Miss Thailand and the Communication of Thai Identity Through Linguistic Strategy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how the winners of Miss Thailand communicate their Thai identity through the linguistic strategies she employs when responding to questions in the final round. Data collection utilized the use of purposive sampling to choose 14 VDO recordings from Miss Thailand competitions on YouTube, spanning a total of 27 years from 1997 to 2023. The analysis of the 42 questions from those videos was conducted using the concepts of linguistic strategy and communication of Thai Identity. The findings of the research are presented in the format of descriptive analysis.

The study findings indicate that there are four language strategies employed in responding to questions. The most frequently utilized strategy is reference, followed by the employment of verbs and speech acts, including inquisitive, motivating, and comparative speech acts. The commissive speech acts are likewise rooted in question answering, namely proposition and self-offering. Furthermore, the previously described linguistic techniques have played a role in the transmission of Thai Identities in 3 specific areas: Thai identity to an international context, Thai identity and the sense of pride among Thai people, and Thai identity and communication among the younger generation Finally, the study findings illustrate the expression of Thai national pride through the communication of Miss Thailand.