Princess of Naradhiwas University Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Anatomy of Anxiety: Evolution, Mechanics, and Cross-Cultural Appeal of the Thriller Genre

FAHAD TANWEER — 2026-06-16

This paper aims to provide the historical context and the current trends to show that thriller is an ever-appealing genre. It establishes a robust definition of the thriller, systematically distinguishing it from the related genres of mystery and suspense through its core emphasis on visceral reaction, relentless pacing, and life-or-death stakes. The analysis meticulously catalogues the genre's extensive subgenres, chronicles the contributions of its key pioneers from Stevenson to Hitchcock, and examines the cultural factors that influence its narrative formulas through the lens of genre theory. A significant focus is placed on the psychological and sociological underpinnings of the crime thriller's enduring popularity, arguing that its appeal stems from its grounding in relatable realities, its facilitation of vicarious experience, and its engagement with universal human fears. Drawing on genre theory, reader-response criticism, and market analysis, this paper concludes that the thriller's core mechanics—suspense, action, and the primal struggle for survival—possess a unique capacity to transcend cultural boundaries, solidifying its status as a persistently dominant and adaptable narrative form in the global marketplace of ideas.

Lelaki Kedai Kopi: An Anthology of Short Stories

Sahidin Nitiphak — 2026-06-16

The Development of Qur’an Reading Skills Using an Instructional Package for Second-Year Lower-Level Islamic Studies Students

Nuraslina Yusoh — 2026-06-16

This research aimed to: 1) develop and determine the efficiency of a Qur’an course instructional package for second-year lower-level Islamic studies students based on the 70/70 criterion, 2) compare students’ Qur’an reading skills before and after learning through the instructional package, 3) examine students’ satisfaction with learning management using the Qur’an course instructional package. The sample used in this study consisted of 30 second-year lower-level Islamic studies students, obtained through simple random sampling. The research instruments consisted of: 1) a Qur’an course instructional package for the second-year lower-level Islamic studies students, 2) Qur’an course lesson plans using the instructional package, 3) a Qur’an reading skills test, and 4) a student satisfaction questionnaire. The statistical methods employed included percentage, mean, standard deviation, and the t-test. The research results revealed that: 1) the overall efficiency of the instructional package was 85.70/80.00, which was higher than the prescribed standard criterion, 2) students’ Qur’an reading skills after learning through the instructional package were significantly higher than before learning at the .001 level, and 3) students’ satisfaction with learning through the instructional package was at the highest level.

A 21st Century Leadership Model for School Administrators in Thailand’s Three Southern Border Provinces

Nur-inee Cheka — 2026-06-16

The objectives of the present research were to: 1) study the components of 21st-century leadership; 2) design a 21st-century leadership model; 3) evaluate validity of the 21st-century leadership designed model for school administrators in Thailand’s three southern border provinces. The research procedures were as follows: 1) a preliminary study was conducted by studying and analysing documents, concepts, theories, and related research; the information was analysed and summarised using theoretical content analysis and then synthesised into a conceptual framework for the research; 2) a draft 21st-century leadership model of school administrators in the three southern border provinces was synthesised and developed through interviews with five experts, and the data were analysed using content analysis; and 3) the quality of the model was evaluated by three specialists to confirm its accuracy, appropriateness, feasibility, and usefulness. The research instruments used in this study were an interview form for experts and an evaluation form assessing the congruence and feasibility of the model for specialists. The research findings were as follows: 1) the components of 21st-century leadership derived from the synthesis of concepts and theories consisted of eight dimensions; 2) the 21st-century leadership model of school administrators included interpersonal relations, learning and problem-solving, innovation and technology, teamwork, communication, management, creativity and vision; 3) the specialists confirmed that the 21st-century leadership model designed for school administrators in the three southern border provinces was accurate, appropriate, feasible, and useful.

Factors Affecting the Application of Cosmeceutical Product Dealers Through Online Channels

Nipaporn Kongkaew — 2026-06-16

This research aims to: 1) study the brand image factors affecting applications to become cosmeceutical product distributors through online channels; 2) study the compensation motivation factors affecting such applications; and 3) compare these applications by demographic factors. The population consisted of new graduates in Songkhla Province. The sample comprised 400 respondents selected by convenience sampling, and a questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument. The statistics used for data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, multiple regression analysis, t-test, and one-way ANOVA.

The findings revealed that: 1) brand image affected applications through online channels by 42.7%, with the statistically significant predictors being brand image in terms of user personality (β = .522) and product attributes (β = .202); 2) compensation motivation factors affected applications through online channels by 56.7%, with the statistically significant predictors being salary-based compensation (β = .380), welfare benefits (β = .233), and commission-based compensation (β = .211); and 3) new graduates with different ages, fields of study, and employment status differed in their applications to become cosmeceutical product distributors through online channels. This findings expand knowledge on the decision-making behavior of new graduates in the context of online work and provide strategic guidance for entrepreneurs in developing brand image and designing compensation structures aligned with target groups in order to improve the effectiveness of online distributor recruitment and selection.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Positive Psychological Capital of Sports Students, Thailand National Sports University

Irisa Prommachan — 2026-06-16

This study aimed to: 1) analyze the confirmatory factor structure of the positive psychological capital of students at Thailand National Sports University; and 2) examine the congruence of the measurement model of positive psychological capital with the empirical data. Quantitative data were collected. The sample in this study consisted of 700 students at Thailand National Sports University, selected by multistage random sampling. The research instrument was a positive psychological capital scale, with an overall reliability coefficient of .95 and discrimination values ranging from .85 to .94. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the congruence of the positive psychological capital model of student athletes at Thailand National Sports University was examined using the JASP program. The research findings revealed that: 1) the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the positive psychological capital of student athletes consisted of four main components, namely hope (Hope: 0.83), optimism (Optimism: 0.68), resilience (Resilience: 0.61), and self-efficacy (Self-Efficacy: 0.60). 2) The model showed a very good level of congruence with the empirical data (χ² = 720.912, df = 338, CFI = 0.944, TLI = 0.928, RMSEA = 0.040, SRMR = 0.046), which reflects the reliability of the conceptual structure of positive psychological capital among student athletes and will serve as basic information for developing appropriate and effective approaches to promoting psychological capital among student athletes. This will be highly beneficial to students, organizations, and those involved in developing the competencies and overall potential of student athletes.

Development of a Competency Model for Railway System Technical Trainers in the Digital Era

Arran Wannah-arnon — 2026-06-16

This research aimed to examine the competency components, develop a competency model, and prepare a handbook for developing the performance competencies of railway system technical trainers in the digital era. This was a qualitative study employing the Delphi technique and focus group discussions. The informants consisted of 21 experts for the Delphi technique, 13 specialists for the focus group discussions, and 5 experts for handbook evaluation. The research instruments included semi-structured interviews, five-point rating-scale questionnaires, and suitability assessment forms. Data were analysed using medians (Mdn ≥ 3.50), interquartile ranges (IQR ≤ 1.50), Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC ≥ 0.50), and content analysis.

The findings revealed that the essential competencies of technical trainers comprised four domains with a total of 49 items: knowledge, including professional foundations, digital technology, safety, and maintenance; skills, involving work performance, problem-solving, and the use of tools and software for maintenance; personal attributes, emphasizing professional ethics, safety awareness, and adaptability to technological changes; and management, focusing on planning abilities, resource allocation, and collaboration with enterprises. With regard to the competency model, the findings indicated the need to integrate digital technology and innovation, such as simulation systems and virtual reality, to improve the effectiveness of practical training. The development handbook received unanimous approval from the experts (100%), indicating that it was highly appropriate and could be applied at a high level. It was also refined to align with the context of railway workforce development in the digital era.

Personality, Innovation Acceptance, and Communication Skills Influencing the Work Effectiveness of Life Insurance Agents in The Digital Era

Chun Intamano — 2026-06-16

This research aims to: (1) examine the personality traits affecting the work effectiveness of life insurance agents; (2) investigate the level of innovation acceptance influencing their work effectiveness; and (3) study the communication skills affecting their work effectiveness. The population of this study consisted of life insurance agents from the Namchoke Group, FWD Thailand, residing in Songkhla Province. The sample comprised 300 life insurance agents selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The statistical techniques employed included frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis.

The findings revealed that: (1) personality traits—namely friendliness, openness to listening, and conscientiousness—significantly influenced the work effectiveness of life insurance agents, accounting for 27.6% of the variance; (2) innovation adoption, particularly actual usage, had a significant effect on work effectiveness, explaining for 25.6% of the variance; and (3) communication skills, including listening, questioning, and paraphrasing, significantly influenced work effectiveness, accounting for 30.4% of the variance. Based on these findings, it is recommended that life insurance companies emphasize the development of agents’ personality traits, promote innovation adoption through practical usage, and enhance communication skills, as these factors play a critical role in improving the work effectiveness of life insurance agents.

Learning Management Using the KWL Plus Technique in Conjunction with Mind Mapping to Develop Reading for Main Idea Skills in the Akhlak Subject for Year 3 Lower Secondary Islamic Studies Students

Ilaham Lasae — 2026-06-16

This research aimed to: 1) evaluate the efficiency of the learning management plan based on the 80/80 criterion; 2) examine the level of learners’ reading for main idea skills; 3) compare learning achievement before and after the implementation of the activities; and 4) study learners’ satisfaction with the learning model. The sample consisted of 27 Year 3 lower secondary Islamic Studies students at Azizstan Foundation School, obtained by cluster random sampling. The research instruments consisted of: 1) learning management plans using the KWL Plus technique in conjunction with mind mapping; 2) a test of reading for main idea skills; 3) a learning achievement test; and 4) a satisfaction questionnaire. The statistics used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The research findings revealed that: 1) the developed learning management plan had efficiency higher than the standard criterion, with an E1/E2 value of 88.94/88.85; 2) the learners had reading for main idea skills higher than the 80 percent criterion, with statistical significance at the .001 level; 3) the learning achievement after learning was higher than before learning, with statistical significance at the .001 level; and 4) the learners had satisfaction with the learning management using the KWL Plus technique in conjunction with mind mapping at the highest level.

Attitude and Confidence in Technology Influencing the Acceptance of QR Code Technology among Business Organizations in Songkhla Province

Saoki Samat — 2026-06-16

This study aimed to examine the characteristics of business organizations together with the acceptance of QR Code Payment technology use, as well as the attitude and confidence that influence the acceptance of QR Code Payment technology use. The sample consisted of 385 business organizations in Songkhla Province. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, f-test, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents were sole proprietors operating small retail businesses with no more than 50 employees, had been in operation for 1–5 years, and reported annual sales of 300,001–400,000 baht. The results of the hypothesis testing indicated that business organizations with different characteristics exhibited statistically significant differences in their acceptance of QR Code Payment technology at the .05 level. Attitude and confidence differed significantly in their effects on the acceptance of QR Code Payment technology use at the .05 level. The analysis of influencing variables revealed that all independent variables (attitude, subjective norm, and confidence in technology) had statistically significant positive influences on perceived usefulness. Regarding differences in business organizational characteristics, organizational form, business size, and industry type were significantly associated with technology acceptance, whereas business age was not significantly associated.

Development of an Entrepreneurial Capability Model for Health Service Businesses to Promote the Tourism Industry in the Digital Era

suradech Thongkaemkaew — 2026-06-16

This mixed-method study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches with the objectives to: (1) investigate the components of entrepreneurial potential in health service businesse; and (2) develop a model to enhance such potential for promoting the tourism industry in the digital era. Key informants included experts and stakeholders in health service businesses, purposively selected to include entrepreneurs, executives, representatives from the public and private sectors, and academics, as well as specialists participating in focus group discussions. Research instruments consisted of Delphi technique-based questionnaires and focus group discussion guidelines. Data were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive statistics, including median and interquartile range.

The results demonstrated that: (1) the components of entrepreneurial potential in health service businesses consisted of four main components and twenty sub-components; and (2) the developed model attained unanimous expert consensus, with a high level of consistency (IQR = 0.0–1.0) and median scores exceeding 3.5 (Mdn > 3.5). These findings indicate that the model is appropriate and can be practically applied.

Integrating Biomimicry in Pre-service Biology Teacher Education: Impacts on Design Thinking Competencies

Thanika Vasinayanuwatana — 2026-06-16

The innovation-creation process through mimicking problem-solving in nature has been applied as a context for learning design thinking competencies in a biology course. This research aimed to study the effectiveness of applying biomimicry to enhance pre-service teachers’ design thinking competencies across two dimensions: 1) knowledge and understanding of the design thinking concept, and 2) design thinking process skills. The target group comprised 24 pre-service biology teachers who were selected by purposive sampling. The research instruments were design thinking concept test, fieldnote, experiment worksheet and workpiece. The data were collected, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and deductive analysis methods.

The findings indicated that the majority of pre-service teachers possessed a high level of understanding regarding core design thinking competencies, encompassing its definitions, the iterative process, and the application of biomimicry principles for problem-solving. Nonetheless, misconceptions persisted regarding the prototyping and testing phases. Regarding the design thinking process skills, the results showed that while all pre-service teachers excelled in the initial phases—empathizing, defining, and ideating—only a small number successfully transitioned to the prototyping and testing stages. These findings provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by student teachers and can be used to inform the sequence of experiences or activities to better enhance their design thinking competencies.