The Development of Art Activity to Promote Identity and Beliefs in Yaowarat Community

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) study the identity of Thai people of Chinese descent in Yaowarat, 2) design art activities for individuals in three age groups: children and youth, adults, and the elderly, and 3) summarize and evaluate the outcomes of the activities with a sample group of 30 individuals in Yaowarat. Research tools included: 1) interviews on opinions regarding Chinese cultural identity, 2) a set of art activities to promote community identity beliefs in Yaowarat. Activity quality were assessed by experts in art activities and Chinese culture, and 3) satisfaction surveys from activity participants. The research findings indicated that: 1) the identity of Thai people of Chinese descent in the Yaowarat area consisted of three main groups: festivals, deities, and ancestral shrines,
2) suitable art activities for the three age groups include themed hanging calendars containing festival and belief content in printed and online digital formats featuring deity images and important day stickers, 3) regarding the activity outcomes, participants expressed high satisfaction with the art activities' participatory nature, suitable for all ages, at a very high level, and 4) the quality assessment of the art activities by both art activity organizers and Chinese culture experts was rated very highly. The guidelines for expanding the impact of these activities could be utilized commercially by entrepreneurs, cafes, or cultural tourism operators to enhance art activities in other areas.