DESIGN WORKSHOPS IN THAILAND: DOCUMENTING PRACTICES AND RESEARCH ON THE PROMOTION OF “SOFT INTEGRATION” AMONG MULTI-ETHNIC COMMUNITIES

Research study is targeted towards design workshops in Thailand as a means for facilitating “soft integration” among multi-ethnic groups. Implementing a multi-method approach of participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and questionnaire surveys, this research study makes systematic investigations into design workshops in different parts of Thailand. The conclusions show that design workshops, as "soft" intervention, can promote intercultural communication, cultural identity, and social integration through three interrelated factors: cultural cohesion, collaborative design, and relational identity. This study not only enriches theoretical studies on multi-ethnic integration but also provides new conclusions and practical references to social governance innovation and cultural industry construction in areas inhabited by ethnical diversity. The "soft integration" model advocated in this research has important theoretical and practical value for explaining and fostering ethnic harmony in multicultural communities.