RUSAMILAE JOURNAL

Vol. 46 No. 3 (Sep. - Dec. 2025)

Rusamilae Journal Volume 46, Issue 3, September–December 2025 — 2025-12-31

Editor’s Note

Phirakan Kai-nunna — 2025-12-31

Inscribing Memory Through the Image of a Pattani Chinese Woman: Threads of the Past

Bancha Tasuan — 2025-12-30

A photograph of a Pattani Chinese woman is more than a record of time; it serves as a window into identity, culture, and family ties delicately interwoven. This article invites readers to explore memories embedded in the image, revealing the harmonious blending of Chinese, Malay, and Thai ways of life into a meaningful social heritage.

(In)Authentic Thai Taste: Deconstructing Thai Cuisine within the Arena of Cultural Politics

Pakaus Poshakrishna — 2025-12-31

Photo-Ethnography in a Transforming World: Visual Methodology, Affect, and Artificial Intelligence

Nahathai Sanmongkol — 2025-12-31

This academic article explores the landscape of photo-ethnography in the contemporary world, aiming to review, synthesize, and discuss the complex relationship among the photograph, photography, ethnography, and socio-cultural understanding, particularly in the context of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence. The article emphasizes that the photograph is not a neutral witness but rather a construction of reality that is inseparable from subjectivity and power. Photographs also possess an affective dimension, serving as living things connected to memory, and the healing of grief. Photo-ethnography is not merely about what the image represents, but an access to the experiential dimension that is invisible to the naked eye. Thus, the use of photographs during conversations and interviews, or Photo-Elicitation, is a strategy for accessing this non-representational dimension. Furthermore, with the advent of digital technologies and AI, researchers must adapt to the hybrid field of digital and physical spaces, and learn to utilize digital technology and AI as research tools. The article proposes that researchers can apply artificial intelligence as a tool in photo-ethnography to test for cultural and historical biases reproduced through AI-synthesized photographs. The method is called synthetic ethnography. This must be achieved while maintaining profound interpretation, rigorous reflexivity, contextual sensitivity, and ethical responsibility during fieldwork.

From the Train Roof to Memory: Reading Life on the Southern Border Through Time in Butterfly and Flowers

Surasak Boon-arch — 2025-12-31

This article examines the 1985 film “Butterfly and Flowers” as a chronicle of life and coming-of-age for youth in Thailand's southern border region. It employs a conceptual framework that integrates autoethnography and visual ethnography with film analysis. The author uses memories and experiences from fieldwork in May 2025 as a central lens to interpret this historical film. The analysis begins by viewing the train as a microcosm—both the economic lifeblood of the community from Thepha station to the border, and simultaneously, an informal classroom on its roof that cultivates survival skills. The article then shifts to a semiotic analysis to interpret the film's timeless imagery, evident in the Hari Raya festival scene, which reflects a return to cultural roots, and the symbolic butterfly scene, signifying the protagonist's inner awakening. The final section analyzes the farewell scene at Klong Ngae station as the culmination of a rite of passage, where the protagonist jumps from a state of liminality to forge his own reality, transitioning from the train to the flower garden. The article proposes that this temporal reading of life on the southern border through Butterfly and Flowers offers profound insights into both the continuity and transformation of lives lived upon these railways of memory.

The Aesthetics of Photography in Narrating Truth, Goodness, and Beauty in Society

Jareeya Arttanuchit — 2025-12-31

This article aims to examine the role of photography as an aesthetic medium for narrating and conveying fundamental social values—truth, goodness, and beauty—through the creative process of photographers and the perception of viewers. The study is based on a review of aesthetic theories, photographic theory, and social communication, combined with qualitative analysis of documentary and socially engaged photographs. The findings indicate that photography is not merely a mechanical recording of reality, but a selective and interpretative process shaped by compositional aesthetic elements, which significantly influence ethical awareness and emotional responses. The integration of truth, goodness, and beauty in photographic practice enhances not only artistic value but also the social function of photography. The article further proposes that such an approach provides an essential framework for photography education in higher education institutions.

The Bud Manuscripts of Wat Bo Sap: A Local Memory of the World Heritage of Thailand

Panya Phoonsin — 2025-12-31

UNESCO has invited member countries Survey and register heritage memories that are worthy of conservation and inheritance. In Thailand, 6 international (world-level) registrations have already been announced. Mr. Panya Poolsilp found ancient documents, palm leaf books, Thai notebooks, white/black khoi manuscripts in Wat Bo Sap, Ban Hua Khao, Singhanakhon District, totaling more than 1,000 bindings, so he consulted with the abbot and monks, including the committee measure to carry out the conservation of ancient documents found and apply for registration to the national committee. Mr. Panya Poolsilp received the certificate from Mr. Phanombut Chandrachot, Director-General of the Fine Arts Department, on 16 May 2024.

Kalyani Vadhana Day: Biography, Royal Contributions, and Educational Legacy in Thailand

Aomchai Vongmonta — 2025-12-31

Enhancing the Heritage Value of Wooden Architecture: A Case Study of the Renovation of Phraya Phibun Pittayaphak House Museum

Sarawoot Dechkamol — 2025-12-31

This article presents the enhancement of the value of wooden architectural heritage through the renovation of the Phraya Phibun Pittayaphak House Museum at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus. The colonial-style wooden building is recognized for its historical, architectural, and cultural significance. Structural investigations revealed severe deterioration of the foundation and load-bearing components, necessitating a comprehensive conservation project integrating architectural heritage conservation principles with modern structural engineering techniques. The renovation process included condition assessment, foundation redesign, elevation of the entire building using a hydraulic jack system, installation of construction safety mechanisms, and permanent structural reinforcement. The project successfully extended the building's service life, improved its structural stability and safety, while preserving its architectural integrity and historic character. Furthermore, the project demonstrates an effective conservation approach that combines contemporary engineering technologies with heritage preservation principles, ensuring the sustainable use of the building as a learning resource and cultural heritage asset. This case study provides valuable insights into the conservation and adaptive improvement of wooden architectural heritage while maintaining its authenticity and long-term structural performance.