois University
Phrueksaphong Visuthduangdusdee, NIDA, and Nay Petrucelli, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
“Governing the Taste of Thai: Complexity, Authenticity, and Institutional Dynamics in Gastrodiplomacy”

This research delves into the intricate relationship between Thai cuisine, cultural heritage, and the strategic utilization of food within the realm of gastrodiplomacy. It explores the profound cultural significance of Thai gastronomy, deeply rooted in its historical traditions, unique flavors, and established practices. The study examines the potential of Thai cuisine to serve as a powerful tool for international relations, fostering cultural exchange and understanding. However, the research also acknowledges the complexities associated with navigating cultural appropriation and preserving culinary authenticity in a globalized world. The role of governmental institutions in shaping and promoting Thai culinary heritage is a central focus of the investigation. The research analyzes how institutions utilize policy frameworks, regulatory measures, and educational initiatives to safeguard and promote traditional Thai flavors while simultaneously fostering a global appreciation for this rich culinary tradition. Furthermore, the study dissects the intricate network of stakeholders involved in the production and dissemination of Thai cuisine on a global scale. This network encompasses a diverse range of actors, including farmers who cultivate the ingredients, chefs who interpret and adapt dishes, government officials who formulate policies, and culinary educators who transmit knowledge and skills. By examining the factors that influence the adaptation of Thai flavors within the gastrodiplomatic domain, the research offers valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners interested in leveraging food as a tool for cultural diplomacy and soft power projection. The findings hold significant implications for policy development, cultural preservation efforts, and the effective use of Thai cuisine as a diplomatic tool.

Raymon Lacko, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Thailand’s Durian Boom: Understanding Social and Environmental Risks in a Growing Market”

A gold rush is occurring in parts of Southeast Asia. However, this gold is neither mined from the hills nor panned from rivers. Instead, it can be found hanging from trees. Durian, the pungent fruit that many Westerners visiting Southeast Asia have come to associate with signs outside of hotels and public transportation prohibiting its possession inside, continues to rise in value largely due to China's seemingly infinite demand for the fruit's creamy interior. Thailand has remained the dominant durian exporter to China for over two decades. However, in recent years, other countries have also sought to export durian to China. Durian farmers in Thailand are continuing to expand rapidly to meet the demand of both the Chinese durian market and the Thai specialty market for premium durian. The seemingly infinite growth and desire for quality durian have increased the cost of maintaining durian farms. Although the increasing demand appears to have no end in sight, past literature and examples of boom crops suggest a bust will eventually occur. Durian, a particularly costly crop to grow and maintain, has made many a fortune, but the risk some farmers are taking to keep this income growing could jeopardize future livelihoods. This presentation examines preliminary fieldwork and theorizes future dissertation research, in which I argue that many farmers and traders are taking risks for future durian crops based on a rising market in the present that is putting many rural livelihoods at risk of a coming bust.

12:25-12:35 PM
Discussion

Lunch Break

1:30-2:30 PM
Special Session: Ponglang Workshop by Chamni Sripraram, Northern Illinois University

2:35-3:35 PM
Panel 7: Cultural Resonance and Music Heritage: Navigating Identity in Thailand and Global Soundscapes
Moderator: Carla Williams
Harry Suriyachai, Ohio State University
“Resonating Thainess: Cultural Heritage and National Identity in the Music of Faiyen”

Faiyen, a Thai refugee band currently residing in France after fleeing prosecution under Article 112 (Lèse-majesté law), continues to release new music amid Thailand's ongoing political turmoil. The song sparked the notion of debates over "Thainess"—a term that embodies cultural heritage and national identity—resurface, and questions arise about what it means to be "Thai" in a time of political division. This paper explores the ways in which Faiyen navigates and redefines "Thainess" through their new song "Through the Wind". It examines how Faiyen's music, online radio, social media movements, and their lifestyle serve as both a reflection and a reimagination of their Thai identity, despite living in exile. The band's engagement with "Thainess" becomes a tool for connecting with Thai audiences and advocating for justice, confronting the authorities in their homeland, and promoting freedom of speech. Through this multifaceted approach, Faiyen continues to impact both their birth land and their new community in France, demonstrating that "Thainess" is not a static concept but one that evolves through resistance and recontextualization.

Nalin Sindhuprama, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Realizing Shared Culture: A Digital Ethnography on Thai Reaction to a Cambodian Rapper”

Thailand and Cambodia have been in constant conflicts over cultural ownership. Many academic works have argued that Thailand, Cambodia, and other neighboring countries rather share a cultural repertoire, and have gone through many waves of back-and-forth cultural exchange. Despite the academic attempts to publicize the argument in hope of easing cultural conflicts, the tension between the two countries have never been fully resolved. Social network is one of the places in which this conflict is intensified and hate speech is commonly found in the comment sections. However, VannDa, a Cambodian rapper has introduced Thai social network a new way for Thai people to engage with cultural expression of Cambodian people through a hybrid Rap-Japey song, Time to Rise. This digital ethnography looks at various Thai reaction videos to VannDa’s songs on YouTube, along with the examination of comment sections, TikTok trend, and engagement with the songs on Facebook. The ethnography suggests that VannDa’s hybrid songs which engage with cultural repertoire in an innovative way have made Thai people realizing both shared culture and differences between the two countries. The phenomenon encourages Thais to reexamine the cultural conflicts and consider engaging more with Cambodia, including learning the language and culture, making a trip to Cambodia, and collaborating the Cambodian artists.

Terry Miller, Kent State University
“The Project to Rescue Thai Phuan Singing from Extinction in Lopburi Province”

In 2012 the author and his colleague, Taywin Promnikon, documented the last two known singers of khap phuan preserved by a Thai Phuan community in Ban Mi district, Lopburi province. They were then 89 and 92 and have since passed while their khaen player has either passed or left the area. Assuming that khap phuan had become extinct, we were surprised to learn last February that there are two slightly younger singers still able to perform living in an obscure village in Muang district thanks to their non-Phuan khaen accompanist, Col. Somyot. In March, 2024 we initiated a multi-pronged project to document both the poetry and singing of both performers and seek out members of the younger generation to study with them in order to continue the tradition. This project was enthusiastically embraced by the community, and it is blossoming in ways we had not anticipated. We further plan a one-day conference in Lopburi in early March, 2025. This paper will explain what Phuan singing is and how it survived in central Thailand after more than 150 years.

Priwan Nanongkham, Kent State University
“Isan Music: Creation and Development within a Commercialized Society of Northeast Thailand”

Music of northeast Thailand, known as the Isan region, is less focused on cultural preservation in comparison with regional music elsewhere in the country.  As an Isan student during the 1980s at Nattasin, a college of dramatic arts, and as a lover of traditional music, I was concerned that Isan traditional music would decline.  Instead, Isan music is flourishing today.  Younger generations continue to play Isan traditional instruments, such as the khaen, a bamboo mouth organ, and pursue performance on the instrument as a profession.  During the last four decades, new music genres have been created to meet the demands of Thailand’s capitalistic society.  Traditional Isan music has been adapted to become more commercialized and reach a wider audience.  This paper discusses such adaptation and development of several Isan music genres and highlights their role under the umbrella of a commercialized system within Thailand’s music industry today.

3:35-3:55 PM
Discussion

4:00-4:45 PM
Roundtable Discussion: "Songs the Blind Can See,” Integrating Music Education and Cultural Sustainability Program for Visual Impaired Students in Thailand
Moderator: Jittapim Yamprai, Northern Illinois University
Molly Pasley, Northern Illinois University
Chamni Sripraram, Northern Illinois University
Fernando Marroquin Mendoza, Northern Illinois University
Jocelyn Kuntz, Northern Illinois University

The round table discussion features three areas based on the fieldwork in Thailand on the project “Songs the Blind can See,” funded by US Embassy of Bangkok. The goal of the project is to promote equity and opportunities in education, music performance, career advancement, and wellness for students with visual impairment. The outcome of the research can serve as a model of sustainable alternative music educations for blind Thai students. The first area addresses an implication of special education for visual impaired students in Thailand, along with the challenges in teaching. The second area focuses on developing an intensive curriculum integrating English teaching with music education and methods in special education for visual-impaired students. The third, discusses music performance for the blind by promoting local musical cultures, both ensemble and repertoires, along with increasing awareness in preserving ecology in instrument making for communities.

4:45-5:00 PM
Discussion

Break

5:10-6:05 PM
Keynote Address, introduction by Alec Holcombe, Director of the Contemporary History Institute, History Department, Ohio University
Nattapoll Chaiching, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University
“Monopolizing the Interpretation: Big Brother is Watching You”

Amidst the ongoing political crisis in Thailand, characterized by the rise of conservative forces and military dominance, the Thai state has increasingly resorted to the violent suppression of opposition parties and the silencing of dissenting voices through various state mechanisms. Moreover, the state has sought to monopolize knowledge deemed undesirable through methods of prosecution, censorship, and control, resulting in an atmosphere of fear that severely undermines academic freedom in Thailand.

6:05-6:25 PM
Discussion

6:30-7:30 PM
Closing remarks followed by dinner

7:30-8:30 PM
COTS Business Meeting    

Registration & Transportation

Registration

Student Awards: Students can register for awards for the best presentation ($400), and runners-up ($300 and $200).

Hotel: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Ohio University Inn. It is within a walking distance to the conference site, the Alden Library and Schoonover Center for Communication, Ohio University. It is $129 per night (11/7), $179 per night (11/8-9). This rate does not include breakfast. Conference participants should make their own reservations as soon as possible at 740-593-6661 or via the Ohio University Inn website. This room block will be held until Oct. 7, 2024, under the group name Council on Thai Studies Conference.

Transportation: Go Bus (Route A) is available from John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) to Baker Center, Ohio University. Shared rides (i.e. Lyft, Uber) are also available from the airport to Athens, but might be limited within Athens.

During the 2021 COTS conference, hosted by Ohio University, nine students from different countries competed for the best student presentation awards.

Don't miss the opportunity to join us in 2024.