Thai Soft Power: Understanding, Obstacles, and Development Opportunities on the Global Stage

Abstract

Due to the growing interest in soft power within Thai society, people have begun to question the accuracy of understanding and the direction of pushing Thai soft power onto the global stage. The author is interested in studying the understanding, obstacles, and development opportunities of Thai soft power. The study found that Thai society still lacks sufficient understanding of soft power, which is a barrier to operation and lacks cooperation with the private sector. However, Thailand has the opportunity to develop soft power to be recognized on the world stage, given its culturally rich and valuable resources. Thai people are polite and friendly, and Thai society accepts gender diversity. Moreover, there are young people with communication skills and creativity in presentations. Therefore, to create sustainable opportunities for Thai soft power to grow globally, all sectors should collaborate and improve. The author proposes the following recommendations: 1. Authoritative agencies should thoroughly review or study soft power and provide training to relevant personnel. 2. The government should establish a long-term agency to oversee and take responsibility for Thai soft power. 3. Experts from all sectors should be selected to contribute ideas and support the promotion of Thai soft power. 4. There should be public relations to inform all relevant sectors about the policies and operations of the agencies responsible for soft power, enabling them to understand and access government support. 5. The government should start with pilot projects, selecting the most potential Thai cultural resources and planning clear communication to deepen understanding among all sectors. 6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and new media should be utilized to create and disseminate content about soft power. 7. There should be fair and accurate methods to evaluate the outcomes of soft power development projects.