The song’s huge success comes at a moment when the official domestic definitions of “Thailand” and “Thainess” are in flux. After two decades of rapid export-orientated economic growth, Thailand has transitioned to an upper-middle-income economy with a significant reduction in poverty since 2011.
Yet when this “turbo-capitalism” fully accelerated, domestic national discourse became unclear.
Definitions of Thailand and Thainess have been tightly controlled since the colonial era of the late-19th and early-20th century, when Thai elites sought to retain control over the region in the face of western powers. Clearly defining and outlining these official notions of Thai culture led to the national identity becoming a conformist exercise.
While the Thai political system remains highly problematic, the 2023 coalition government has offered a sense of stability and social progression. This is in contrast to 10 years ago, when several high-profile international performers (including Frankie Valli, Taylor Swift and Eric Clapton) cancelled Bangkok concerts due to political unrest.
Just two years ago, researchers still saw the country’s political values as an “impediment” to the development of soft power. After Rockstar’s impact, however, this seems a significant overstatement.
