www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org PLOTS AND THAI CULTURAL CONTENTS FOR ASEAN TELEVISION DRAMA KANCHANA CHOKRIENSUKCHAI School of Communication Arts, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thailand ABSTRACT The purposes of this research were to study the exposure to television drama, the need of television drama plots and cultural contents in the television drama of ASEAN people. Also, to find out the patterns of exposure to television drama, the need of television drama plots and the need of cultural contents in the television drama of ASEAN people. The sample group was a group of 4,110 people and over from varied professions. The survey was conducted in 2017 using a questionnaire through the internet and local people. The result found that the exposure to television drama in ASEAN consists of 2 patterns: 1). The countries where the exposure to television drama is moderate to very high-level directions which include Thailand, Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Singapore. Indonesia and 2) the countries where the exposure to television drama is moderate to very low-level directions which include Cambodia and Laos. The pattern of exposure of plots of TV drama among people in ASEAN countries can be seen in 2 patterns: 1) countries with various plot exposure2) countries that have exposure to plots in a particular manner. Also, the pattern of the need of cultural contents in the television drama of ASEAN people can be seen in 2 patterns: 1) the need of cultural contents in the television drama of ASEAN in a variety of ways such as Thailand, Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia. 2). the need of cultural contents in the television drama of ASEAN in a particular way such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, and Singapore. KEYWORDS: Thai Pattern Need Television Drama Asean Received: Jul 10, 2017; Accepted: Aug 03, 2017; Published: Aug 11, 2017; Paper Id.: IJCMSAUG20172 INTRODUCTION The AEC is the realization of the region’s end goal of economic integration. It envisions ASEAN as a single market and production base, a highly competitive region, with equitable economic development, and fully integrated into the global economy. The AEC seeks to reduce or remove many trade barriers within the region with the goal to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, capital, and skilled labor within the group. It is an opportunity and challenge of the ASEAN member countries in trading within their bloc. In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. In retailing, products are called merchandise. In manufacturing, products are bought as raw materials and sold as finished goods. Meanwhile, a service is another common product type. The nature of the good product is to be able to stimulate demand and to procreate demand for other products. Culture including Thai culture is recognized globally as the country product. The relationship between culture and economy has undergone an important shift in focus, from the mere conservation of culture to its economic enhancement, which reveals the links among culture, society, and economic development (Alberti and Giusti, 2012; Cooke and Lazzeretti, 2008; Lazzeretti, Capone, and Cinti 2011; Power and Scott, 2004, and Rabaneda, 2012). There are numerous benefits coming from the relationship between culture and others especially tourism since cultural resources are very often potential for Original Article International Journal of Communication and Media Studies (IJCMS) ISSN (P):2250-0014; ISSN (E): Applied Vol. 7, Issue 3, Aug 2017, 13-20 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.