Executive Journal

Soft Power: Definitions and Applications in the Context of Thailand

Mallika Polanan — 2025-06-30

Presently, the concept of soft power is being used as a significant tool to drive Thailand's economy. This has led to a wide debate that focuses only on what can be promoted as soft power, without a detailed study and a lack of profound understanding of the meaning of soft power. Soft power is defined as the occurrence of behavior that uses something because it is consistent with one's needs and is seen as useful, through the process of persuasion, attraction, and popularity, leading to voluntary use without the use of force.

In Thailand, culture is often defined as a resource that can be transformed into soft power, such as Thai food, Thai boxing, Thai clothing, and festivals related to local traditions and culture. However, there are also resources in other dimensions that can be developed into soft power, such as gender equality, environmental sustainability, democracy, and scholarships for international students. If the development of the resources mentioned above is coupled with the development of cultural resources, Thailand will have a diversity of soft power resources that can become a national brand, create recognition, build reputation, and create international acceptance until other countries use it or follow suit. These things can create a competitive advantage in the global market.

The development of soft power resources requires strategic planning, with clear goals and the creation of mechanisms that support the improvement of soft power by focusing on SMEs. Mechanisms that enable the development of soft power include promoting future-needed skills, appropriate budget allocation, providing easily accessible sources of finance, and changing some regulations that do not promote the development of soft power.

Guidelines Creating the Entrepreneurial Motivation of Generation Z

Theeraphat Chuenrenu — 2025-06-30

The creation of entrepreneurial motivation is a crucial factor in driving Generation Z to become more successful entrepreneurs. This academic article reviews both internal and external motivational factors, which encompasses theoretical knowledge of relevant motivation theories that influence the entrepreneurial behavior of Generation Z. It also explores strategies for fostering entrepreneurial motivation in younger generations, aiming to spark interest in entrepreneurship and help them achieve their business goals. The article proposes various approaches to enhance entrepreneurial motivation, such as support from educational institutions, collaboration between the public and private sectors, and encouragement from family and social networks. These supportive factors contribute to nurturing entrepreneurship among the younger generation, fostering entrepreneurial motivation for future generations.

Equal Voices of Theatre: Investigating Cognition, Emotion and Behavior of Visually Impaired Audiences through Playwright and Sound Design

Manussawee Puatrakul — 2025-06-30

The study explores the creation of a stage play paradigm tailored for visually impaired audiences, addressing a significant gap in knowledge and practice. It is not only grounded in theatre, drama, music, and audience theories, but also the acknowledgment of disability as part of the human condition and the promotion of equal rights and opportunities as outlined by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. With an aim to investigate how visually impaired audiences cognitively, emotionally and behaviorally respond to five storytelling elements of the stage play script (plot, character, dialogue, sound, and spectacle), the stage play, “Turn Left Turn Right: The Musical,” with script and sound especially design for visual disability was implemented with 15 Thai visually impaired individuals in Bangkok, Thailand, during October and November B.E. 2566. Adopting a qualitative approach, an observation was conducted during the stage play and in-depth interviews were conducted after the show. Data analyses reveal that five storytelling elements of the stage play script evoke all three kinds of responses – creating mental images, joy and exaltation, and strong physical reactions (e.g., clapping, laughing); however, “sound” is the most crucial element. The participants favor comedy, and narratives that are easy to follow yet contain unexpected endings. Findings not only fill academic gaps in understanding the paradigm for visually impaired stage play, but also enable creators to create impactful and inclusive content.

Accountants' Perspectives on Essential Skills for Digital Accountants that Enhance the Operational Performance of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Bangkok and Vicinity

Teekhatat Thongkul — 2025-06-30

This study examined accountants' perspectives on essential digital skills that enhance the operational performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bangkok and its surroundings. Data was collected from 330 full-time accountants using stratified random sampling. Multiple regression analysis revealed that digital communication (β = 0.582), data analytics (β = 0.300), and technological proficiency (β = 0.220) had significant positive relationships with perceived operational performance, while accounting knowledge showed a negative relationship (β = -0.137). The application of an ethical framework was statistically insignificant. These findings suggest that sole reliance on traditional skills is inadequate for accountants operating in the contemporary business environment. Therefore, developing digital expertise alongside traditional accounting competencies is critical for enhancing SME performance in the digital environment. This study contributes to accounting literature by providing empirical evidence of the perceived hierarchy of digital skills needed in contemporary accounting practice and offers practical insights for accounting education and professional development.

The Relationship Between the Participatory Management and the School Effectiveness Under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Bangkok 2

Laksanich Hirantrakul — 2025-06-30

The objectives of this research were to: 1) study the participatory management under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Bangkok 2, 2) study school effectiveness under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Bangkok 2, and 3) study the relationship between participatory management and school effectiveness under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Bangkok 2. The sample group, selected using multi-stage random sampling, consisted of 357 secondary school teachers in the academic year 2024. The research instrument was a questionnaire on the relationship between participatory management by school administrators and school effectiveness, with a reliability coefficient of 0.989. The statistics used for data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The research findings revealed that the participative management of school administrators and the overall as well as specific aspects of school effectiveness were rated at a high level. Furthermore, there was a strong positive correlation, at
a statistically significant level of 0.01, between the participative management of school administrators and the effectiveness of schools under the jurisdiction of the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Bangkok 2.

Moderating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Performance in The Relationship between Profitability and Firm Value of Listed Companies on The Stock Exchange of Thailand

Aranphong Thananchai — 2025-06-30

This study aims to examine the impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices on the relationship between profitability and firm value of companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The study utilizes secondary data from 2021-2023, with a sample of 331 firm-year observations selected for analysis based on the availability of relevant variables disclosed in the Bloomberg database. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. The findings reveal that profitability has a positive and statistically significant relationship with firm value. Furthermore, ESG practices significantly influence the relationship between profitability and firm value. Specifically, the interaction between profitability and environmental performance has a significantly positive effect on firm value. In contrast, the interactions between profitability and both social and governance performance show significantly negative effects on firm value.

Factors Contributing to the Differences between Key Audit Matter Disclosure in Independent Auditor’s Reports and Cooperative Auditor’s Reports

Supavinee Jevasuwan — 2025-06-30

The objective of this research is to examine factors contributing to the differences in key audit matter disclosure between independent auditors’ reports and cooperative auditors’ reports. The samples used in this research comprise independent auditors’ reports accompanying the financial statements of 414 listed companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand during 2016–2022, totaling 2,898 samples, which represent publicly accountable entities, and cooperative auditors’ reports accompanying the financial statements of 161 cooperatives in the Bangkok area during 2020–2022, totaling 549 samples, which represent non-publicly accountable entities. Data is collected from the websites of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Cooperative Auditing Department and is analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with multiple regressions. The research results for publicly accountable entities sample indicate that audit firm audit rotation and the size of audited entities are positively associated with the number of key audit matters at statistically significant levels. In contrast, the research results for non-publicly accountable entities sample indicate that only the types of cooperative auditors are positively associated with the number of key audit matters at the significance level.

Community Products and Food Security Process: A Case Study of Pak Nam Community, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province

Atiyaphorn Chaiyarit — 2025-06-30

This study aims to explore the current situation and trends in the use of community resources for community product production, analyze the process of building a foundation for food security through community products, and develop guidelines for building a foundation for food security from community products of Pak Nam Community, Bang Khla District, Chachoengsao Province. This study included 25 key informants, who were chosen on purpose and recommended as the well-informed people by key informants. The research instruments were structured interview, semi-structured interview and focus group. The findings revealed that most of production resources were the raw materials in the community. it was also found that the chemical use had appeared in a low level because there was only one product--areca nut and betel leaf—in which the chemicals were used for its production process in order to get rid of agricultural pests and fungus. Most of community products were used for sale and consumption. For the tendency of planning for extension of food security, it was found that the product makers still had no plan for food security. Moreover, they gained a proposal on the process of strengthening the food security basis from community products. It consisted of 1) encouraging people’s knowledge and understanding, 2) promoting the support and corroboration from all sections, 3) declaring and enforce the laws relevant to food security process, and 4) cultivating people’s awareness and participation. Concerning the guideline in strengthening the food security from community products, it was comprised of seven ways: 1) to place highlight on food security, 2) to protect food resources in the community, 3) to scope the production and agricultural areas, 4) to register the community enterprise entrepreneur 5) to prepare strategies on food security for the locality 6) to develop the information and technology and community product database, and 7) to plan for risk management in order to cope with natural disasters. The research's conclusions may influence the creation of local government policies. and the government to establish long-term, sustainable food security.