IMAGINED ASEAN IDENTITY IN THAI TELEVISION PROGRAMS Pitak Chumongkol A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Communication Arts and Innovation) The Graduate School of Communication Arts and Management Innovation National Institute of Development Administration 2017 ABSTRACT Title of Dissertation Imagined ASEAN Identity in Thai Television Programs Author Mr. Pitak Chumongkol Degree Doctor of Philosophy (Communication Arts and Innovation) Year 2017 This study was a qualitative research aimed to analyze the construction of ASEAN identity in Thai television programs and the decoding of ASEAN identity conveyed in Thai television program by the youth audience. Textual analysis of 6 television programs presenting social and cultural content about ASEAN during 2014- 2016, totaling 57 episodes, was conducted with in-depth interview with 25 students in the area of ASEAN Studies from 4 universities: Kasetsart, Thammasart, Chiangmai, and Walailuk. The following findings were found: All Thai television programs constructed ASEAN identity from the point of view of Thais. From analysis by narrative components: plot, character, conflict, scene, theme, special symbol, and point of view, five ASEAN identities were found: 1) harmonized ASEAN 2) united ASEAN amidst diversity 3) Hybrid ASEAN 4) ASEAN with past conflict 5) competing ASEAN. “Harmonized ASEAN” and “ United ASEAN amidst diversity” was found the most, and next was “Hybrid ASEAN.” All three identities conveyed positive relations between Thais and Neighbors. As for the decoding of the youth audience, the audience decoded with “preferred reading” more than “negotiated” and “oppositional” reading. “Hybrid ASEAN” was all decoded with preferred reading without any deconstruction. Though some audience decoded “United ASEAN amidst diversity” in accordance with the programs which conveyed the diversity in positive direction, but some denied ASEAN identity constructed by the programs by viewing that a diversity of ethnicity, religion, and genders was not accepted in reality. iv The research findings illustrated that to perceive ASEAN from Thai point of view with an emphasis on commonalities and differences of “we” (Thais) and “they” (neighbors) found in the construction of ASEAN identity of Thai television programs would portrayed the concept of “nationalism.” Oppositely, the audience’s decoding of ASEAN identity emphasized the concept of “regionalism” which perceived “Thais and Neighbors” as “we” or the same group who were interdependent and cooperated, under the name of the region, to protect the region from external threats and problems. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation entitled, “Imagined ASEAN Identity in Thai Television Programs,” would not have been completed successfully without invaluable advice and kind support from all the examining committee. First of all, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for Associate Professor Patchanee Cheyjunya and Associate Professor Dr. Kamjohn Louiyapong for accepting to be my advisors, and for all suggestions, assistance, encouragement, and close supervision up to the completion of this dissertation. In addition, I would like to express my sincere thanks for Professor Dr. Yubol Benjarongkij, and Associate Professor Dr. Kanjana Kaewthep, the chairperson and committee respectively, for their time and guidelines to make this dissertation fulfilled. I also feel grateful for all teachings I received all through my studying at this university. If there would be any decent consequences from academic value of this dissertation, or from my academic profession, I would gratefully honor this for two significant women in my life. First is Mrs. Phenrung Chumongkol, my mother, who gave life on earth to me, and who always takes very good care of me with love, sacrifice, and great support all through my life, and Professor Patchanee Cheyjunya, my advisor, who gives me the meaning of “being a teacher” with kindness, and who always stands by me in every important time in my life. Pitak Chumongkol September 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Introduction to the Study 1 1.2 Research Questions 14 1.3 Research Objectives 14 1.4 Scope and Limitations of the Study 14 1.5 Operational Definitions 16 1.6 Expected Outcomes of the Study 17 1.7 Conceptual Framework 18 CHAPTER 2 THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE 19 2.1 ASEAN Regional Community Concepts 19 2.2 Identity Concepts 25 2.3 ASEAN Identity and Communications 37 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODS 46 3.1 Research Design 46 3.2 Population and Samples 46 3.3 Research Methods and Tools 53 3.4 Criteria in Data Analysis 54 3.5 Data Collection and Analysis 55 3.6 Presentation 55 vii CHAPTER 4 ASEAN IDENTITY IN TELEVISION PROGRAMS 57 4.1 ASEAN Identity in Morning News 57 4.2 ASEAN Identity in A Touch of ASEAN 71 4.3 ASEAN Identity in Television Program on Inherited Fabric 90 of Thailand-ASEAN 4.4 ASEAN Identity in "Bang Ra Chan" 114 4.5 ASEAN Identity in ASEAN Yummy Program 128 4.6 ASEAN Identity in Music, Poetry, and Arts Program 140 4.7 Summary of ASEAN Identity in Television Programs 152 CHAPTER 5 DECODING OF ASEAN IDENTITY 165 5.1 Informants of the Research 165 5.2 The Decoding of the Youth Audience of ASEAN Identity 166 CHAPTER 6 DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 197 6.1 Summary of the Research Findings 197 6.2 Discussion 207 6.3 Recommendation from the Study 221 6.4 Recommendation for Future Research 224 BIBLIOGRAPHY 225 BIOGRAPHY 231 LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1.1 Summary of Media Representations of the Relationship between 6 Thailand and ASEAN 1.2 Samples of Television Programs to be Studied 15 3.1 Samples of Television Programs to be Studied 48 3.2 Exhibit Details of Interviewees 51 4.1 Plots of SEA Games News 59 4.2 Plots of News Report of Songkran Festival 65 4.3 ASEAN Identity in Morning News 69 4.4 Plots of A Touch of ASEAN Program 74 4.5 ASEAN Identity in A Touch of ASEAN Program 87 4.6 Plots of the Inherited Fabric of Thailand-ASEAN Program 94 4.7 ASEAN Identity in the Inherited Fabric of Thailand-ASEAN 108 Program 4.8 Plots of Bang Ra Chan Drama 115 4.9 ASEAN Identity in Bang Ra Chan Drama 126 4.10 Plots of ASEAN Yummy Program 131 4.11 ASEAN Identity in ASEAN Yummy Program 138 4.12 Plots of Music, Poetry, and Arts Program 142 4.13 ASEAN Identity in Music, Poetry, and Arts Program 149 4.14 Plots of ASEAN Identity in Television Programs 152 4.15 Illustrates Themes of the TV Programs 160 4.16 ASEAN Identity in Television Programs. 162 5.1 Decoding of ASEAN Identity of the Youth Audience 167 LIST OF FIGURES Figures Page 1.1 Conceptual Framework 18 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to the Study ASEAN covers a large expansive area populated by a large population. In addition it is considered one of the most culturally diverse regions of the world. In the midst of this diversity, ASEAN leaders acknowledge the importance of cooperation in order to increase the negotiation power and to meet with the challenges that continuously affect the various countries in the region. In the past there has been many efforts at different levels to unify the region. These efforts include the physical, institutional, and population level integration as stated in the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (Department of ASEAN Affairs, 2011). The plan outlines the integration of the region in various dimensions in order to achieve the economic, political, security, social, and cultural goals. The plan states the different levels of integration including 1 physical connectivity is the connection through logistics, telecommunications, and energy; 2 institutional connectivity is the deregulation to promote trade, management of funds, creating standardized legal frameworks and criteria; 3) people to people connectivity is the promotion of education, creating ASEAN knowledge centers and encourage the exchange of culture between nations including the promotion of tourism and exchange among the people in the region. This social and cultural integration is aimed to create harmony in ASEAN and is considered the heart of the regional integration. In addition to the Master Plan, there is still a plan for the social and cultural integration that reflects the desire to create unity in the region as stated in Section E of the plan. The creation of an ASEAN identity is designed to harmonize the cultural norms, values, and beliefs that the people have in common. However, the construction of an ASEAN identity and feeling of oneness is a very challenging endeavor. This is because the construction of the ASEAN identity would mean breaking down the walls of nationalism to become regionalism. It must 2 change the mindset of “we” being Thais and “they” being other neighboring nationals. The mass media has played a significant role in projecting the representations of the relationship between Thais and other ASEAN peoples. The author has categorized the content of these representations as the past content and the present content in order to shed the light on how we have come to have the ASEAN identity today. The content in the mass media would be categorized in two parts namely 1) Looking Back at Media Representations of ASEAN in the Past and 2) Looking at the Present Media Representations of ASEAN. 1.1.1 Looking Back at Media Representations of ASEAN in the Past The content for this section is derived from the coverage from 2005 – 2014. The media studied would include newspaper, radio, film, and television. A total of 17 research articles have been selected for analysis in order to determine the state of the relationship between Thais and other ASEAN peoples.