• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.152-160
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to compare conditions of Korean Restaurants in Hong Kong with those of Thai ones, which have already succeeded in globalization, by investigating and analyzing the characteristics of the two parties in Hong Kong, a world-wide international city. For these purposes, we selected 10 Korean restaurants & 10 Thai restaurants in Hong Kong, and visited the selected restaurants during the period from 2007.7.9 to 2007.7.14, to examine indoor spaces and food-related elements were recorded in detail, photographed and analyzed. The results of study is as follows ; we have first found that Korean restaurants did not show any humane properties linked to restaurant concepts and indoor space, did link Korean images through their trade names, and showed decorative culture based on traditional house and dietary-life cultural properties based on traditional Korean Bansang table setting at large. On the other hand, 4 (22.5%) out of the entire cases in Thai restaurants showed religious characteristics with strong Buddhist colors revealed, and all cases showed traditional Thai food cultures, from which we could find out dietary-life cultural properties. Second, whereas there were one case of Korean restaurants in which tradition was main and modernity was assistant, five cases in which tradition and modernity were paralleled in value, and two cases in which modernity was main and tradition was assistant, Thai restaurants had one case where tradition was main and modernity was associative, four cases in which tradition and modernity were paralleled in value, and four cases where modernity was main and tradition was assistant. This means that the Thai restaurants did not insist only on tradition, but showed efforts to transmit luxurious and refined Thai images to people from the world. Third, whereas Korean restaurants had to do with all kinds of menu, were equipped with brazierson their tables uniformly, and showed any differences because they did not use different tableware in accordance with foods, Thai restaurants divided the dinner into the hors d'oeuvre, the main, and the dessert or systemized menu structure by categories in accordance with cooking styles, and tableware selection in accordance with menus, table setting, food materials, and food styling using flowers were consistently expressed.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.15-29
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• 2013

Shopping is considered a 'must-do' activity for most people on travel. One of the major parts of tourist shopping is the purchasing of souvenirs. Souvenirs are universally associated with tourism as a commercially produced and purchased object to remind the purchaser of the experience. Recently, Korea becomes one of the most popular destinations that many Asian tourists like to visit. Among those Asian tourists, the number of Thai tourists bound for Korea shows an incredible rapid growth. Thai people pick Korea and Seoul as their favorite country and city to visit for three consecutive years since 2009. One of the major reasons why Thais are choosing to tour Korea is the enthusiasm for Korean pop culture. That is, 'Hallyu' has influenced Thais' decision to visit Korea and purchase Korean products. The primary objective of the current research is to explore the shopping experiences of Thai tourists, specifically their souvenir shopping. It adopts a reflexive interpretive approach to bring light to the various meanings Thai tourists attach to the souvenirs they purchase in Korea. In order to accomplish the objective, the individual interviews were conducted. A total of 12 Thais who have experienced traveling in Korea participated in the study. Four themes were identified through interview text analysis. First, the research participants almost always purchase souvenirs in Korea because the souvenirs represent their identities as tourists. Especially, they purchase the souvenirs as gifts for others, including family members, friends, and colleagues. The souvenirs as gifts show love and thanks to others, and they cement the social relationship. However, purchasing souvenirs for others is more like the moral obligations which evoke the psychological stress. Secondly, the research participants feel closer to Korea while shopping souvenirs around. Thirdly, they obtain imaginative experiences and pleasure through souvenirs related to the Korean pop culture. Souvenirs provide them to visually extraordinary experiences. Lastly, souvenirs purchased in Korea act as visible status marker when they go back to Thailand. They show the socioeconomic status and lifestyles. Tourists themselves and others place special value to souvenirs that were purchased out of Thailand. The findings of this study are of both academic and practical importance. Souvenirs are among the most pervasive elements of the travel experience. However, souvenir shopping is the complicated consumer behavior within tourism both from business and social science perspectives. Along the same line, it needs strategic approaches in order to maximize the economy effects. It concludes by suggesting how further research could offer unique insights into how the souvenirs are positioned both in the context of tourism academics and industry.

• The Southeast Asian review
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.43-75
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• 2011

The article focuses on the impact and Acceptance of Hindu culture in Modern Southeast Asian Buddhism. The purpose of this study is to examine critically the influential epic Ramayana on Siam culture, Thai Ramayana version 'Ramakien', reveal instances of Buddhist Modification. The Ramayana by the great sage Valmiki is considered by Indians to be the first great literary work to be produced in India. The influence of this work is to be seen not only through centuries but even in other countries, such as Thailand where there are modified modern versions. In this paper, I have three objectives : (1) I may discuss the epic Ramayana of India gave birth to the Ramakien of Thailand. In modern times Valmiki's epic was made to fit the spiritual trends current in the new Chakri dynasty, which were themselves based on Brahmanic tradition and Theravada buddhism. With regarding to the structure of the Traibhumi cosmography, and the relationship between merit and power implied by this cosmography ranks all beings from demons to deities in a hierarchy of merit which accrues according to karma the actions of past lives. (2) I analyze how to have attempted to dissect the Hindi and Thai version of the Ramayana. The Hindu concept of kingship is also depicted in the life of Rama. The Hindus see in Rama the norm of a true Hindu life characterized by the Caste and Dharma. In Thai transformed version, it does not preach Hindu values of personal or social life. The Ramakien emphasized that the Buddhism were higher than all other laws, and that the King is regarded as the incarnation of Phra Ram, and thus is also the narration of the righteous buddhist ruler. (3) I discuss how cultural or social contexts can influence the structure of the royal Wat. The whole epic was painted by the order of Rama I in the galleries of the Wat Phra Keo. In other words, it is the very centre of the dynastic cult enshrining the Emerald Buddha, the most iconic expression of the Ramakien tradition were officially amalgamated. Rama I was continued the process of elaborating and stabilizing the complex religious pattern, with Buddhism at the pinnacle. My finding will support the idea that the Ramakien is particularly appealing to the Thai people because it presents the image of an ideal king, Rama, who symbolizes the force of virtue or dharma while Thotsakan represents the force of evil. Eventually the force of good prevails. Being Buddhists, the Thai poets bring into the story the Buddhist philosophy(especially, the law of cause and effect, karma). This paper examines the role of the Hindu epic Ramayana in the historical and cultural contact between Hindu India and Buddhist Southeast Asia. It should now be possible to evaluate what elements of Hindu culture were transmitted into Thai through the Rama story.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.591-595
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• 2016

The liver is one of the most common sites of cancer in the world, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) predominating. Chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) is considered as an important potential risk factors for HCC. Different people have diverse responses to HBV infection regarding the likelihood of HCC development, and host factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) might account for this. The present study was conducted to evaluate any association between SNP frequencies in two genes, XRCC4 (rs1805377) and ATF6 (rs2070150), and the risk of CHB and HCC development in Thai patients. The study covered 369 subjects including 121 HCC patients, 141 with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) and 107 healthy controls. With TaqMan real-time PCR, the results showed that no significant association between XRCC4 (rs1805377) and ATF6 (rs2070150) and risk of HCC in the Thai population. From this first study of the 2 polymorphisms and HCC in Thailand it can concluded that rs1805377 and rs2070150 polymorphisms may not be applicable as genetic markers in the Thai population for HCC assessment.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2018

Nation-building comprises activities related to creating good, smart and courageous people, building a system that supports the nation's people to live together in an orderly way and building a context that facilitates the nation's people and the nation's system to undertake its duties to the fullest capacity, under the agreed ideology. The process of nation-building is complex and there are many components that contribute to the success of nation-building. As the world is developing towards the knowledge society in the present time, ICT is one tool that will help make the process of nation-building, easier, faster and more successful. Therefore, this article aims to analyze how ICT is important to nation-building covering all aspects of economics, politics and society and involving, people, systems and contexts of Thai society, to explain the present ICT situation in Thailand; and to recommend Thailand's innovative strategy on ICT for nation-building.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.35-45
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• 2023

Purpose: This paper (1) identifies the factors that affect people's changing habits towards waste sorting, (2) evaluates the benefits of waste sorting to the environment and (3) designs communication strategies to change people's behavior and habits in sorting plastic waste in Ho Chi Mnh City, Vietnam. Research design, data and methodology: Using the data from 309 people that are living in Ho Chi Minh City and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), to evaluate variables and test the hypotheses. Results: Research results show that attitudes, subjective standards, behavioral control, and facilities affect people's intention to classify plastic waste. We find that environmental concerns greatly influence people's attitudes. In contrast, environmental concerns have a relatively weaker effect on people's degree of behavioral control. Conclusion: Environmental protection is a matter of concern in the world. In Vietnam, this issue has been institutionalized into law to create a basis for improving the effectiveness of environmental protection activities. This article has some limitations. Firstly, sample is limited to HCMC residents; the study results are not representative of the entire population of Vietnam. This paper is based on cross-sectional data, which is not the best way to establish a causal relationship between the intention to sort plastic waste and its drivers.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.369-373
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• 2013

PURPOSE. The objective was to evaluate canine positions, intercanine tip width (ICTW) and width of distal surface of canine (WDC), related to facial landmarks including interalar width (IAW), intercommissural width (ICoW), and distance between left and right projection lines drawn from inner canthus of eyes to alae of the nose (DPICa) in a group of Thai. MATERIALS AND METHODS. One hundred Thai subjects aged 18-35 years were selected. IAW and ICoW were measured on subject's face using digital vernier caliper. Irreversible hydrocolloid impression of the upper arch was taken, and a cast was poured with dental stone. Silicone impression material was used to take imprint of the incisal edge of upper six anterior teeth. DPICa was obtained from the subject's face using custom-made measuring equipment and marked on the silicone incisal imprint. The marks were then transferred from the imprint to the stone cast and measured with digital caliper. The ICTW and WDC were also measured on the stone cast. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the correlation. RESULTS. The results revealed that the correlation between ICTW-ICoW was 0.429 and ICTW-DPICa was 0.573. The correlation between WDC-ICoW was 0.426 and WDC-DPICa was 0.547. However, IAW did not show any correlation with ICTW or WDC (P>.05). CONCLUSION. The correlation between canine position and facial landmarks was found. ICTW and WDC had relationship with ICoW and DPICa. DPICa showed stronger correlation with the position of maxillary canine than that of ICoW.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7583-7587
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• 2015

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an extremely common herpesvirus that may cause asymptomatic infection or various diseases, including infectious mononucleosis, certain lymphoproliferative diseases and several types of neoplasms. Vaccine development is an important strategy to reduce the burden of EBV-associated diseases and the timing of vaccinations should be before primary infection occurs. In the past, more than 90% of Thai children were infected with EBV in early childhood. Now, due to the improved healthcare system in Thailand, we aim to determine current prevalence of EBV infection among people in different age groups. A total of 538 sera were collected from residents of Khon Kaen province in northeastern Thailand for detecting anti-EBV IgG. Sera of infants under 2-years-old were also tested for anti-EBV IgM and EBV-DNA. The prevalence of anti-EBV IgG was 47.1% (95% CI: 23.3-70.8) in infants aged 0-6 months, 34.9% (95% CI: 23.1-46.7) in those aged 6-24 months, 87.9% (95% CI: 79.5-96.3) in children aged 3-5 years and then maintained at above 95% through adulthood. These seropositivity rates among Thai children remain similar to those found in a previous study conducted 20 years ago. Thai children are still exposed to EBV from an early age. Therefore, a prophylactic vaccine should be given within the first two years of life.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.23-43
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• 2005

Industrial clusters are geographical concentrations of interconnected companies, specialised suppliers, service providers, firms in related industries, and associated institutions (for example, universities, standard agencies, and trade associations) that combine to create new products and/or services in specific lines of business. At present, the concept of industrial cluster becomes very popular worldwide, policy makers at national, regional and local levels and business people in both forerunner and latecomer countries are keen to implement the cluster concept as an economic development model. Though understanding of clusters and related promoting policies varies from one place to another, the underlying benefits of clusters from collective learning and knowledge spillovers between participating actors strongly attract the attention of these people. In Thailand, a latecomer country in terms of technological catching up, the cluster concept has been used as a means to rectify weakness and fragmentation of its innovation systems. The present Thai government aspires to apply the concept to promote both high-tech manufacturing clusters, services clusters and community-based clusters at the grass-root level. This paper analyses three very different clusters in terms of technological sophistication and business objectives, i.e., hard disk drive, software and chili paste. It portrays their significant actors, the extent of interaction among them and the evolution of the clusters. Though are very dissimilar, common characteristics attributed to qualified success are found. Main driving forces of the three clusters are cluster intermediaries. Forms of these organizations are different from a government research and technology organization (RTO), an industrial association, to a self-organised community-based organization. However, they perform similar functions of stimulating information and knowledge sharing, and building trust among participating firms/individuals in the clusters. Literature in the cluster studies argues that government policies need to be cluster specific. In this case, the best way to design and implement cluster-specific policies is through working closely with intermediaries and strengthening their institutional especially in linking member firms/individuals to other actors in clusters such as universities, government R&D institutes, and financial institutions.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.38-50
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• 2016

Introduction: Geriatric depression is one of the significant mental health issues for older people. This descriptive study aimed to investigate the correlation between selected factors and depression among older people, living in homes for the aged in the western part of Thailand. Methods: 107 older people, living in two homes for the aged of the western part of Thailand were recruited to the study, using cluster sampling. Three questionnaires, including the Barthel Index Activity of Daily living (BADL), the Thai Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS), and personal characteristics, perceived health status, chronic diseases, family relationship, and recent grief and loss experience were used. The quality of all questionnaires, especially the reliability of BADL, TGDS, and selected factors (e.g., health factors) were 0.95, 0.93, and 0.72 respectively. After finishing data collection, percentages, medians, and Spearman's rank correlation and Mann-Whitney U were used to analyze the data. Results and discussion: The results revealed that nearly half (41.1%) of older people suffered from depression. Furthermore, income, perceived health status, and Barthel ADL index were significantly negatively associated with depression at p<0.01; whereas, the number of chronic diseases was significantly positively associated with depression at p<0.05. Conclusion: results on the correlation may guide the practice in the future. For example, the officers or health care providers in homes for the aged should encourage older people to be independent, improve their perceived health status, increase health promoting behaviors to prevent or delay chronic illnesses, or increase older people incomes by promoting the appropriate occupation.