DYNAMICS AND ADAPTATION OF THE PHUAN ETHNIC GROUP IN THAILAND

This is an examination of the continued dynamics and adaptation of the Phuan ethnic group in Thailand, especially how their customs have changed according to evolving social and environmental conditions. The objective was to understand the factors that have affected the dynamics and adaptation of the group in order to analyse the inheritance of their cultural practices and encourage accurate dissemination of Phuan traditional knowledge. A qualitative research method was used in four Phuan communities from different regions of Thailand. Data was gathered from observations, interviews and documentary research. The findings indicate that there are significant similarities between the cultural adaptations of Phuan people in each of the four areas, although there are also notable regional differences. There are dangers of staged authenticity in the pursuit of cultural conservation, especially through provincial or regional exhibitions. Instead, the researchers recommend a more participatory and organic approach.

THE ACHIEVEMENT-ORIENTED LEADERSHIP MODEL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MALAYSIAN NATION-STATE

In the administration and development of the Malaysian nation-state, each prime minister has contributed and exhibited his distinct leadership style. Abdul Razak Hussein and Mahathir Mohamad’s contributions and leadership, especially in the nation-state’s development and modernisation, are well-recognised by Malaysians. They referred to Razak as the Development Father while Mahathir is known as the Father of Modernisation. Their leaderships’ effectiveness is also evident in their outstanding achievements based on the policies and actions during their tenure as the nation’s leaders. Therefore, this study aims to discuss the achievement-oriented aspects of Razak-Mahathir leadership in Malaysia’s nation-state development. A qualitative historical descriptive design was used as the research methodology where the primary source of this study was the texts of the two prime ministers’ speeches. These sources are qualitatively analysed to explore the qualities of leadership they practised to develop and modernise the country. The results showed that leadership qualities such as stimulating people’s intellectual capacity, motivating people, good planning, demonstrating influence, emphasising togetherness, emphasising good values, exhibiting firmness, demonstrating self-confidence, being considerate, envisioning the future and acknowledging people’s contribution were practised by Razak and Mahathir in conducting their duties as prime ministers. It showed that a country can achieve remarkable development and modernisation when it is led by leaders who incorporate the aforementioned leadership qualities. This study’s social implications are as follows: first, underlining the importance of achievement-oriented leadership that can inspire the people and the government to foster a steady national development and secondly, implying the essential roles of leaders in defining and shaping a suitable nation-state concept that should be adopted in a nation-state. This study innovatively introduces a leadership model framework based on Razak-Mahathir’s achievements during their administration. It gives an overview of their successful leadership styles in governing the country, which can be applied or practised by leaders or related parties with similar roles, aspirations and goals.

AGRICULTURE TRANSITION AND WOMEN’S DECISION-MAKING POWER IN COFFEE-FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN LAO PDR

The Lao government introduced a new period of economic liberalisation with the New Economic Mechanism (NEM) in 1986. The present study examines whether market liberalisation and women’s participation translated into changes in women’s decision-making power in the coffee growing region of the Bolaven Plateau in southern Lao PDR. While women have always been involved in coffee farming, their participation increased when the more labour-intensive arabica coffee plants were introduced to replace the less popular robusta variety in the region. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, the study examines gender decision-making within coffee-farming households. The findings show an increase in women’s participation in decision-making with the introduction of the arabica coffee plants; however, men still hold higher decision-making power in farming households. While the NEM has brought about economic growth and provided better livelihoods for coffee farmers, this has not necessarily translated into women’s empowerment. Economic growth is not enough to bring about gender equality, and there is still a need for specific policy interventions.

POSNER’S CURRICULUM ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHILIPPINE MADRASAH EDUCATION

The madrasah education curriculum is imperative in the implementation of madrasah education in the Philippines. The importance of the curriculum processes and products as collection of work encompasses the significant involvement of key stakeholders in curriculum development. The purpose of this paper was to provide a detailed curriculum analysis of the Refined Elementary Madrasah Curriculum using Posner’s curriculum analysis and its implication towards the development of Philippine madrasah education. The study employed a qualitative research design mainly through document analyses and key informant interviews of program implementers. Based on the analysis, the perspective of the curriculum is to provide appropriate and relevant educational opportunities within the context of accepted cultures, customs, traditions and interests of Muslim Filipino learners. In addition, there is an attempt to contextualise the learning goals of the Philippine classroom. However, some of the participants described the curriculum as relevant but not age-appropriate. In addition, as basic tenets in designing a curriculum, there were no specific learning activities elaborately explaining the instructional strategies and course resources. Also, there was no assessment task or evaluation explicitly incorporated in the curriculum. Conversely, the institutionalisation of the Madrasah Education Program (MEP) in public school provides an opportunity to develop and ensure access to quality and relevant education among Muslim learners. The results provide baseline data in understanding the curriculum and serve as an impetus for future curriculum development of madrasah education in the Philippines.

THE VULNERABILITY AND RATIONALISATION OF PROSTITUTES WITHIN MERITOCRATIC CAPITALISM~SOUTHEAST ASIAN MIGRANT WORKERS IN TAIWAN

This study sought an insightful understanding of the effects of social meritocratic capital—an inevitable phenomenon/mechanism whereby individuals receive social recognition, respect, and other benefits due to their monetary achievement—on Southeast Asian migrant workers’ behaviours and their ingrained perceptions through investigating their life stories and inner voices reflecting the factors inducing them to participate in the prostitution world. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was employed to scrutinise the qualitative data collected from a series of in-depth interviews with four Southeast Asian migrant women in Taiwan. This study led to the following conclusions: (1) These migrant workers moved overseas due to their pure and simple intention of pursuing better lives for themselves and their family; (2) The internal factors (family reputation and wellbeing) and external ones (unexpected events and a meritocratic society) simultaneously pulled and pushed them, eventually turning them out of their normal careers; (3) They were stuck in the very depths of an extravagant but vicious world by the shock, even attraction, of “big money” characterising a meritocratic capitalist order; and (4) Innocence and ‘purity’ get lost easily, even unconsciously, in the social context of meritocratic capitalism and wishful rationalisation of questionable behaviours, flouting convention and morality, with self-sacrifice and compensation, and self-rationalisation.

MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY’S AWARENESS OF ECOSYSTEMS IN SETIU WETLAND

Many wetlands have experienced rapid degradation that is due to unstainable development practices globally. Oftentimes, uncoordinated economic development plans in wetlands and surrounding areas have affected the ecological functions of these sensitive ecosystems. This study examined Setiu Wetland, a wetland with diverse ecosystems on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The main objective of this study was to analyse the potential of marine spatial planning (MSP) to be adopted there. MSP is an integrated coastal zone management tool to govern conflicting uses of an area considering environmental sustainably. Like other coastal zone managements adopted in Southeast Asia, MSP requires participation and awareness of the local community to ensure sustainable development targets are achieved. This paper addresses the local community’s awareness of the ecosystem importance of Setiu Wetland and the socio-economic activities in the area. The study employed a quantitative approach using a survey method to examine, in particular, the local community’s awareness of the oyster habitat that has a direct impact on the Setiu Wetland ecosystems. The research findings indicate that awareness of the importance of oyster habitats to the wetland ecosystems is high among the local community. The community strongly supports the idea of protecting and preserving the wetland to ensure the healthy functioning of ecosystems.

THE ENHANCEMENT OF CULTURAL TOURISM ROUTES IN THE LANNA REGION OF NORTHERN THAILAND

The Lanna region is a former kingdom in the area of modern-day Northern Thailand that also once extended into Myanmar, Laos and China. Currently, Lanna culture is used as a selling point for tourism to Northern Thailand, but there are problems with the way tourism routes are designed and packaged. This paper aims to promote the architectural value of Lanna culture through the development of tourism routes. The qualitative investigation assesses existing Lanna tourist routes in Northern Thailand and develops guidelines for the development of cultural tourism in the region. Initial research led to the identification of 35 sites for in-depth evaluation. Data was gathered by document research, field evaluation and interviews following criteria co-developed by Chulalongkorn University and the Department of Tourism (2007). Findings indicated that destinations in Northern Thailand are of a good standard but should be developed in terms of tourism support and management. The researchers produced guidelines for the development of individual attractions and designed cultural routes according to provincial boundaries and periodic themes.

UNTYING EMPIRICAL KNOTS: DETERIORATION OF PROFITABILITY, ECONOMIC FAILURE, AND FINANCIAL INSOLVENCY IN THE PHILIPPINES BEFORE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Corporate bankruptcy has enormous economic ramifications, particularly for investors and creditors of publicly listed companies (PLC). Prior to a corporate collapse, a company's financial status is frequently in jeopardy, and its performance either affirms progress or predicts failure. As a result, management is interested in a technique of determining a company's financial distress. Financial accounting analyses were performed to determine the solvency, liquidity, profitability, and gearing capacity of 136 firms, with 680 economic entries, before CoVid-19 Outbreak. To scrutinise financial distress, the Altman Z-scores and financial zone of discriminations were generated through GB bankruptcy, and PLC bankruptcy model. The link between declining profitability, economic failure, and financial insolvency as indicators of financial distress was examined through panel regression with random factors. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, there were no signs of declining profitability, economic collapse, or financial insolvency in the Philippines, according to the findings of the study. Individual components of financial distress and the overall z-score have no statistically meaningful association with financial performance and position markers. As a result, the solvency ratio has little predictive value in forecasting financial distress. The fact that a company has a higher solvency ratio does not also imply that it is less likely to go bankrupt. The findings go counter to classic accounting perspectives and pure managerial research that claim the solvency ratio is always a reliable predictor of financial distress. Finally, the paper examined the financial health of firms and untangled the knots of financial distress.