THE 1998 ASIAN GAMES: THE REPRESENTATION OF THAILAND’S NATIONAL IMAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

Abstract

The article titled “The 1998 Asian Games: Representing Thailand’s National Image amid the Economic Crisis” aims to examine how the Thai state utilized the 1998 Asian Games to construct and present the country’s image amid a significant national crisis known as the “Tom Yum Kung Crisis,” one of the most severe financial and economic crises in Thailand’s history. This study employs a historical methodology by analyzing official government documents, contemporary printed materials, and relevant academic works. The study indicated that the Thai government in the early 1990s-a period of rapid economic growth-bid to host the 1998 Asian Games with the expectation of using the event as a platform to showcase Thailand’s developmental potential and economic success to the international community. However, following the major economic crisis in 1997, the Thai government significantly adjusted its perspective and approach. It shifted toward using the 1998 Asian Games as a platform to project an image of the nation rooted in cultural heritage, emphasizing core national identity, traditional arts, and indigenous heritage in order to reinforce social cohesion, restore state legitimacy, and strengthen a sense of national identity during a period of crisis. In addition, the Asian Games served as a tourism promotion platform intended to stimulate economic activity and generate revenue during a difficult financial period. Overall, this study demonstrates the complex relationship between state power and international sporting mega-events, illustrating how sports can function as political, economic, and cultural instruments for reconstructing a positive national image. These efforts reflect the Thai government’s adaptive resilience in managing a nation’s international image even when confronted with a domestic crisis of unprecedented scale.