Journal of ASEAN PLUS Studies

Books and Borders: Exploring the Holiday-Tourism Narratives of ASEAN Students Studying in Thailand

2025-08-21T13:39:39+07:00

This qualitative study explored the holiday-tourism narratives of ASEAN students in Thailand, highlighting leisure travel as a vital aspect of personal development and well-being. Using a descriptive phenomenological method, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight undergraduates from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines. Data were analyzed through iterative coding and thematic synthesis, revealing six themes: Rejuvenation and escape, nature-centric destinations, group travel logistics, cultural immersion, identity development, and coping with constraints. Findings indicate that holiday tourism extends beyond recreation, serving as a form of stress relief, an informal intercultural classroom, and a means of fostering ASEAN identity. Despite barriers related to finances, academic schedules, and visas, students employed adaptive strategies such as cost-sharing, short trips, and digital tools, transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth. The study highlights tourism’s role in supporting mental health, intercultural learning, and regional belonging, and proposes practical measures such as student-friendly travel packages, ﬂexible calendars, and language assistance initiatives. This research contributes to broader understandings of youth mobility and social dimensions of tourism in Southeast Asia.

The Impact of Marketing Factors on Brand Image: A Case Study of Boutique Hotels in Siem Reap

2025-05-08T16:27:51+07:00

This study examined how key marketing factors, service quality, price reasonableness, hotel atmosphere, location, social media marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), inﬂuence brand image through perceived value as a mediating variable in Siem Reap’s boutique hotel sector. Using stratified purposive sampling, data were collected from 436 boutique hotel guests aged 18+ and analyzed through PLS-SEM with bootstrapping for mediation eﬀects. Results showed signifcant direct eﬀects on brand image from perceived value (β = 0.182, p < 0.001), price reasonableness (β = 0.210, p < 0.001), hotel atmosphere (β = 0.219, p < 0.001), location (β = 0.114, p = 0.008), CSR (β = 0.126, p = 0.004), and CRM (β = 0.156, p < 0.001). Perceived value significantly mediated relationships between service quality (β = 0.033, p = 0.013), price reasonableness (β = 0.043, p = 0.004), CRM (β = 0.067, p = 0.002), and brand image. Theoretically, this research expands the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model by demonstrating perceived value’s pivotal mediating role in emerging tourism markets. Practically, findings suggest boutique hotel managers should strategically focus on pricing, atmosphere, CSR, and CRM initiatives to enhance perceived value and strengthen brand image.

The Mediating Role of Social Climate on the Pathway between Spatial Creativity and Entrepreneurial Opportunity in Co-Working Spaces

2025-10-15T16:49:18+07:00

This research examines the inﬂuence of space creativity on Entrepreneurial Opportunity Recognition and Exploitation (EORE) within co-working spaces in Thailand, with particular attention to the mediating role of social climate. Although co-working environments have been widely investigated in Western contexts, empirical evidence remains limited in Asian settings where cultural and institutional conditions diﬀer significantly. Drawing on broaden-and-build theory, this study proposes a framework to test how spatial design creativity directly and indirectly aﬀects entrepreneurial behaviors through social dynamics. The empirical analysis is based on survey data collected from 350 individuals with current or prior experience using co-working spaces in the Bangkok metropolitan area, a rapidly expanding hub for start-ups and digital entrepreneurs. Measurement constructs were adapted from validated scales of creativity, social climate, and opportunity recognition, with data analyzed using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping techniques. The results reveal that space creativity significantly enhances EORE (β = 0.221, p < .01), while social climate exerts a stronger direct eﬀect on EORE (β = 0.502, p < .001). Moreover, social climate partially mediates the relationship between space creativity and EORE (β = 0.339, p < .001), indicating that supportive and collaborative climates amplify the benefits of creative spatial design. These findings advance theory by integrating physical and social dimensions of entrepreneurial ecosystems, demonstrating how spatial creativity contributes to opportunity-driven entrepreneurship in emerging economies under the Thai context. Practically, the study underscores the importance of designing workspaces and communities that cultivate collaboration and innovation to drive local economic growth. Practically, this research highlights that investments in creative spatial design and community-building strategies can serve as eﬀective levers to stimulate opportunity-driven entrepreneurship and foster local economic development.

Strategic Research on Talent Supply and Demand in the New Energy Vehicle Industry Chain: A Case Study of Nanning

2025-10-20T10:19:46+07:00

The global automotive industry’s accelerated transition toward electrification and intelligentization has positioned talent as a critical determinant of competitive advantage in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector. While existing scholarship extensively examines mature coastal clusters, a significant gap remains in understanding talent dynamics within emerging inland hubs.

This study addresses this gap by presenting a granular analysis of Nanning’s NEV talent ecosystem, integrating Human Capital and Cluster Theories to investigate the structural interdependencies between policy, industry, and education. Through quantitative analysis of regional data (2017-2024) and comparative benchmarking, the research identifies acute skill polarization—Specifically, surpluses in low-skilled operational roles alongside critical shortages in high-value R&D and engineering functions within the core components segment. These imbalances are exacerbated by wage competitiveness gaps, nascent industrial clustering, and misaligned training pipelines. The study’s primary contribution lies in its development of an integrated, closed-loop strategy framework for talent ecosystem development, which synergizes industryeducation integration, high-end project attraction, and urban livability enhancement. The findings oﬀer a replicable model for policy-makers in similar emerging industrial cities aiming to bridge the gap between national strategic ambitions and local implementation realities.

Climate-Smart Rice Production in Thailand: Challenge and Opportunity

2025-05-14T15:50:48+07:00

Rice, a staple diet for over half the global population, with over eighty percent of production concentrated in Asia, faces significant challenges from climate change, particularly in Thailand. This review analyzes the current situation of rice production in Thailand, its contribution to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, and the impacts of climate change on productivity, drawing insights from existing literature. Findings indicate that Thailand’s rice production has gradually declined, potentially aﬀecting global food security through reduced exports. Thai farmers contend with rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events, which heighten production risks and disrupt planting schedules, especially for rain-fed systems. Additionally, rice cultivation is a notable source of GHG emissions, releasing methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O) under ﬂooded conditions, which favor anaerobic decomposition. To mitigate these circumstances, Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices are being widely introduced as a holistic approach. Common strategies observed across Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand include Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and the use of climate-tolerant rice varieties, which help mitigate water scarcity and extreme climate conditions. The review emphasizes, however, that the selection of appropriate CSA practices must consider diverse regional and local contexts. To facilitate broader CSA adoption and enhance climate resilience, this review recommends further research into high-potential microorganisms for efficient rice straw decomposition and addressing the scarcity of skilled service providers and machinery for Laser Land leveling. Ultimately, adopting climate-smart rice production will enable Thai farmers to adapt to sustainable practices and enhance their global competitiveness in the rice market.

A Comparative Analysis of Secondary School Curricula in Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia: Integrating Self-Regulated Learning and Life Planning Skills

2025-09-16T06:35:14+07:00

In the twenty-first century, secondary education is increasingly expected to move beyond academic achievement to equip students with the competencies to navigate complex, rapidly changing social and economic contexts. Among these, Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and life and career planning skills are essential for fostering autonomy, adaptability, and lifelong learning. This article provides a comparative analysis of secondary school curricula in Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, focusing on how SRL and life planning are incorporated within each system.

The analysis reveals that Singapore incorporates SRL and life planning coherently through initiatives such as Character and Citizenship Education (CCE), Education and Career Guidance (ECG), subject-based banding reforms, and portfolio-based assessment. Malaysia adopts a balanced approach, embedding Kemahiran Insaniah (soft skills) across academic and co-curricular domains, guided by the Malaysia Education Blueprint, 2013-2025, and School-Based Assessment (PBS/Pentaksiran Berasaskan Sekolah). In contrast, Thailand’s Basic Education Core Curriculum, 2008, remains largely exam-oriented, providing limited opportunities to cultivate SRL and life planning competencies.

Drawing on these findings, the article proposes a reform framework emphasizing SRL integration, dedicated life planning modules, enhanced co-curricular programs, teacher mentorship, and diversified assessment. Aligned with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s vision for “future-ready learners”, the model aims to balance academic rigor with essential life competencies.