Fourth International Conference on Communication & Media Studies

Abstract

This article is part of research entitled, “The Communication of Popular Culture on Royal Private Films of King Bhumibol Adulyadej,” aimed at studying the content, format, and style of films in order to find attribution and value for Thai society. The film series is composed of three types of story: everyday life of the king family, royal ceremonies, and royal duties for both local and foreign visits including Japan, and Germany. The research embraced by the textual analysis of the royal private film, based on the film series conducted by King Bhumibol Adulyadej which was considered as the most popular film in Thailand during 1954˗1967. A focus group of local audiences and academics were also employed for the inquiry. Results revealed that the series had been uniquely created by using dramatic presentation accompanied with favorited signs and symbols among Thais. The scripts, scenes, sound, and music embraced with the way of popular culture, instead of royal high culture. The nationalism, modernism, localism, and humanism were embedded as a common theme of the films. In contrast with other studies, this research found the royal films were not any state apparatus for ideological hegemony. They became the great public sphere for Thai people to share their sense of belonging and identity along with the reign of their king since 1960. The films demonstrate the best practice for media academics to pave the way for connecting all social classes to promote local identity and solidarity amid cultural diversity in Thailand.