Thai-Made Thai-Used Nation Building Cosmetic Promoting and Disseminating Scientific Knowledge in Thai Society in the 1930s

Abstract

This article explores how the dissemination of scientific knowledge by the Department of Science and government support shaped the production and consumption of cosmetics in Thai society during the 1930s. Scientific knowledge laid the foundation for nationalistic ideologies around the manufacturing and use of cosmetics, leading to policies to control domestic goods through the Customs Tariff Act. Furthermore, the meaning of beauty in Thai society became associated with domestically sourced, scientifically grounded botanicals. Concurrently, scientific knowledge facilitated the expansion of cosmetic production, as the state promoted cosmetics as a means of nation-building. This led the public to view cosmetic consumption as a way to reduce the burden on the nation.