• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.44-46
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• 2003

In 1996, Thailand's participation in the Pacific Rim as a part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) Program, was titled 'AIRSAR Thailand Project'. In this project the Department of Land Development utilized Topographic SAR (TOPSAR) which had multi-frequencies: C band, L band, and P band with multi-polarization: HH, VV, and HV as well as C band VV DEM. Satellite data such as LANDSAT TM was also utilized for optimal use. Results of AIRSAR image processing including data fusion among difference wavelength bands and polarization revealed the quality of AIRSAR that best suit for detection of agricultural land uses. The HH-L band AIRSAR was proven to be useful to distinguish among crop types when combined with appropriate data. The HH, VV, and HV-P band enhanced surface characteristics of swamp forest and wetland. In addition, TOPSAR has its great advantage for identification of salt farms and shrimp ponds.

• Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-53
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• 2024

In this study, flood records from 79 sites across Thailand were analyzed to estimate flood indices using the regional frequency analysis based on the L-moments method. Observation sites were grouped into homogeneous regions using k-means and Ward's clustering techniques. Among various distributions evaluated, the generalized extreme value distribution emerged as the most appropriate for certain regions. Regional growth curves were subsequently established for each delineated region. Furthermore, 20- and 100-year return values were derived to illustrate the recurrence intervals of maximum rainfall across Thailand. The predicted return values tend to increase at each site, which is associated with growth curves that could describe an increasing long-term predictive pattern. The findings of this study hold significant implications for water management strategies and the design of flood mitigation structures in the country.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10003-10008
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• 2014

Background: Cervical cancer has been a leading female cancer in Thailand for decades, and has been second to breast cancer after 2007. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has provided opportunistic screening with Pap smears for more than 30 years. In 2002, the MoPH and the National Health Security Office provided countrywide systematic screening of cervical cancer to all Thai women aged 35-60 years under universal health care coverage insurance scheme at 5-year intervals. Objectives: This study characterized the cervical cancer incidence trends in Songkhla in southern Thailand using joinpoint and age period cohort (APC) analysis to observe the effect of cervical cancer screening activities in the past decades, and to project cervical cancer rates in the province, to 2030. Materials and Methods: Invasive and in situ cervical cancer cases were extracted from the Songkhla Cancer Registry from 1990 through 2010. Age standardized incidence rates were estimated. Trends in incidences were evaluated by joinpoint and APC regression models. The Norpred package was modified for R and was used to project the future trends to 2030 using the power of 5 function and cut trend method. Results: Cervical cancer incidence in Songkhla peaked around 1998-2000 and then dropped by -4.7% per year. APC analysis demonstrated that in situ tumors caused an increase in incidence in early ages, younger cohorts, and in later years of diagnosis. Conclusions: Both joinpoint and APC analysis give the same conclusion in continuation of a declining trend of cervical cancer to 2030 but with different rates and the predicted goal of ASR below 10 or even 5 per 100,000 women by 2030 would be achieved. Thus, maintenance and improvement of the screening program should be continued. Other population based cancer registries in Thailand should analyze their data to confirm the success of cervical cancer screening policy of Thailand.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.16
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• pp.6837-6842
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• 2014

Background: Northern Thailand is a region with a high cervical cancer incidence. Combined high-risk HPV (hrHPV) DNA testing and cytology (co-testing) has increasingly gained acceptance for cervical cancer screening. However, to our knowledge, data from a population-based screening using co-testing have not been available in this region. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the performance of cytology and hrHPV test in women in northern Thailand. Materials and Methods: Cervical samples were collected for hybrid capture 2 (HC2) testing and liquid-based cytology from women aged 30 to 60 years who were residents in 3 prefectures of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand between May and September 2011. Women with positive cytology were referred to colposcopy, while women with positive for HC2 only were followed for 2 years. Results: Of 2,752 women included in this study, 3.0% were positive in both tests, 4.1% for HC2 only, and 1.3% had positive cytology only. At baseline screening, positive HC2 was observed in 70.6% among cytology-positive women compared with 4.3% among cytology-negative women. The prevalence of positive HC2 or cytology peaked in the age group 35-39 years and was lowest in the age group 55-60 years. High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or worse lesions (HSIL+) were histologically detected in 23.5% of women with positive baseline cytology and in 9.8% of women with positive baseline HC2 only on follow-up. All women with histologic HSIL+ had positive baseline HC2. Conclusions: The hrHPV test is superior to cytology in the early detection of high-grade cervical epithelial lesions. In this study, the prevalence of histologic HSIL+ on follow-up of women with positive hrHPV test was rather high, and these women should be kept under careful surveillance. In northern Thailand, hrHPV testing has a potential to be used as a primary screening test for cervical cancer with cytology applied as a triage test.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.5011-5017
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• 2016

Background: Cervical cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. There have been several studies indicating that risk is associated with geographic location and that the incidence of cervical cancer has changed over time. In Thailand, incidence rates have also been found to be different in each region. Methods: Participants were women living or having lived in upper Northern Thailand and subjected to cervical screening at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital between January 2010 and December 2014. Generalized additive models with Loess smooth curve fitting were applied to estimate the risk of cervical cancer. For the spatial analysis, Google Maps were employed to find the geographical locations of the participants' addresses. The Quantum Geographic Information System was used to make a map of cervical cancer risk. Two univariate smooths: x equal to the residency duration was used in the temporal analysis of residency duration, and x equal to the calendar year that participants moved to upper Northern Thailand or birth year for participants already living there, were used in the temporal analysis of the earliest year. The spatial-temporal analysis was conducted in the same way as the spatial analysis except that the data were split into overlapping calendar years. Results: In the spatial analysis, the risk of cervical cancer was shown to be highest in the Eastern sector of upper Northern Thailand (p-value <0.001). In the temporal analysis of residency duration, the risk was shown to be steadily increasing (p-value =0.008), and in the temporal analysis of the earliest year, the risk was observed to be steadily decreasing (p-value=0.016). In the spatial-temporal analysis, the risk was stably higher in Chiang Rai and Nan provinces compared to Chiang Mai province. According to the display movement over time, the odds of developing cervical cancer declined in all provinces. Conclusions: The risk of cervical cancer has decreased over time but, in some areas, there is a higher risk than in the major province of Chiang Mai. Therefore, we should promote cervical cancer screening coverage in all areas, especially where access is difficult and/or to women of lower socioeconomic status.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8281-8285
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• 2016

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric malignancy, infection being a serious health problem in Thailand. Recently, clarithromycin resistant H. pylori strains represent the main cause of treatment failure. Therefore this study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin in Suranaree University of Technology Hospital, Suranree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Northeastern Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of Thailand. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out between June 2014 and February 2015 with 300 infected patients interviewed and from whom gastric mucosa specimens were collected and proven positive by histology. The gastric mucosa specimens were tested for H. pylori and clarithromycin resistance by 23S ribosomal RNA point mutations analysis using real-time polymerase chain reactions. Correlation of eradication rates with patterns of mutation were analyzed by chi-square test. Results: Of 300 infected patients, the majority were aged between 47-61 years (31.6%), female (52.3%), with monthly income between 10,000-15,000 Baht (57%), and had a history of alcohol drinking (59.3%). Patient symptoms were abdominal pain (48.6%), followed by iron deficiency anemia (35.3%). Papaya salad consumption (40.3%) was a possible risk factor for H. pylori infection. The prevalence of H. pylori strains resistant to clarithromycin was 76.2%. Among clarithromycin-resistant strains tested, all were due to the A2144G point mutation in the 23S rRNA gene. Among mutations group, wild type genotype, mutant strain mixed wild type and mutant genotype were 23.8%, 35.7% and 40.5% respectively. With the clarithromycin-based triple therapy regimen, the efficacy decreased by 70% for H. pylori eradication (P<0.01). Conclusions: Recent results indicate a high rate of H. pylori resistance to clarithromycin. Mixed of wild type and mutant genotype is the most common mutant genotype in Nakhon Ratchasima province, therefore the use of clarithromycin-based triple therapy an not advisable as an empiric first-line regimen for H. pylori eradication in northeast region of Thailand.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.182-197
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• 2013

This paper deals with the relationship between cultural factor and economic factor in the spread of Hallyu(Korean Wave). To do so, the paper defines the traditional Hallyu items, drama and K-Pop, as 'cultural Hallyu' and other Popular industrial products such as electronics and mobile products as 'business Hallyu'. Based on this definition, the paper analyzes the relationship between the two Hallyu's in Thailand. The analysis has been conducted as follows. First, the paper describes the history of 'cultural Hallyu' and 'business Hallyu' in Thailand by reviewing their introduction and current situations in Thailand market. Secondly, using various aggregate data, the paper analyzes the causality of the two Hallyu's, focusing on the period of their Popularity and growth in Thailand. In addition to the macro-level analysis, the paper researched individual opinions of Thai people about the influence of Hallyu on the success of Korean companies, as well as about the influence of the Korean business companies on the success of Hallyu. This analysis has been conducted using the results of focus group discussion(FGD) of 17 Bangkok people. In both macro and individual level analyses, we found that the 'cultrual Hallyu' has influenced on the success of the 'business Hallyu' rather than vice versa. For further research, it is necessary to analyze the reciprocal influences and synergy effects between the 'cultural Hallyu' and 'business Hallyu'.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4335-4340
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• 2016

Background: Bone metastasis is a single condition but presents with various patterns and severities. Skeletal-related events (SREs) deteriorate overall performance status and reduce quality of life. However, guidelines for early detection and management are limited. This study includes a survey of the prevalence of bone metastasis in cases with common cancers in Thailand as well as a focus on survival patterns and SREs. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using a database of the Chiang Mai Cancer Registry and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Registry of the OLARN Center, Chiang Mai University. The prevalence of bone metastasis from each type of primary cancer was noted and time-to-event analysis was performed to estimate cancer survival rates after bone metastasis. Results: There were 29,447 cases of the ten most common cancers in Thailand, accounting for 82.2% of the entire cancer registry entries during the study period. Among those cases, there were 2,263 with bone metastases, accounting for 7.68% of entries. Bone metastasis from lung, liver, breast, cervix and prostate are common in the Thai population, accounting for 83.4% of all positive cases. The median survival time of all was 6 months. Of the bone metastases, 48.9% required therapeutic intervention, including treatment of spinal cord and nerve root compression, pathological fractures, and bone pain. Conclusions: The frequency of the top five types of bone metastasis in Thailand were different from the frequencies in other countries, but corresponded to the relative prevalence of the cancers in Thailand and osteophilic properties of each cancer. The results of this study support the establishment of country specific guidelines for primary cancer identification with skeletal lesions of unknown origin. In addition, further clinical studies of the top five bone metastases should be performed to develop guidelines for optimal patient management during palliative care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.85-88
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• 2016

Background: Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women worldwide, and women of reproductive age in Thailand. However, information on the behavior regarding cervical cancer in rural community Thailand is sparse. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding cervical cancer (CC) among rural community women in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, using predesigned structured questionnaires. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 8 villages of Non Sung district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, during January to April 2015. Bloom's taxonomy was used as a framework for the study. 265 women aged between 30-60 years old were selected by simple random sampling. All participants completed predesigned questionnaires with 4 parts: demographic data, knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding cervical cancer. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis in this study. Results: The majority of participants were in the age group of 41-50 years old (42.6%) with senior secondary school level of education (32.1%), marriage status (85.0%), agricultural employment (59.6%), and family income between 6,000-10,000 baht per month (54.3%). Some 63.4% and 68.7% participants had high knowledge and moderate level of attitudes regarding CC, while 41.1%, 48.7%, and 10.2% had neem regularly, irregularly or never screened for CC, respectively. The main reasons for not screening were were shyness (44.4%) and no time (55.6%). Vaginal discharge and itching were the common signs and symptoms of participants who were screened at a health promotion hospital of sub-district. Conclusions: CC is still a health problem in the rural community. Therefore, health education is required, particularly for those who have never undergone screening.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.228-249
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• 2018

In 2015, the population of elderly people in Thailand was 16% of the total population and is predicted to be over 20% by 2021 and nearly 28% by 2031. The increase of the elderly population in Thailand has also increased the proportion of dependent elderly people, and caring for them poses many challenges for both families and the government. This descriptive method research aimed to survey the health status of dependent older people in the rural community of Lampang province in northern Thailand. The participants consisted of 62 older people and 62 primary family caregivers from Hong Ha Health Promoting Hospital, Lampang, Thailand (totaling 124 people). The researchers assessed the health status of older people and their activities of daily living (ADL). In addition, researchers assessed the health status and stress of caregivers. All the participants were interviewed about their experiences with caregiving. The results showed that most of the older respondents were female with an average age of 78.15 years. Based on the ADL assessment, 50 of the 62 older persons were homebound while the rest were bedridden. The majority of older people had chronic or long-term conditions that required hospitalization from time to time. Their frequent health problems included oral disorders such as tooth decay or caries/gum disease/no teeth, reduced sight, psychological disorders, knee pain and risk of falling, low BMI, risk of malnutrition, and urinary leakage and incontinence (58.06%, 66.13%, 62.90%, 70.97%, 38.71%, 66.13%, and 37.10%, respectively). Usual care provided by the family members included personal hygiene care, food preparation and feeding, medication management, housekeeping and organizing necessary equipment, supply of needed equipment, prevention of falls, helping with travel for medical checkups and treatment, and providing companionship. Families experienced shortages of medical supplies, daily use equipment, lack of employment, inadequate income, and difficulty accessing health care services due to lack of transportation. Some caregivers experienced caregiving stress related to a lack of social interactions as well as routine caregiving activities. Families need different types of support in order to promote the well-being of older people and caregivers. This highlights the need for a community participation model for the care of older people in order to reflect sustainable long-term outcomes.