The Thai Khadi Research Institute Journal, in its current issue (Volume 22, No. 1) continues to serve as an academic platform reflecting multifaceted arts and culture in Thailand. Its dimensions comprise history, art, literature, and contemporary cultural expression, including local lore and community-based economics. These new articles offer diverse insights into scolarly dynamics in the Thai studies field.

            Colonization of the Times: A Periodization Problem in Lanna History by Parit Chiwarak

            A critical analysis of periodization in Lan Na history highlights how the concept of a modern era, emergent in the early twentieth century, was shaped by Western frameworks under the influence of Thai / Siamese historiography. Scholarly research on Lan Na history from a localist perspective was likewise influenced by Thai nationalist discourse and anti - Burmese bias, reflecting the ideological dominance of the Thai state during the First and  Second World Wars and the Cold War. This article questions the neutrality of historical periodization in Lan Na historiography, illustrating how power    ideology is inherited and embedded in historical knowledge. A new critical perspective for reading and understanding Lan Na history illuminates dynamic sources of historical knowledge in political, discursive, and ideological contexts.

              Objects, Humans, and Spirits Coexist Through People's Sensory  Experiences Along the Mekong River by Chanang Umparak

            This article proposes a critical reassessment of contemporary conceptual frameworks for ecological studies by examining Arturo Escobar’s concept of the pluriverse and Timothy Ingold’s approach to an ecology of materiality. These perspectives are applied to a case study of riverbank     communities along the Mekong River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Decentering the human perspective, Ingold's non - anthropocentric approach to environmental studies is used to analyze material culture and ecological anthropology. An experiential view of material objects as animate and agentive in the ecosystem transcends traditional material culture studies and ecological anthropology frameworks. Preliminary fieldwork reveals that local communities engage with the world intricately and multifariously. Comprehension is intertwined with the physical environment as well as belief, cultural practice, and interpersonal rapport with cohabitants. Innovatively querying conventional methodology diversifies world viewpoints and interpretations.

              Thung Kula Rong Hai History from 1957 to 2017 by Thanakit Puchanha, Narawit Daoruaeng, and Thaveesilp Subwattana

            An evaluation of the historiographical development of the Thung Kula Ronghai region over six decades focuses on the evolving concepts, methodologies, and sociopolitical contexts that shaped its histories chronologically. Impactful social currents, as well as locally and nationally, significant events, include state development projects, the rise of social history after the 1973 Thai popular uprising, the 1980s surge in community cultural awareness, and the emergence of localism after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. These factors diversely shape historical interpretative frameworks. A fresh outlook emerges on Thung Kula Ronghai geographically and as a dynamic space for temporal negotiation, memory, and evolving social meaning.

              The Potential Influence of Thai Art on Myanmar Buddha Images   Associated with Navagraha Days by Sura Piriyasanguanpong

            Post-independence Buddha images in Burmese art represented new formal image installations linked to Navagraha deities and weekdays. Specific mudras (ritual poses) were chosen for each image to show links to a particular deity, unlike earlier Burmese art. The possible influence of the Early Rattanakosin period on Thai art is seen in Buddha images created by Burmese artisans in Myanmar and Thailand. Creative debate on international artistic exchanges ensues, blending data with interpretation.

              Illustrated Books and Comics Lauding His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great: Dynamics of Regal Representation in Contemporary Panegyric Literature by Kanita Homsab and Thanya Sangkhaphanthanon

            Dynamics of contemporary panegyric literature are explored through monarchic representations in illustrated books and comic strips published  between 1999 and 2021 to commemorate His Majesty King Bhumibol     Adulyadej the Great. Royal representation in laudatory literature is used as an analytical framework to compares portrayals with earlier ones. A newly humanistic regal portraiture highlights brilliance, selflessness, perseverance, and humor. These qualities are synthesized in the contemporary image of a virtuous ruler connected to his subjects. Broadening the analytical scope of royal celebratory literature unlocks potential for understanding dynamics of modern cultural memory construction.

              Creative Product Procedures: Wat Phrarub Community Salted Eggs Developed by Applying Local Lore and Temple Museum Knowledge by Tiamjit Puangsomjit

            A case study on community product development of Mae Fuen’s  Salted Eggs in the Wat Phrarub community integrates local lore with creative economy principles and contemporary design. A four-step process includes knowledge retrieval, product design, cultural value enhancement, and     collaboration with the local community, temple, and scholars. Community participation and collaborative networks are key to drive sustainable growth of local products. Cultural capital may be creatively leveraged in a tangible model that is adaptable and applicable in other contexts.

              How to Live with Microbes in the Specialty Coffee World: A Case Study of Small-Scale Coffee Farmers and Processors in Chumphon Province by Nutsuda Punsab

            The production process of Robusta coffee beans in Chumphon Province is analyzed by multispecies ethnography through intertwined human-microbe  interactions. Fermentation, drying, and storage are studied in the growing specialty coffee market. Small-scale farmers and processors are increasingly prioritizing flavor quality and safety amidst uncertainties of the southern climate. By rethinking coffee production as a collaborative process between humans and other living organisms, a new perspectives explores the complexity  of sensory perception, the localized control of fermentation processes, and contemporary ideas intertwining biology with cultural production practices.

              (Before) Thai Football Goes to the World Cup Authors: Pinyapan Potjanalawan and Arjin Thong - yukong reviewed by Thanapiti Thipa

            Football in Thailand has been transformed by power, shifting from centralized control to decentralized successful teams; space, in the stadium, the game, and off-field activities; and media, with production technology  evolving to transmit sport to the public. The book historically and analytically explores the development of Thai football in diverse socioeconomic and sociopolitical contexts. Football is popular culture, a political instrument, a space for identity expression, and collective spirit builder. This multidimensional academic exploration of Thai football is informative and thought provoking.

The Thai Khadi Research Institute Journal editorial team strives to create a vibrant space for academic inspiration through diverse knowledge of people and approaches in highly relevant articles impactful for readers and society.