1993 APT1 Conference : Identity, tradition and change

'foreign', 'self' and 'other', 'savage' and 'civilized' seem less clearly opposed. After all in the global village of multinational world syncreticism is becoming the rule. Reebok and Lacoste made in Bangkok are sold on the streets to American and French tourists or New York rap is re-ripped off, re-appropriated, and reproduced as Thai rap hits which in turn become just part of urban sound. And yet from local knowledge and local history, a Thai must have imaginary of nationhood to the point that offence is not taken when for instance the image of King Chulalongkorn is placed next to Madonna, Marilyn Munro, and Bon Jovi. Likewise, posters and giant billboards of the royalty fit comfortably as icons decorated with flashing disco lights outside shopping malls. In celebrating King Bhumibol's birthday in December sometimes he is seen, not as Santa Claus, but the great ruler standing in front of the giant Christmas trees. In praise of cultural heritage several corporate institutions have staged many art contests to promote nation, relgion, and monarchy. Propagandistic intension mixed with censorship have resulted in the product of visual images for state-sanctioned nationalism. Local (Thai) history becomes an attempt to reimagine the past while recovering it. Local myths and beliefs are designed to separate national identity threatened by emergent trends of internationalization. By taking a stance and removing apart from the foreigners some Thai artists actually reconstruct their own 5