Festival roles in fostering soft power: a case study of Bangkok, Thailand

Purpose This study applied Vuving's (2009) soft power framework of benignity, brilliance and beauty to examine how festivals in Bangkok, Thailand, function as mechanisms for translating soft power into tangible outcomes of cultural diplomacy and destination branding. This study aims to explore how festivals shape Thailand's international image and strengthen its soft power strategy within the tourism sector. Design/methodology/approach The author proposed a qualitative approach for designing the research methodology. A semi-structured interview was used to gain insights from stakeholders who have been directly involved in creating and managing festival experiences, including event organisers, tourism officials and residents. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify how festivals contribute to the dimensions of soft power. Findings The findings provide specific, empirically grounded insights into the existing phenomena of soft power strategies in Thailand. The interview data were analysed thematically, revealing six central themes that illustrate how festivals contribute to soft power dimensions: Benignity, including festivals, fosters tourists' empathy; festivals foster cultural inclusion; festivals foster respect and tolerance; brilliance, including festivals, fosters brand differentiation; festivals foster positive global perceptions and beauty, including festivals, fosters destination image. Originality/value This study provides an understanding of how festivals operate soft power through cultural showcases and aesthetic appeal by integrating Vuving's theoretical model with empirical data from Thailand's festival context. The findings also advance the interpretation of festivals as co-created participatory spaces that foster global goodwill and a national image that transcends traditional state-driven diplomacy. The findings offer practical insights for policymakers and cultural organisations to strategically use festivals as mechanisms of soft power and sustainable destination branding.