Expectations and Political Ideologies in National Children’s Day Mottoes

Abstract

This thesis aims to study discourses on expectations and political ideologies in 58 National Children’s Day Mottoes conferred from BE.2499 (AD. 1956) – BE.2565 (AD. 2022). The researcher applied the concept of critical analytical discourse of Norman Fairclough. The analysis results find eight expectations in relation to Thai youth’s characteristics presented in the mottoes from most to least: seeking knowledge, being well disciplined, being virtuous, being patriotic, having a sense of unity, having love for Thainess, having public consciousness and having gratitude, respectively. As for political ideologies, there are six of them: ideologies of development, stability creation, nation restoration, maintaining order, patriotism and unity. For Children’s Day motto establishment, every Thai government leader set it in relation to the national administration policy, concept as well as social situation of each period. Using a motto is a channel to communicate desirable characteristics which youth can hold on to as well as create in them a necessity of being parts of national development.