การสื่อสารอัตลักษณ์อาหารไทยผ่านรายการโทรทัศน์

Abstract

                   This study aims to analyze (1) communication to construct identities “Thainess” of Thai cuisine in cooking TV programs and (2) the role of current television program in communicating the identities of Thai cuisine in the current television programs by applying qualitative research methodology and cross-sectional study analysis (textual analysis). The research found that identity communication of Thainess of Thai food in Thai television programs has various types, not static but fluidand changeable. The identity communication of Thainess of Thai food has three facets. Thai food identity that has been mostly found is the “bark” identity which has been changed in terms of kitchen utensils, ingredient using, and dish decoration. The Thai identity which has been subordinately found is the “sapwood” identity. The findingabout the sapwood identity found that there were both negotiated and adaptive in food taste and ingredient preparation. The Thai identity which has been found least is the “core” identity. The core identity still keeps Thainess in terms of Thai food cooking.
                   The television programs play 11 important roles in communica-ting the identity of Thai cuisine, namely (1) the role of creating joint agreement, (2) the role of creating confidence,(3) the role of creating negotiation sphere, (4) the role of prototyping, (5) the role of differ-entiation, (6) the role of giving pride, (7) the role of creating “genuine Thai”, (8) the role of creating exotic, (9) the role of value adding, (10) the role of modern Thailand value creation, and (11) the role of giving the sphere to foreigners taking part in Thai identity presentation of Thai cuisine in the age of globalization. The Thai television programs have played crucial roles in creating collective identity to solve cultural crisis problems in the time that food culture has become commodity. Since Thai food industry has entered the international food industry, the identity of Thai food has continually changed. Thai television programs then have become the cultural institutions that have legitimization in terms of directing communicative codes of Thai food identity to tell their audiences as “us” about Thainess of Thai food.