“To successfully communicate cultural values, one must evoke feelings of fun, connection, and memorability. In our country, we focus on selling culture first, which causes the fun to be lost. It would be no different from writing a textbook on Thai culture that no one wants to read,” said Dr. Thanayot.

Data from the study indicates that online communication regarding the film "The Undertaker" frequently mentions memorable scenes, such as the scene where Bai Khao tricks the elder Khamtan and the scene where the monk runs away from the ghost. The film's theme song, "Yue," is also frequently discussed, reflecting the film's ability to create enjoyment and emotional connection while subtly incorporating Isaan culture and local wisdom through natural dialogue between the characters, making the essential cultural elements memorable.

“For a film to be popular, it needs to make the audience feel connected and naturally involved with the story. The undertaker's film reflects a different image of Isan people from previous portrayals. It's an innocent Isan people combined with wisdom. The characters in the undertaker's film constantly explain why they perform these rituals, what causes them, and what they serve as purposes,” said Dr. Thanayot.

Creating content to promote Thai culture requires three elements: information and the context of what is to be presented, creative principles, and imagination.

Dr. Thanayot stated that the main challenge lies in telling the story of culture in an entertaining way, so that the audience likes the characters (in films or dramas). It's not necessary to provide every cultural detail. The important thing in cultural communication is to pique people's interest, because once they are interested, they will research the culture further on their own.

He gave an example: every time the series The Crown airs, there's a huge surge in searches for information about the British royal family, even though the series contains several inaccuracies. He emphasized that the accuracy of the information in the series isn't as important as generating interest among viewers; the rest will lead people to search for information on their own.

“Content creation must make viewers ‘feel,’ not just ‘understand.’ Without emotion, no one will remember the content. In the past, Thailand has often communicated its culture too much from the perspective of cultural teachers, leading to constant scrutiny and the portrayal of culture as sacred, untouchable, and something to be serious about. This prevents people from connecting with culture. Cultural communication in entertainment media must allow for error; if it's entertaining and engaging, it will spark discussion and the search for accurate information,” said Dr. Thanayot.

An example of a fun and feel-good cultural value is Christmas, a foreign cultural tradition that is popular among Thais. This is because people associate Christmas with brightness and healing, leading to positive feelings during this time. This cultural value is not limited to a specific area or belonging only to those who practice Christianity.

Regarding Songkran in Thailand, while it is a shared cultural tradition among Buddhists living in Southeast Asia (Reference: Songkran in ASEAN, Ramkhamhaeng University Central Library), with water-splashing customs in many countries, Dr. Thanayot states that in Thailand, the water splashing is a joyful and fun experience. This has created a lasting impression that Songkran in Thailand is a time of ideal social interaction where everyone is friendly. This image has become a unique characteristic of Songkran in the Thai style.

On December 6, 2566, the 2003th Regular Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICS-ICH) resolved to inscribe “Songkran in Thailand,” or “traditional Thai New Year festival,” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (RL List) under the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This is a source of pride for Thailand. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

“Thailand doesn't monopolize Songkran water splashing, but Songkran and water splashing are uniquely Thai forms of interaction that make Songkran an iconic image of Thailand. We are passionate about and enjoy Songkran, which helps create a memorable image of Thai Songkran in the eyes of the world,” said Dr. Thanayot.

Songkran communicates friendship through the splashing of water—cold water in the hot weather. Everyone is a friend, regardless of nationality or religion. This inclusive friendship fulfills the human need for an ideal society.

Communicating cultural values ​​in a way that evokes enjoyment creates connection and memorability. Repeated presentation further enhances memorability because culture encompasses everything, both tangible and intangible, both formal and informal.

Communicating cultural values ​​and soft power.

Regarding the attempt to promote the movie "The Undertaker" as soft power, Dr. Thanayot stated that the understanding that creating Thai nationalism to promote the economy, trade, and tourism is soft power is a misconception. He explained that anything that can be soft power must have an underlying international political agenda.

For example, China's agenda is to build a Silk Road that gains global recognition for connecting China. Japan's agenda is to support Japanese businesses scattered around the world. The United States' agenda is to maintain its status as a leading nation. In American TV series or films, the concept of "American Exceptionalism" is often present, where viewers acknowledge excellence in technology, knowledge, culture, governance, etc.

Dr. Joseph Nye of Harvard University pioneered the definition of soft power as the ability to make others “want” and “accept” what you want. Most importantly, it involves attracting the needs of others so they accept it “willingly,” without coercion or intimidation. Because when new things are not viewed as enemies, humans are instinctively more likely to reduce resistance and be more open to acceptance. [Reference: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)]

Cultural communication requires strategic planning and consistent communication.

Every successful communication is planned. Dr. Thanayot stated that the success of the movie "The Undertaker" was due to strategic planning, including the creation of the "Thai Baan The Series" and the continuous construction of a fan base. This fan base, particularly influential online personalities who consistently communicated on social media, played a significant role in boosting the movie's popularity. This aligns with research findings indicating that the movie garnered significant attention and became a major trend partly due to the communication of social media influencers and news outlets.

The study found that social media users who communicated about the movie "The Undertaker" were social media influencers capable of generating up to 49.1 million engagements. The majority of the content consisted of posts promoting the movie, behind-the-scenes footage, and congratulations on the film's box office earnings of 720 million baht.

“Cultural communication requires strategic planning. It needs to have a common goal and principles, but communicated on different platforms. Ordinary people create and share videos among friends, influencers communicate to their fanbases, while the mass media presents it in a different format,” said Dr. Thanayot.

Dr. Thanayot stated that every country that has successfully communicated its culture has a communication plan called an "entertainment theme." Each country presents the core of its culture in an entertaining way. For example, Japan communicates its culture through comics, both in manga and anime. Japan presents Japanese culture intensely through its comics, but it's a form of cultural communication that is both fun and conveys specific values: a sense of Japanese peace and simplicity. In the case of the United States, it presents American values—modernity, inspiration, and imagination. In contrast, China focuses on communicating Chinese culture through the beauty of its actors, sets, and costumes. This beauty is created to dispel preconceived notions of China as backward; therefore, China uses media to erase those preconceived notions about China.