Discourses and Discursive Construction of the Belief Business in the Thai Series Sathu
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Abstract
This study examined discourses surrounding belief-based business in the Thai television series Sathu through the lenses of discourse theory and belief-based business concepts. The research employed discourse analysis and textual analysis to explore how belief was constructed, marketed, and consumed within the narrative. The findings identified three dominant discourses. The first was the discourse of faith construction, which relied on Buddhist rituals, sermons, narratives, and miracles to generate religious legitimacy and trust. The second was the discourse of faith marketing, which was manifested through the use of public figures, new media promotion, and the strategic discrediting of competing religious institutions. The third was the discourse of belief consumption, which framed merit-making practices and the purchase of sacred objects as forms of spiritual investment that promised personal success and life stability. Overall, the series functioned not only as entertainment but also as a reflection of discourse production that supported the commercialization of faith for specific interests.
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