Massey Documents by Type
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294
Browse
45 results
Search Results
Item The Estimation of the Willingness to Pay for Air-Quality Improvement in Thailand(MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2021-11-08) Tantiwat W; Gan C; Yang W; Boggia AThailand has experienced severe air-quality problems for the past 10 years. Complicating this situation, the Thai government allocates an insufficient budget for the management of air pollution. Using the contingent valuation method, this paper estimates the willingness to pay for airquality improvement in Thailand to reveal the benefits that people will gain if air-quality improves. The results show that the total benefits from air-quality improvement would be 18.8 billion baht in 2020. The Thai government can use these findings as a guideline to redistribute its budget to address air pollution more effectively.Item Wild bovid habitat and infectious disease risk in Thailand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University(Massey University, 2024-11-07) Horpiencharoen, WantidaWild bovids are a diverse group of typically large, hoofed ruminant mammals that play crucial functions in ecosystems as seed transporters and prey for predators to maintain biodiversity. However, their conservation status varies from least concern to critically endangered with extinction, depending on the regions and remaining population. The expansion of agricultural areas and livestock farming has led to habitat loss and natural resource sharing, likely increasing the risk of disease transmission and pathogen circulation between humans, wildlife, and domestic animals at the shared habitats or the interface areas. This thesis aims to identify the habitat suitability of five wild bovids remaining in Thailand, understand the consequences of introducing infectious disease into the population, and identify where there is a risk of disease transmission. Therefore, three main studies were conducted: 1) identifying suitable areas for five wild bovid species, including gaur, banteng, wild water buffalo, mainland serow and Chinese goral in Thailand; 2) simulating the impact of infectious diseases of cattle on wild bovid populations, and; 3) mapping potential risk areas between wild bovids and cattle. Initially, I used ecological niche modelling to identify the habitat suitability of five wild bovids remaining in Thailand. Due to poor model predictions for two species (mainland serow and Chinese goral), I excluded these two models from further analyses. The results indicated that over 50% of the potentially suitable areas for the three modelled species (gaur, banteng, wild water buffalo) were located outside protected areas close to human populations and agricultural areas. Then, I simulated the number of animals in a model gaur population with and without infections over 100 years with 100 repetitions using stochastic mathematical models. I selected six bovine infectious diseases with different traits, such as incubation and infectious periods or fatality probabilities, including anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, haemorrhagic septicaemia, lumpy skin disease, foot and mouth disease and brucellosis. I introduced an individual infected animal into a closed population for each infectious disease. The disease-free gaur population grew over time, with infections with different traits having different impacts. The populations infected with chronic diseases (e.g. bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis) showed the greatest decline, while diseases with high mortality but acute disease or high transmission rates with low mortality had less impact on the populations. Finally, I mapped the potential risk areas for disease transmission, assuming that high cattle density and habitat suitability increased transmission risk between wild bovids and livestock. The results also indicated that the potential high-risk areas were at the interface areas at the forest edges where interactions between wildlife and cattle occur. All my studies and findings will require further investigation and validation to gain a deeper and better understanding of the complexity of infectious diseases within wildlife populations and the dynamics of their distributions, but they contribute to supporting wildlife conservation and implementing disease mitigation measures to prevent disease transmission among the populations by highlighting where wild bovids might have suitable habitat, what types of infections may be problems and where mitigation may be better targeted.Item A composite index of provincial alcohol control policy implementation capacity in Thailand.(Elsevier B.V., 2024-06-26) Jankhotkaew J; Casswell S; Huckle T; Chaiyasong S; Kalapat R; Waleewong O; Parker KBACKGROUND: There is a well-published literature on the effectiveness and stringency of alcohol control policies, but not many studies focus on policy implementation, where policies transform into impact. The objective of this study is to create a composite index that measures the capacity for implementing effective alcohol control policies across all provinces in Thailand. METHODS: Based on the international literature, we developed a list of key indicators for tracking the implementation of alcohol policies at the subnational level. To ensure these indicators were relevant to the Thai context, we obtained feedback from Thai experts. We collected primary data according to the developed indicators using questionnaires filled in by key informants at the implementing agencies and gathered secondary data at the provincial level. On this basis, we developed indices that reflect the status of alcohol control policy implementation. We then investigated the association between the indices and the prevalence and pattern of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms while adjusting for potential confounders using multiple linear regression and negative binomial regression, respectively. RESULTS: Scores on the Provincial Alcohol Policy Implementation Capacity (PAPIC) Index ranged between 39 and 79. We found that each 1-point increase in PAPIC score was associated with a 1.98 % reduction in the quantity of alcohol consumed in grams per day (coefficient: -0.02; 95 %CI: -0.03, -0.00; p-value<0.05; e-0.02= 0.9802). We also found that for each 1-point increase in PAPIC score, the proportion of regular drinkers reduced by 0.30 per cent (coefficient: -0.30; 95 %CI: -0.55, -0.05; p-value<0.05). However, we did not find any association between the indices and alcohol-related harms. CONCLUSION: The level of implementation of alcohol control policy at the sub-national level is associated with alcohol consumption levels. The findings suggest the value of allocating resources to the implementation of alcohol control policy.Item Impact of infectious diseases on wild bovidae populations in Thailand: insights from population modelling and disease dynamics.(The Royal Society, 2024-07-03) Horpiencharoen W; Marshall JC; Muylaert RL; John RS; Hayman DTSThe wildlife and livestock interface is vital for wildlife conservation and habitat management. Infectious diseases maintained by domestic species may impact threatened species such as Asian bovids, as they share natural resources and habitats. To predict the population impact of infectious diseases with different traits, we used stochastic mathematical models to simulate the population dynamics over 100 years for 100 times in a model gaur (Bos gaurus) population with and without disease. We simulated repeated introductions from a reservoir, such as domestic cattle. We selected six bovine infectious diseases; anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, haemorrhagic septicaemia, lumpy skin disease, foot and mouth disease and brucellosis, all of which have caused outbreaks in wildlife populations. From a starting population of 300, the disease-free population increased by an average of 228% over 100 years. Brucellosis with frequency-dependent transmission showed the highest average population declines (-97%), with population extinction occurring 16% of the time. Foot and mouth disease with frequency-dependent transmission showed the lowest impact, with an average population increase of 200%. Overall, acute infections with very high or low fatality had the lowest impact, whereas chronic infections produced the greatest population decline. These results may help disease management and surveillance strategies support wildlife conservation.Item Teacher perspectives on the development of business English programmes in the Thai tertiary context : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2019) Amatayakul, PanithiBusiness English has emerged as an important aspect of English for Specific Purposes in Thailand and is currently provided as an undergraduate programme in about one third of all universities. However, to date we know relatively little about how the Business English programme has been developed in the Thai tertiary context. The current study aimed to explore the development of Business English programmes in the past, present, and future, through the perspectives of Thai tertiary teachers. Firstly, the development of Business English programmes in two university contexts was explored, based on retrospective interviews with five experienced teachers. In addition, a survey which included open-ended scenarios was completed by Business English teachers (N=84) from throughout Thailand (North, Northeast, Central, and South), regarding their contemporary perspectives on Business English in the Thai tertiary context and future prospects for the field. Finally, in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 Business English teachers, focusing particularly on their contemporary perspectives on Business English and the trajectory of Business English as a tertiary subject. Overall, the findings revealed that the contemporary tertiary Business English programmes emerged from both bottom-up and top-down initiatives, and were shaped by local factors such as ongoing changes to curriculum and teaching practices. The development of the programmes was also influenced by a combination of external factors, including the government policy, English as a Lingua Franca in the Asia region and global pressures. The teachers who participated in this study thought that the future changes would be in line with these contemporary changes. It was also evident that future programmes might continue to face both internal and external challenges. The thesis concluded by reflecting on future challenges which needed to be addressed and the resulting implications for research, professional development, and practice.Item Auditor rotation and audit quality : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2020) Uthayapong, ThanidaThe thesis investigates the effect of mandatory audit partner rotation (MAPR) on audit quality of listed companies that underwent three rotation periods in the Thai capital market. MAPR is one of the requirements that regulators in many countries impose on auditors in order to enhance audit quality. The benefit of MAPR is in the incoming audit partner enhancing auditor independence and offering fresh insights to a client, which is expected to improve audit quality as evidenced by greater financial statements quality. On the other hand, the new lead audit partner can lack client-specific knowledge, which may impair audit quality. There are ongoing discussions about the benefits of MAPR in a number of countries but only a few studies have been conducted on the effects of MAPR in developing countries. This thesis therefore aims to fill this gap by examining the impact of MAPR on audit quality in a developing country, Thailand. This thesis is framed within the Agency Theory framework and also uses the IAASB (2014) framework for audit quality to identify the factors which have an impact on audit quality. A total of 417 firm-year observations between the years 2006 and 2017 are made of 286 non-financial Thai listed companies, all of which with experience of MAPR. The sample also includes multiple numbers of MAPR. The performance-matched discretionary accruals (DA) developed by Kothari, Leone, and Wasley (2005) are used to measure DA as a proxy for audit quality. The results in this thesis suggest that MAPR does not significantly improve audit quality and the relationship between MAPR and audit quality is weak. It is possible that an incoming lead audit partner lacks client-specific information, is disadvantaged by the gradual learning curve in understanding a client’s businesses, and may face challenges in communication within the audit team, all of which may not positively impact on audit quality. There is no strong evidence of an association between audit quality and other impacting factors, such as Big 4 audit firms, the audit firm industry specialist, the audit partner industry specialist, and the audit partner busyness. Results also present no evidence of significant improvement in audit quality in the first MAPR subsequent to voluntary rotation. However, MAPR does seem to improve audit quality under certain conditions, i.e. audit quality is improved depending on the number of rotation times, audit firm size and companies’/ clients’ size. Only listed companies with three MAPR audited by Big 4 audit firms and only larger listed companies with three MAPR have higher audit quality within the MAPR framework. Further, only listed companies with three MAPR that have a positive DA, are associated with higher audit quality. The overall results of this thesis suggest that MAPR requirement does not immediately lead to an improvement in audit quality, at least not in the Thai capital market.Item Learner-centred approaches in teaching English in Thailand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand(Massey University, 2020) Namwong, Ong-ArtThis thesis investigates the implementation of learner-centred pedagogies in English classes in public secondary schools in Thailand. It explores the understanding of learner-centred approaches from a range of stakeholders, how these approaches are implemented within classrooms, and the factors supporting or impeding implementation. The thesis also aims to contribute to understanding on how the Thai culture influences the implementation of learner-centred approaches. Past research in this context has typically been small in scale, with low numbers of participants, and a single participant type, e.g. teachers. The current exploratory case study focused on small and extra-large public secondary schools in the educational service area 25, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Data were obtained from a range of participants from Ministry level to students using three different data collection methods: questionnaires, individual interviews and student focus group interviews. In total, data were obtained from 117 questionnaire respondents, 16 interviewees and six student focus groups. This approach allowed for data to be obtained from a wider range of perspectives than previous studies, and also provided methodological triangulation. The findings revealed that teachers did not have a consensus over what learner-centred approaches constitute. In interviews, they provided very brief responses, and demonstrated limited, and somewhat superficial, understanding. This limited understanding was further evidenced when teachers talked about their implementation of learner-centred approaches. In reality, much of what was discussed reflected practices that were traditional and teacher rather than learner-centred. The main barriers in implementing learner-centred approaches were reported as: other school duties and responsibilities, a limited understanding of learner-centred approaches, large class sizes, and inadequate teaching and learning resources. Other issues related to the level of English language proficiency of teachers, opportunities for students to use English outside the classroom and pedagogical training for teachers. Across all phases of this study, it was apparent that the Thai cultural context is influential, and tensions were seen between the policy intentions and Thai cultural norms. For example, discrepancies were observed between the policy directive of learner-centred teaching and the dominant examination-based assessment, the power distance that exists in Thai society and large class sizes which are typical in many Thai schools. The findings of this thesis have significant implications for policy makers, educational trainers, school management, teachers and students. In particular, there is an urgent need to consider how learner-centred approaches can be adapted to align more closely with the Thai culture. Professional development and support for teachers is another aspect in need of urgent attention so that teachers are supported to make changes to their teaching and pedagogy in line with learner-centred approaches. Additionally, support for teachers to improve their levels of English language proficiency is needed so that teachers are more comfortable using English in their teaching. This will also help to provide students with increased opportunities to communicate in English.Item The development of higher education in Thailand : influences and effects : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand(Massey University, 2019) Maitrarat, PenpisootThis research investigated the way in which Thailand has changed access to and the provision of higher education since 1932. It offers a historically grounded analysis of higher education reforms in Thailand in relation to different forms of internal and external forces in higher education. The factors that influenced those changes and the effects of those changes were identified. In addition, it presented a critical analysis of how Western models of higher education have influenced the development of higher education in Thailand. The historical approach was taken in this research. The data relevant to the social phenomenon of higher education in past until now were drawn from historical record and oral accounts. The notion of policy borrowing and concepts from Foucault’s theory of social practice were employed to explain Thailand’s higher education development. An analysis of the changes and the drivers of those changes as well as the effects of those changes revealed how the past informed the present. It also provided an explanation for contemporary problems experienced within the higher education sector and suggested ways forward.Item Cutting edge : consumers' attitudes towards advertisements portraying female models who have undergone cosmetic surgery : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Marketing at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand(Massey University, 2018) Tipgomut, PornchanokeAdvertisers portray idealized female models who have gained attractiveness from cosmetic surgery in their advertisements without knowing the effects of this decision. This thesis aims to address this unknown point about the portrayal of idealized female images in advertisements. It is a controversial topic, but an important topic, given the prominent use of cosmetic surgery in contemporary society. Two exploratory studies and five quantitative studies were conducted in Thailand to investigate: female consumer’ reactions to models that underwent cosmetic surgery, male consumers’ reaction to such models and the influence of cosmetic surgery on Asian beauty types. The results show that cosmetic surgery only enhances perceived attractiveness when the model underwent many cosmetic surgery changes and if female consumers do not perceive these surgery changes. However, both male and female consumers can detect surgery changes when the model has undergone many changes. In sum, cosmetic surgery only affects attractiveness if many procedures have been conducted. But then the probability of detection is high, and detection overrides the positive effect of cosmetic surgery on perceived model attractiveness. This dark side does not occur amongst male participants in the reported experiments. We found that males believe in the negative news of claiming that the model has undergone cosmetic surgery, but such claims do not affect perceived model attractiveness. However, a claim of no surgery on model’s face provides benefit, as it increases perceived model attractiveness amongst male experiment participants, and consequently increases advertising effectiveness. Concerning the third topic, previous classifications of female models’ beauty types are based on a Western perspective. However, we have shown that Asian model beauty types are classified differently from Western perspectives. From an Asian perspective female model beauty types are classified into three main groups: Natural Cuteness (cute, natural, sweet, and local beauty), Non-Local/Surgery (Western look, Korean style, and surgery beauty), and Sexy Beauty (sexy, cool, and sharp beauty). Our results indicate that cosmetic surgery enhances Non-Local/Surgery beauty and Sexy beauty. However, the most effective beauty type in terms of advertising effectiveness is Natural Cuteness, which cosmetic surgery cannot enhance.Item Dependent development: a study of Thailand's economy within the world capitalist system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University(Massey University, 2003) Tapen, TeerasilSince Thailand was engaged by the Bowring Treaty with the British Government in 1855 ( Phongpaichit & Baker, 1995:15), the country has been pulled into the circle of world capitalist development. Hewison (1989) has distinguished three phases in the capitalist development in Thailand. The first phase was in the period of the absolute monarchy when a capitalist class (the Royal family and aristocracy) emerged from trading with Chinese and European traders. The second phase allowed the emergence of a petty bourgeoisie and labour class, especially after the Second World War. The bourgeois class grew by the conglomeration between Thai and Chinese tycoons dominating the transaction sectors of banking, manufacturing, and agro-industry. The last phase began in the 1970s with the new generation of capitalist classes. These classes performed their economic activities in high technology and higher value-added manufacturing. At the same time, uneven development can be seen in the disparity between rich and poor, urban and rural area. This unevenness seems to be broader and more severe, from the statistics of Thailand's annual household income by region , between 1962-1995 (Medhi Krongkaew, cited in Rigg 1997:88), the scissor effect in the growth ratio between those m Bangkok and other regions is prevalent. In this thesis, the focus will be put on the latter of these phases, especially at the beginning of the 1960s - which has been known as the period of Cold War - in conjunction with the launch of the first national economic and social development plan in Thailand. This development will be reviewed until the regional economic crisis in 1997-1998 and some information of IMF assistance to Thailand will be drawn upon to assess the exemplification of the Thai economy as a dependent capitalist development. [First two paragraphs of chapter 1.]