Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Associate Professor Dr. Siwarit Phongsakornrangsin, Vice President of Walailak University and Head of the Digital Marketing and Branding Program at the School of Management, was honored to lead a special talk on the Highlight Stage at the Thailand Research Expo 2025, held at the Bangkok Convention Centre, Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Bangkok.
The talk was based on the research project titled “Cultural Capital Management Based on Local Belief Systems Surrounding the Ancient Sand Dune: Enhancing the Local Economy in Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat.” The project is jointly led by Associate Professor Dr. Siwarit Phongsakornrangsin and Associate Professor Prachya Krisanaphan, Deputy Dean of the School of Architecture and Design. Together, they play key roles in driving the concept of transforming faith into economy—creating value from ritual remnants and turning them into culturally and economically impactful products.
During the session, Dr. Siwarit presented ideas on how to creatively repurpose local wisdom, spiritual beliefs, and ritual objects—such as used firecracker tails and plaster roosters from vow redemption ceremonies—into innovative products that help promote Thailand’s soft power. Outstanding examples include:
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“Success Firecracker-Tail Bag” – Fashionable bags made from redeemed firecracker tails
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“Merit Brick” – Eco-friendly construction materials made from firecracker and plaster rooster fragments
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“Faith Rooster Art Toy” – Contemporary art toys crafted from recycled plaster roosters
The project involved more than 30 researchers from Walailak University, along with interdisciplinary experts, including scholars from the Thai for Communication program, who also participated in the session and presented creative outputs.
This presentation reaffirmed Dr. Siwarit Phongsakornrangsin’s visionary leadership in advancing research for local development, establishing a model for leveraging cultural capital to generate economic value, and expanding its impact to national and international arenas in a sustainable manner.
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