pop culture
5 Aug 2020
Students from Kasetsart University and the Mahanakorn for Democracy group organized a Harry Potter-themed protest on Monday (3 August) at the Democracy Monument, calling for amendments to laws regarding the power of the monarchy and for the authorities to listen to the voice of the people.
1 Aug 2020
While members of idol girl groups such as BNK48 are seen as products and are expected to be voices for the society, they neither see themselves as objectified nor obligated to advocate for social issues, but they have to adapt to a mixture of Thai and Japanese idol cultures. Idol insiders also explain the business model and its origins.
30 Jul 2020
Over 1000 young people participated in a “Let’s run, Hamtaro” protest on 26 July, during which they marched around the Democracy Monument singing a modified version of the theme song from Hamtaro, a Japanese animated cartoon about a band of hamsters, and called for the government to step down.
26 Mar 2019
With the rise of Thai millennials, the country is seeing a similar rise in the use of Japanese pop culture as political weapon to fight against authoritarianism.
25 Apr 2016
Although Thailand is usually thought of as a recipient, not exporter of pop culture, Thai soap operas are making waves in mainland China.
26 Mar 2016
A military-sponsored major production doesn’t even bother to conceal its political propaganda in the form of a weepy stage play. The show seems to be a response to the popular current of pondering the question, “What is the Military For?” from an article published by Nidhi Eoseewong.
17 Mar 2016
Is it possible for a lakorn to paint a realistic picture of a rocky marriage? “Padiwarada’s” subtle yet major deviations from the usual soap fare shed a new light on Thai women and marriages.
23 Feb 2016
A time-traveling romantic soap opera surrounding the events of Bang Rachan, based on a novel written by a right-wing author, colours the imagined past through rosy, blood-tinted glasses.
22 Jan 2016
All year round, Thai TV channels air military-themed soap operas, where cute actors dressed in military uniforms play silly pranks on their crushes. This neutralizing formula of cuddly fictional soldiers tries to overwrite actual military men, who look—and act—much uglier. The latest farce, coming soon to you is a three-part military action-drama, “Master of the Skies,” which will focus on heavily armed, sexy commanding officers in order to more seriously popularize—and sexualize—the military.
11 Jan 2016
It seems there can never be enough done in the overwhelming glorification of Thai kings. The Thai junta has built giant bronze statues of the so-called ‘seven great kings’ of Thai history to glorify and strengthen the status of the monarchy. Soon, a soap opera which aims to glorify King Rama V will be on air. It features the recurring theme of the emancipation of slaves during the reign of King Rama V, although the story is heavily romanticized and distorted, say experts.
29 Jul 2015
Since the 70s, Thais have been encountering periodic remakes of a military-themed romantic comedy. Its nine—that’s right, nine—manifestations, released after military coups, show themes of legitimizing and romanticizing the military.
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