MUIC-Proceeding Document
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Item Metadata only A case study into the impacts of the extension of mass transit line and gentrification on local residents in a neighbourhood in Bangkok.(2013) Moore, Russell; Mahidol University. International College. Preparation Center for Languages and Mathematics.In recent years, Bangkok has seen the introduction and gradual expansion of two city-wide mass transit rail systems – a sky train and an underground. Around some rail lines and stations this has been followed by the removal of some older housing stock, the building of condominiums, and an in-migration of higher-income residents to live in them. This raises the question of what impact these processes of gentrification are having on local communities. Although the benefits of a new mass transit system are not in question, to date, there has been little qualitative research into how mass transit affects local residents, particularly those undergoing displacement. This paper therefore aims to understand this further through a case study of a neighbourhood in Bangkok that has recently seen the opening of a new sky train line. Drawing on previous gentrification literature that assesses the positive and negative impacts of gentrification and using this as a framework of analysis, 50 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with residents in the case study area, 20 living in a new condominium, and 30 from the local neighbourhood. 10 of these local residents were in the process of moving as their properties were being demolished. The results revealed that there is some ambiguity in resident’s views regarding the change, with some airing a mix of positive and negative attitudes. However, mainly negative views were relayed by those experiencing displacement and by the more vulnerable households who saw this as a potential threat in the future. The paper concludes that remedial responses such as mandatory low-cost housing provision should be considered to redress such inequities.Item Metadata only Community service learning : a case of tourism education in Thailand(2012) Sompong Amnuay-ngerntra; Mahidol University. International College. Tourism and Hospitality Management Division.University students nowadays prefer an authentic learning experience by participating in problem-solving activities of real world events rather than learning from traditional classroom experience. It is essential for faculty members to connect “theory and practice” so as to enhance student interest and knowledge. One of the innovative ways proposed is Community Service Learning, a method of teaching and learning which integrates community services with academic content designed to promote community responsibility. Although service learning potentially empowers students to become more thoughtful and contribute to a sense of civic responsibility, faculty members have encountered difficulties in achieving service learning programs. This article discusses the unique challenges posed by incorporating service learning into academic courses and processes strategies for successful implementation. A case study of service learning project that has been developed by tourism students at Mahidol University International College, Thailand, is presented.Item Metadata only Acceptance of open source software : the context of Thailand(2012) Veera Bhatiasevi; Donyaprueth Krairit; Mahidol University International College. Business Administration DivisionOpen Source Software (OSS), a computer software development model has existed since the late 1960s. The growth of OSS in recent years is most evident among organizations and users as it offers several advantages compared to proprietary software. OSS activity began in Thailand as early as in 1995 with various Linux distributions such as Kaiwal Linux, Burapha Linux, Linux School Internet Server (SIS), Linux Thai Language Extension (TLE). Although government efforts have been made to promote OSS in Thailand, many Thai users are still unaware of its impact and how it can improve their business. The benefits of using OSS such as lowering costs and improved access to software, adaptation to local needs,locally retaining a higher share of the value added and developing local skills is essentially critical to the economy. However, although there has been initiatives by the government and adoption by state agencies, very few studies have been conducted about OSS in Thailand and little of which is known to the international field of OSS. It is therefore interesting to understand the level of adoption made and what factors affect acceptance of the OSS. The study proposes a hybrid model combining the extended technology acceptance model (TAM2), the innovation diffusion theory (IDT), and software characteristics. Using AMOS, data collected were tested against the structural model. The implications of this study for researchers, policy makers and practitioners are discussed.Item Metadata only Building Thailand's tallest Ganesh: CAD/CAM integration in conventional metal fabrication(2012) Surapong Lertsithichai; Mahidol University International College. Fine and Applied Arts Division.Ganesh (Ganesa or Ganesha) is a Hindi god well known for his distinguishable elephant head and widely revered as the god of success or remover of obstacles. Patrons in Thailand have worshipped Ganesh and respected him by means of erecting statues of Ganesh in various poses and sizes throughout the country. In late 2008, the people of Chacheongsao, a province located east of Bangkok, decided to create Thailand‟s tallest standing Ganesh statue made with bronze reaching height up to 39 meters and situated on the bangpakong river bank overseeing the city and its people. The author and design team was approached by representatives from Chacheongsao and commissioned to advise the process from conception to construction. The challenge started with seeking appropriate computer-aided design and manufacturing technologies and innovative process to guide the design team throughout the production. The 0.60 –meter bronze cast sculpture of the Ganesh was scanned using 3D optical scanner to generate a solid model of the statue. A surface model was then extracted from the 3D model to firstly determine the most efficient structural support within the statue and secondly to generate surface strips for the foundry to create actual bronze casts. The construction of the project began early 2009 and the statue has since been erected from its base to currently its head. During construction, the author and design team has encountered several problems translating pixels to parts. Several errors have occurred during the mould and cast production process as well as construction errors on site causing mismatches of the structure and surface, misalignments, and protruding structural supports and joints. The lessons learned from this project is documented and analysed with hopes to create a more effective process for future projects with similar requirements.Item Metadata only A bridge too far? the relationship between students’ perceptions of transfer of learning and instructional strategies in an academic literacy program in Thailand.(2012) Green, Jonathan Henry; Mahidol University. Mahidol University International College. Humanities and Language Division.Transfer of learning has long been foremost goal of education; this goal is explicit in English for Academic Purpose (EAP) and academic literacy courses that, by their nature, aim to support learning by providing students with language and literacy skill and knowledge that may be transferred to the disciplines. Perceivably, the south- after transfer of learning often fails to occur; cognitive- based theorists believe that this is because educators frequently neglect to attend explicitly to metacognitive strategies and method that promote transfer, expecting it rather, to occur spontaneously. Amongst prominent advocates of explicit strategies to address transfer of learning. Perkins and Solomon (1989) promote “hugging” and “bridging” strategies to address, respectively, “low-road” and “high-road” transfer, with the practical implementation of these strategies having been articulated by Forgarty, Perkins and Barell(1992) and customized to English Language Teaching (ELT) and, by implication, to EAP, by James(2006) This study adopts the hugging-bridging framework in an effort to understand their elation between instructors‟ classroom methods and the transfer of learning from an EAP-based academic literacy course to the disciplines in an international undergraduate programme in a university in Thailand.Item Metadata only True blood stakes new ground in TV series programming(2011) Harpole, Charles H.; Mahidol University International College. Fine and Applied Arts Division.Now in its third season, the television series, TRUE BLOOD, has broken new ground in the creation and presentation of multiple characters and multiple stories briskly intercut within each episode and between shows. This pattern of narrative presentation requires a quite modern ability to follow the stories and characters that goes well beyond the patterns of more traditional television series dramas (such as CSI and LAW AND ORDER). The extensive fracturing of narrative continuity combined with the popularity of the series indicates a new jump in the ability of audiences to cope with such extensive disjunction, and even audiences’ desire for such a presentational pattern.By close analytic comparison, the author demonstrates this new pattern in comparison with other popular, multi-season dramatic narrative shows. Further,a content analysis reveals the ability of this pattern to interweave fantasy and whimsy within a high degree of presentational realism with very limited special effects (F/X) that, for example, extends fantasy totally within the context of traditional realistic depictions.Item Metadata only The Relationship of Employee Knowledge, Employee Creativity and Employee Performance: An Empirical Investigation of Hotel Industry in Thailand(2011) Chanin Yoopetch; Mahidol University International College. Tourism and Hospitality Management Division.The purpose of the study was to explore and investigate the relationships among employee knowledge, employee creativity and employee performance in the context of hotel industry. A survey was conducted using structural equation modeling method with the data collected from 461 hotel employees of several hotels. The results indicated that both employee knowledge and employee creativity had significantly positive association with employee performance.The implications of the study and directions for further research were also discussed in more details.Item Metadata only Trigonica : an interactive iOS application for learning trigonometry(2011) Pattapol Kongwattananon; Lavalin Kanjanabose; Krittaya Leelawong; Chinda Tangwongsan; Mahidol University International College. Science Division.Fitting a whole lesson in a mobile phone is not easy, especially when we wish to enhance the user’s experience to motivate his or her learning. The application has to provide contents and assessments in a way that is attractive to the user and digested enough to be used in a short time frame while waiting for friends or bused but also can be used for a full review of the materials. Trigonica introduces the concepts of trigonometry in three short lessons with hand-on activities. The learner can take a dynamic quiz after each lesson and also a comprehensive quiz. The user can also share their experience with his or her community via Facebook posts after finishing a quiz.Item Metadata only The investigation of designation choice, satisfaction and loyalty intentions of international tourists(2011) Chanin Yoopetch; Mahidol University International College. Tourism and Hospitality Management Division.This paper investigated the relationship of destination choice criteria, tangible and intangible choices, satisfaction, and loyalty intentions of international tourists visiting Thailand. The results of the research show that there is positive relationship between tourist satisfaction and loyalty intentions. The findings suggested that destination managers should focus more one intangible aspects of the destinations, because intangible choice criteria have positive relationships with both tourist satisfaction and loyalty intentions of the international tourist,while tangible choice or dimension of the destination have no significant influence on loyalty intentions and tourist atisfaction. The discussions of research findings are provided and directions for further research are suggested.Item Metadata only Using positive psychology concepts to improve student well-being(2011) McDonald, IanStress, anxiety and depression are common experiences that can and do affect academic performance, as well as mental and physical health. The field of positive psychology has grown in recent years and its interventions have received empirical support in increasing happiness and decreasing symptoms of depression and anxiety. This workshop examines some the techniques used in positive psychology and considers the value of using them in the classroom.Item Metadata only Ranking and the Globalization of Higher Education(2011) Rorex, Dale; Mahidol University International College. Social Science DivisionThe academic world has experienced a number of profound changes over the past two decades, making the experiences of teaching and learning at most postsecondary institutions significantly different now than in the period prior to the 1990s. Three major changes of particular importance have been (i) the enormous expansion of higher education (HE), especially in terms of student numbers; (ii) the growing impact of ‘academic capitalism’ and the ‘audit culture’; and (iii) the recent focus/ obsession with university ranking and branding. The paper will examine aspects of this third theme.Item Metadata only Stimulant methamphetamine and dextromethorphan use by the Thai youth(2011) Chulathida Chomchai; Mahidol University International College. Science Division.Recreational use of stimulants in Thailand has been widespread for the past 2 decades. Beginning in the mid 1990s, methamphetamine has made its appearance and since has replaced other illicit drugs such as heroin as the street drug of choice for addicts. Recently, recreational use of dextromethorphan has been gaining enormous popularity among experimenting teens as well. Overdoses and adverse effects resulting from these two drugs have helped to characterize the nature of the drugs' usages, their toxicology and pharmacology in the Thai population, and their widespread psychosocial implications for Thailand. In Thailand, methamphetamine is available in several forms. The cheapest and by far the most popular form is that of the methamphetamine tablets. Other forms also include methamphetamine crystals (ICE), Methylene-dioxymethamphetamine or MDMA (ecstasy),or legal prescription drugs such as dextroamphetamine (Ritalin®). In 1996, the former Prime Minister Dr. Taksin Chinnawatr has instituted a radical drug war. Possession of more than a few tablets of methamphetamine is considered trafficking and the suspects can be executed. As a result, the price of tablet methamphetamine skyrocketed from 50 THB to 200THB and there have been a few cases of Ritalin® intoxication seen in the ED during that time. Users are usually young men and their wives and use during pregnancy is common. Since Dr. Taksin's political exile, methamphetamine usage among youths has once again shown a steady increase. The group of pregnant women who uses the drug during pregnancy often admits to concurrent abuse with other substances such as alcohol and inhalants.Accidental poisoning in children is seen occasionally in the ED. Some case examples of methamphetamine poisoning in different population is given.In contrast, Dextromethorphan is a drug of mainly young early and middle adolescence. It is available in Thailand as an over-the-counter 5 mg. pill of dextromethorphan hydrobromide at approximately 1 THB per tablet. Its use seems to be purely recreational because of its reputation for giving a good ‘high' that is short-lived and cannot be detected by parents. It also shows a social component with usually a few friends using the drug together. In a large poisoning in Bangkok, Thailand where the drug is distributed at school and more than 50 students have taken it, the milligram per kilogram of drug taken does not seem to coincide with the clinical symptoms seen. Although in such a case, it is hard to discern the real from the socially-induced symptoms. The details of dextromethorphan poisoning and its proposed pharmacology and toxicology are presented.There are also many more stimulants made, at least partly, from legal substances. Those which have been widely distributed in Thailand include;• ‘4x100': a concoction of cough medicine which are sold as stimulants in Southern Thailand • ‘Pocodyl”: a combination cough medication with promethazine, ephedrine and codeine. It is now all the rage among teenagers because of its supposed ‘high'. Conclusion: Stimulant use among Thai teenagers is on the rise. Merely making outlawing the drugs involved cannot solve the entire problem. An active community, cyber and hospitalbased surveillance needs to be instituted in order to educate and prevent dangerous uses of these chemicals.Item Metadata only Thai Globalization through Postcolonial Lens(2011) Persaud, Walter H.; Mahidol University International College. Humanities and Language Division.Over the last two decades Thailand has witnessed a rapid globalizing of its culture, economy and society. This presentation deals with some of the cultural and representational aspects of this process from a post colonial perspective. In particular, it pays attention to the impact of the dissemination of stereotypical racialized concepts of modernity and civilization in the Thai body politic and cultural economy and the way in which Thai scholars have addressed this. The second sub-theme of the presentation is a critique of the work of Kasian Tejapira and Craig Reynolds in terms of their handling of the postcolonial question as it relates to the nature of cultural globalization in Thailand. It suggests that while Kasian overlooks the postcolonial question altogether,Reynolds sets up a spurious dichotomy in trying to make sense of postcolonial scholarship and the representational politics of luk kruengs in Thai society. The presentation ends by calling for the racialized politics of representation at work in the Thai cultural economy to be given more attention in Thai scholarship.Item Metadata only The Formation of power relationships in entertainment media : gender and the role of imagination in linsay anderson’s if…(2011) Cornelius, Paul; Mahidol University International College. Fine and Applied Arts Division.Appearing in 1968, Lindsay Anderson’s milestone feature release, If….Seemingly reflected the cultural currents of the Western world at that time. A reaction to the demands for a stifling conformity in society, If… presented an alternative vision of life in which an anarchic revolt against authority reached through the institutions of politics, religion, and education and finally found a place to thrive in that most subversive of all places, the imagination. Academic and popular studies have long focused on the roles of the three main youthful protagonists, all men, forced to adhere to the rules and regulations of an English public school. Less realized has been a proper analysis of the role of “the girl” in contributing to If…’s psycho-social metaphor of revolution. Without even an identifying name for the role, “the girl” instead offers the ultimate contrast to the structure of the school/society. While being an outsider in terms of social class and formal educational achievement, it is her sex/gender that provides the greatest contrast to the all male environment of the public school. This paper,therefore, first of all seeks to examine the dislocation the girl’s insertion causes for the institution culturally and socially. But second, and of even more significance, the study looks at the girl as an important feature in creating a psycho-sexual balance that restores the imaginative act and intellectual “sanity” to the metaphorical family represented in If…’s public school. In effect, this paper posits that If… is an exploration of a maladjusted and schizophrenic world that can only be righted through the application of “revolutionary” therapy and that the therapy most closely aligns with the radical principles of psychotherapy first developed by the filmmaker’s contemporary, R.D. Laing, in The Divided Self.Item Metadata only Gender representation Thai advertising(2011) Rhein, Douglas; Mahidol University International College. Social Science DivisionAdvertising and the portrayal of gender roles has long been the subject of much debate among researchers of communications. This study seeks to determine the extent that gender representation exists in Thai television advertising by using content analysis, the method commonly used in previous studies conducted on gender and advertising. A longitudinal content analysis was performed (2005 and 2010) in an attempt to establish continuity in gendered representations in Thai television advertising.Item Metadata only English for liberal arts : toward a new paradigm(2011) Edward Rush; Mahidol University International College. Pre-College Program.This forum will explore--and elaborate upon--the enriched context that the liberal arts provide for language teaching and language learning. It will begin by briefly re-tracing the rise and principles of liberal arts education, the founding of liberal arts colleges in Japan, and their recent expansion at some of the nation’s top universities (including ICU, Keio, and Waseda), as well as new universities. The panel members will then in turn focus upon specific curricular aspects of liberal arts language-teaching: (1) Reading for Liberal Arts (constructing theme-based content topics such as “Race” or “Ethics”), (2) Writing for Liberal Arts (appropriate genre and evidence use for intellectual inquiry), (3) Lectures for Liberal Arts (meaningful listening practice through engagement of important contemporary or classical issues), and (4) Testing for Liberal Arts (the use of exams which promote the kinds of critical thinking advocated by a liberal arts mission.) The aim of the forum is to show how English for the Liberal Arts potentially poses a paradigm that moves beyond the confines of more purely communicative, skill-based, content-based and EAP approaches by organizing instruction around more liberal principles and purpose, such as capacity for critical thinking, problem-solving, curiosity, self-reflection, and global citizenship.Item Metadata only Implementation of the value-based management for SMEs in Thailand(2011) Benjalux Sakunasingha; Foad Derakhshan; Mahidol University International College. Business Administration DivisionValue-based management (VBM) is a set of management tools which relies on value creation concept in maximizing wealth or value for shareholders. Popularized tools under VBM are such as Economic Value Added (registered trademark), Cash Flow Return on Investment, and Shareholder Value Added. In this paper, shareholder value concept is discussed for small to medium-size companies in Thailand. These companies became more important after the Thailand economic crisis in 1997. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand account approximately for 78.2% of all enterprises in the country and bring in about 38% of the country’s GDP (Office of SMEs Promotion, 2011). Hence, Thai SMEs are a crucial part of the Thai economy. Value-orientation of the management of SMEs has not been subject of sufficient research. This research, therefore, examines the importance of the VBM tools for SMEs which typically do not have access to the capital market, and explores the motivation and benefits for SMEs managers to implement the VBM. A qualitative method was applied in this research in an attempt to find out why and how VBM was implemented in Thai SMEs to create value. The researchers examined whether the management of SMEs focused on creating value and explored the motive for managers to manage based on value creation. This research was conducted using focus group interviews and in-depth interviews with some Thai SMEs managers who participated in the 2011 Thai SMEs Expo. In this research, 30 SME companies participated in focus group interview. Out of these, 26 of them were family-owned business.The result identified internal and external factors for the implementation of VBM in Thai SMEs. Internal factors were personal financial coverage of the entrepreneur and successor problem. External factors were scarcity of capital, equity-deficit, company’s credit quality for bank loan, and other risks due to dynamic of changing global markets. Further the researchers analyzed the possibilities of implementing the VBM in small and medium enterprise by indentifying important value drivers. This analysis was conducted because of the unique characteristics of Thai SMEs. The SMEs managers were aware of shareholder value creation but they focused on a stakeholder value orientation, a broader perspective than a shareholder value orientation. This was due to the high interaction of SMEs with their environment. Researchers suggest more research on social aspects of value creation and their effect on the VBM for Thai SMEs.Item Metadata only Ethnobotanical study and uses of medicinal plants in communal areas of Khao Luang forest park, Nakhonsawan and Uthaithani provinces(2011) Jaruntorn Boonyanuphap; Chanida Hansawasdi; Nuttachai Nuchchom; Kanchaya Maosew; Mahidol University International College. Science Division.An ethnobotanical survey was carried out to identify and record the indigenous knowledge and significance of medicinal plants used by the local people living surround Khao Luang Forest Park. Medicinal Plants have mainly been used in this area not only for primary healthcare but also some types of critical illnesses. Data on the traditional ethnobotanical use of plants was collected from 68 key informants (traditional herbal healer, herbalists, herbal users, and collectors) through the participatory rural appraisal method involving in-depth interview, focus group discussion, and overt participant observation using semi-structured questionnaires. The ethnobotanical knowledge and uses of medicinal plants were recorded. Total 73 medicinal plants species comprising 58 genera and 42 families were reported in this study. Most of surveyed medicinal plants were found to apply for treatment relevant to herbal tonic, musculoskeletal body system (rheumatism, gout, contusions, and sprains), antidote, and fever and pain reliever. The stem and root were the most commonly used plant parts while the most common method of preparation was decoction for oral consumption. Most remedies were prepared from single species, however some were prepared as medicinal plants recipest using mixture of plants, such as traditional herbal beverages for tonic and musculoskeletal disorders. The rural communities surrounding Khao Luang Forest Park is endows with a rich culture of traditional knowledge of medicinal plant usage. The present traditional phytotherapy represents a medicinal alternative to treat major health problems in regard to the cultural and social context of this society.Item Metadata only Exploring the limits of catharsis in transitional justice : the khmer rouge tribunal, victim elitism, and the reconfiguration of Cambodian memoryscapes(2011) Oesterheld, Christian; Mahidol University International College. Social Science DivisionThe Khmer Rouge tribunal is expected to bring to justice former Khmer Rouge leaders and those “most responsible” for crimes committed during the Democratic Kampuchea regime, and by doing so to contribute to national reconciliation. During the 2009 proceedings of the Extraodinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), civil party lawyers have frequently invoked the importance of the public acknowledgment of their clients suffering to “heal the wounds of the past”. However, it is doubtful whether the selective acknowledgement of suffering is capable of initiating a wider process of catharsis in Cambodia society. The number of civil parties admitted to the proceedings is limited, and, more importantly, the number of indictments has been minimized by procedural considerations and repeated political interference from the Cambodian government. The ECCC’s Case 001 tries Kaing Guek Eav alias ‘Duch’, the director of the notorious Khmer Rouge security centre S-21,but other S-21 staff, including his deputy, have merely been summoned as witnesses. Moreover, S-21, despite its notoriety, was only one out of nearly 200 Khmer Rouge detention centres, some of them with notably greater number of executions. Its elevated position in the Cambodian memoryscape was fostered by its preservation during the Vietnam-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea and its transformation into the Tuol Sleng Genocide, a fate denied to other former prisons which have been leveled and disappeared from the visible memoryscape of contemporary Cambodia. Although their significance is implicitly denied by the current Khmer Rouge Tribunal, they continue to exist in the memory of a large number of survivors and the family members of those who disappeared. This paper argues that reconfigurations of the Cambodian memoryscape since 1979 have contributed to the creation of two categories of victims, an “elite” whose suffering is publicly acknowledged, and a traumatized “mass” which is poorly served by the workings of the ECCC. Consideration that S-21 mostly detained former Khmer Rouge cadres from leading positions, often themselves involved in crimes against humanity prior to their detention, contributes further to the dilemma of transitional justice in ontemporary Cambodia.Item Metadata only Educational infrastructure and workforce development in tourism and hospitality industry : the case of Thailand(2011) Chanin Yoopetch; Mahidol University International College. Travel Industry Management Division.The purpose of this paper is to discuss educational infrastructure and key factors relating workforce development in the tourism and hospitality industry in Thailand. The tourism and hospitality industry is one of the most important industries to the Thai economy. To support the development in this sector, the educational infrastructure is the key element and similar to other service sectors knowledgeable and skillful human resources are highly important for the success of the industry. The conceptual model was proposed and highlighted the collaboration among public sectors, private sectors and educational institutions for the success of workforce development in the long run.