Reforming Social Studies Education in Thailand: Strategies for the Integration of Local Wisdom and Global Citizenship

บทคัดย่อ

Background: Thai social studies education has historically emphasized nationalist curricula prioritizing civic responsibility within national boundaries, pedagogical approaches that inadequately prepare students for navigating interconnected global challenges including climate change, migration, and cultural diversity. Traditional curricula often marginalize Thailand's rich cultural heritage—including indigenous knowledge systems, Buddhist teachings, and sustainable living practices—while simultaneously failing to cultivate global citizenship competencies essential for 21st-century participation in an interconnected world.

Purpose: This research examined social studies education reform in Thailand through integration of local wisdom and global citizenship education, analyzed the role of Thai cultural practices and Buddhist principles in shaping student identity and sustainable development understanding, evaluated current curriculum limitations in addressing both cultural preservation and global engagement needs, and developed comprehensive strategies for curriculum reform incorporating collaborative design processes, teacher professional development, community engagement mechanisms, and culturally responsive assessment practices balancing local cultural relevance with global citizenship competencies.

Methods: The study employed qualitative analytical methodology integrating policy document analysis of Thai social studies curricula, literature review examining alternative education movements incorporating Buddhist values, stakeholder interviews with university administrators and students exploring global citizenship perceptions, comparative examination of successful community-based projects demonstrating local wisdom application to global issues, and case study evaluation of innovative pedagogical approaches including hand puppet media utilizing local wisdom for citizenship skill development.

Results: Analysis revealed significant curriculum gaps: nationalist emphasis limited students' understanding of global interconnectedness, insufficient integration of traditional practices like Panyarak (human-nature balance) and Wai (respect customs) marginalized cultural knowledge, students demonstrated superficial global citizenship understanding, and inadequate teacher preparation constrained effective instruction. Stakeholder perspectives indicated Thai educators perceive national citizenship as foundational to global citizenship—a culturally distinct viewpoint requiring curriculum reforms honoring this context. Successful implementations demonstrated community-based learning connecting cultural heritage with global issues enhanced engagement, collaborative curriculum development created culturally relevant content, and local wisdom integration strengthened critical thinking about sustainable development.

Conclusions: Transforming Thai social studies education requires balanced curriculum frameworks integrating local wisdom with global citizenship through comprehensive teacher professional development, collaborative stakeholder engagement, community partnership cultivation, and assessment practices emphasizing both cultural preservation and global competency development.