Culture is mix and match and ever-evolving. If we are obsessed over “who owns what,” we then fall into the trap of nationalism, ethnocentrism, and racism—the devolution, not the evolution, of humanity. Nonetheless, we should recognize history. Regarding the inadvertent war our 13 September article “What cultural ownership does ThailandContinue Reading
Pranpriya Manobal or Lisa Blackpink is one of the biggest K-Pop stars in the world. She’s also Thai. On 10 September, she released her much anticipated solo single “Lalisa.” It already has some 117 million views. And, of course, controversies ensued. The single features the chorus line, “Protect it likeContinue Reading
There’s a mismatch between traditional Thai culture and democratic values, a reason why democracy struggles to take hold in the mindset of many Thais. Democracy requires citizen participation, not just to vote every four years (or in Thailand, whenever the military allows us), but also to participate politically in everydayContinue Reading
