Content Communication of Thai Women Youtubers: A Case Study of Thai Daughter-in-law Abroad

Abstract

This qualitative research studied the identity of Thai Daughter-in-law YouTubers in foreign countries through content analysis on YouTube channels and audience opinions about watching the YouTube channel; Thai Daughter-in-law overseas. Data was gathered from YouTuber channels for four culturally diverse channels with at least 200,000 followers: 1) Korean Daughter-in-law by Korean; 2) Kanchana Iijima; 3) Mai Thai in France; and 4) Baan Rai Turkey. And the five most popular clips for each channel published from January 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022 were evaluated.

Results were that Thai Daughter-in-law overseas who migrated to different cultural territories, creating an impetus to express and present self-created value shared five communication content of collective identities: 1) straightforwardness, naturalness, and simplicity; 2) skill for cooking and using food as the core of communication; 3) maintaining Thainess while living abroad, combining traits and being as Thai as possible; 4) focusing on the role of housewife; and; 5) determination to conquer life challenges through skills. Audiences watched clips with awareness of spousal and housewifely identities, empathizing directly with the nature of content. These most significantly reflected how communication empowered female activism and acceptance in a public sphere through a more intense realization of Thai female identity.