Fachgebiet (Neuere und Neueste Geschichte) Historical Development of Consumerism in Thai Society Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Philosophischen Fakultät der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität zu Münster (Westf.) Vorgelegt von Sunate Suwanlaong aus Chonburi,Thailand 2006 Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 19 September 2006 Dekan: Prof. Dr. Dr. Wichard Wayke Referent: Prof. Dr. Volker Grabowsky Korreferent: Prof. Andreas Hartmann Contents Page Preface XIII Acknowledgements XIV Chapter 1. Historical Development of Consumerism in Thai Society 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Research Objectives 5 1.3 The Field of Research 5 1.4 The Contribution of this Research 5 1.5 Data and Research Methodology 5 1.6 Theoretical Framework 6 1.7 Review of the Literature 16 1.8 Consumerism: Its Meaning and Development in Thai Society 19 Chapter 2. Four Basic Necessities in the Era of Social Establishment 2.1 The Era of Social Establishment 23 2.1.1 Society as a Whole 23 2.1.2 The Population 24 2.1.3 The Economy and Foreign Trade 26 2.1.4 Social Structure 29 2.2 Characteristics of People’s Consumption of the 4 Basic Necessities in the Era of Social Establishment 30 2.2.1 Housing (Shelter) 30 2.2.1.1 General Characteristics of Housing in the Establishment Era 32 a. Aquatic Society 32 b. Locations 33 c. Houses on both the Water and on Land 33 2.2.1.2 Houses: Differences between Classes 35 a. Houses of the Governing Class 35 b. Housing among the Governed Class 36 III 2.2.1.3 Types of Houses 38 2.2.1.4 Limitations in Housing Construction 38 2.2.1.5 Materials, Technologies and Labour 39 2.2.1.6 Factors Influencing Differentiation: Beliefs, Values and Social Regulations 40 2.2.2 Clothing 41 2.2.2.1 Clothing: Social Classification Controller 42 a. Clothing for the Governing Class 42 b. Clothing for the Governed Class 44 2.2.3 Food 47 2.2.3.1 Food: the Social Class Differentiation 51 a. Food of the Governing Class 51 b. The Foods of the Governed Class 53 2.2.4 Medicine 54 2.2.4.1. Varieties of Healthcare Knowledge 54 2.2.4.2. The Era of Royal Doctors and Unofficial Doctors, or Mò Chaloeysak 56 2.2.4.3. Ways of Thinking on the Causes of Illness among People in the Past 58 2.2.4.4. The Differentiation of Terms: Medical Scriptures, Royal Medical Textbooks, and Textbooks 59 2.2.4.5. The Fundament of Western Medical Treatment 59 2.2.4.6. Medicine and Social Class 61 a. Governing Class: Potential for Collecting Medical Textbooks 61 b. The Governed Class: Oral Traditions and Received Wisdom Concerning Health Care 62 2.3 Conclusion: People’s Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities during the Era of Social Establishment 63 Chapter 3. The Four Basic Necessities in the Era of Change and Reform 3.1 Population Change 66 3.2 Changes in Perception 67 3.2.1 Changes in Ideology 67 IV 3.2.1.1 The Changes in Social and Religious Ideology 67 3.2.1.2 The Transformation of a Political Idea: from the Universal King to an Absolute Monarchy 73 3.3 Imperialism and Colonialism 74 3.4 The Abolition of Slavery 77 3.5 Influence of Western and Novelty in Thai Society 77 3.6 Economic Change: International Trades 79 3.7 The Increase in Imported and Exported Goods in Thailand 80 3.8 Changes in Physical Geography 84 3.9 Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities in the Era of Change and Reform 85 3.9.1 Housing 85 3.9.1.1 Varieties in Housing 86 3.9.1.2 Characteristics of Housing in Bangkok, from the Address Registration Survey by the Department of Post and Telegraph 87 3.9.1.3 Styles, Prices and Standards of Housing, and Economic and Social Status 88 3.9.1.4 Towards the International 89 3.9.1.5 Decreasing Popularity of Thai Houses 91 3.9.2 Clothing 91 3.9.2.1 Symbol of Modernization 91 3.9.2.2 Concepts of Time, Place and Clothing 93 3.9.2.3 Imitation of Western Values 93 3.9.3 Food 94 3.9.3.1 Western Eating Cultures 95 3.9.3.2 Eating Out 96 3.9.3.3 Chinese and Thai Eating Habits: Developments and Changes 97 3.9.3.4 The Creation of Nutrition Awareness 98 3.9.4 Medicine 98 3.9.4.1 Thai Traditional Medicine and the Growth of Western Medicine 98 3.9.4.2 O-sotsala; Thai-Style Pharmacies 100 V 3.9.4.3 Healthcare: Relaxation through Travel 100 3.9.4.4 Sanitation: Cleanliness and Water Supplies 101 3.10 Conclusion: The Consumption of the Basic Necessities in the Era of Change and Reform 102 Chapter 4. The Four Basics Necessities during the Era of Democracy and Nationalism 4.1 The Era of Democracy and Nationalism: Overview of the country 104 4.2 People’s Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities during the Era of Democracy and Nationalism 106 4.2.1 Housing 106 4.2.1.1 Settlement 107 4.2.1.2 The Allocation of Housing to Low-income Persons 108 4.2.2 Clothing 109 4.2.2.1 Ratthaniyom 110 4.2.3 Food 115 4.2.3.1 Ratthaniyom: The Noodle and the Developing Nation 115 4.2.3.2 Specifying the Times for Eating 116 4.2.3.3 The Cessation of Betel-chewing 117 4.2.3.4 The Policy of Increasing Agricultural Production 117 4.2.3.5 Nutrition Propaganda “Good Food and Good Life” 118 4.2.3.6 Food and Changing Times 118 4.2.4 Medicine 119 4.2.4.1 A Joining of Medical Practices in Thai Society 119 4.2.4.2 The Birth of the Ministry of Public Health 121 4.3 Conclusion; People’s Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities during the Era of Democracy and Nationalism 122 Chapter 5. The Four Basic Necessities in the Era of Development and Consumerism VI 5.1 An Overview of the Society 124 5.1.1 Population 125 5.1.2 Economy and Income of the Population 126 5.2 The Development of the Advertising Industry in Thailand 129 5.3 Changes in People’s Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities in the Era of Development and Consumerism 131 5.3.1 Housing 131 5.3.1.1 Housing: Tracing Changes in the Definition of types of Dwelling in Censuses of Population and Housing 131 5.3.1.2 Housing and Advertising 133 5.3.1.3 Changes in Housing in the Era of Development 133 5.3.1.4 Construction Skills and Materials 136 5.3.2 Clothing 137 5.3.3 Food 141 5.3.3.1 Nutrition and Health Concerns 142 5.3.3.2 Food in the Period of Haste 143 5.3.3.3 Awareness of Social Class and Food Consumption: Western, Chinese, Japanese Cuisine 145 5.3.3.4 Consumerism and Food Culture 146 5.3.3.5 Changes in Thai People’s Cultural Values as Seen in Food Consumption Behavior 147 5.3.4 Medicine 148 5.3.4.1 Health Index 148 5.3.4.2 The Setting up of District Hospitals 149 5.3.4.3 The Renaissance of the Traditional Thai Doctor 149 5.3.4.4 Results of Developments and Changes in the Conditions of Health in Thai People 150 5.4 Conclusion: People and Objects 152 Chapter 6. An Analysis of the Content of Advertising Relating to the Four Basic Necessities 6.1 The Influence of Advertising in Modern Society 156 VII 6.2 Advertising in Thailand 158 6.3 An Analysis of Advertising with Relation to the Four Basic Necessities from 1957 to 1997 159 6.4 Methodology 159 6.5 The Hypothesis Adopted in the Analysis 162 6.6 Presentation of Data Analysis 162 6.7 Quantitative Analysis 163 6.7.1 Data form all Samples Related to the Four Basic Necessities between 1957 and 1997 (4 Decades) 163 6.7.2 Samples of Data over the Four Decades between 1957 and 1997 163 6.7.3 Conclusions from the Quantitative Analysis 187 6.8 Qualitative Analysis 187 6.8.1 An Analysis of Slogans by Interpretation 190 6.8.2 Conclusion of the Analysis of Slogans 197 6.9 Conclusion: An Analysis of the Content of Advertisements 199 Chapter 7. Conclusion: Historical Development of Consumerism in Thai Society 7.1 Development toward Consumerism 202 7.2 Changes in the Consumption of the Four Basic Necessities: from Simple to More Complex 205 7.3 The Cultural Phenomenon of Consumerism in Thai Society 207 7.4 What Similarities or Differences Are there between the Four Basic Necessities in Each Period of Time 209 7.5 Why and When Did the Four Basic Necessities Become Commodities with Cultural Value and Purpose, 209 Appendix I. Questions in the Criteria for Analysis of the Content of Advertisements 211 Appendix II. Example of Advertisement in 1961 213 Appendix III. Short Chronology 216 Bibliography 218 VIII Table Page Table 2.1 Ethnic composition of Siam’s Population according to various estimate in the nineteenth centuries 25 Table 3.1 The Population of Bangkok during 1900-1929 66 Table 3.2 Thai export in 1867 (the reign of King Rama IV) 81 Table 3.3 Thailand’s imported goods in 1867 82 Table 3.4 Thailand’s imported and exported goods in 2000 83 Table 3.5 Quantities and values of Thai Rice exports 83 Table 3.6 Residential houses on the roadsides in Bangkok in 1883 87 Table 5.1 Changes in population in Thailand from 1911-1960 125 Table 5.2 Population of 2 largest cities in Thailand 126 Table 5.3 Expansion in the economy from 1961 to 1995 127 Table 5.4 Gross National Product (GNP) per head, average per year at market price from 1960 to 1996 127 Table 5.5 Income distribution of the Thai population divided into 2 groups according to level of income; specifically, the group with 20% highest income and 20% lowest income 128 Table 5.6 Development of the advertising industry (1986-1995) 131 Table 5.7 Changes in types of dwelling between 1970 and 2000 132 Table 5.8 Spending in the advertising industry by various media 133 Table 5.9 Real estate advertising budget in various media (Year 1995) 134 Table 5.10 Death rate, infant death rate, and average life span in Thailand 148 Table 6.1 Data form all samples of advertising relating to the four basic necessities between 1957 and 1977 between 1960 and 1993 163 Table 6.2 Advertisements 1957-1967 that do or do not contain slogans 164 Table 6.3 Advertisements 1968-1977 that do or do not contain slogans