A young Thai’s China story: understanding culture, embracing the future

By Kou Jie-Nine o’clock finally came, and the drudging toil of the day was over. Sitting limply upon his wooden chair, Sedthawut Inboon opened a battered book with an earthily-hued cover. Despite its age, it was pliable to the touch, and the sepia edges showed that it had been read and reread many times.

Sedthawut is an ardent fan of the Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written in the 14th century. “If you grew up in Thailand, you would have heard of the book; it is certainly a masterpiece,” Sedthawut told People’s Daily Online.

“One thing I’ve learned from this book is the need to make careful preparations before launching into any endeavor. Just like how the Chinese government draws up Five-Year-Plans to direct the country’s development, I use a similar structure for my film productions,” said the 25-year-old creative director.

“Sima Yi, a Chinese politician and military general who thinks many moves ahead, is my favorite character in the book. He has taught me that to reach your goal, you must be visionary and think critically, which are traits that have greatly aided me in my work,” he added.

Diehard fan of Chinese culture

Umay+, a media campaign launched by Sedthawut Inboon, aims to inspire today’s youth to conduct introspective self-examination in the spirit of Confucius, and also to abandon vanity and embrace their individual strengths and potential. (Photo credit: Sedthawut)

Early exposure to Romance of the Three Kingdoms and subsequent Chinese language classes in middle school solidified Sedthawut’s burgeoning affection for Chinese culture.

“Chinese language was a compulsory course in my middle school. We learned how to read and speak in this beautiful language, as well as understand Chinese culture,” said Sedthawut.

Sedthawut said that two quotes from the ancient Chinese classic The Analects of Confucius are firmly lodged in his mind.

“‘Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?’ Confucius told his students, just as he told them that he ‘examines himself three times every day.’ These phrases serve as personal mantras that inspire me daily,” said Sedthawut.

“The impact of Chinese philosophy on me and my life has been substantial. Last year, I started a media campaign called Umay+ to inspire today’s youth to conduct introspective self-examination in the spirit of Confucius, to abandon vanity and embrace their individual strengths and potential. I’m thrilled that Thai audiences have responded favorably to the short film,” said Sedthawut.

In addition to traditional Chinese culture, Sedthawut is fascinated by modern Chinese TV series and technologies.

“I’ve been following a Chinese TV series called You Are My Glory; it’s popular in Thailand. It helps us understand the daily lives of our young Chinese counterparts. I also play Chinese mobile games and am fascinated by the technologies they use in them,” said Sedthawut.

“As a director and content developer, I spend a lot of time on social media platforms like TikTok. There are many things that Thais can learn from China. I am fascinated by the AI technology the Chinese employ in content creation, and I am curious about how live-streaming has impacted Chinese people’s daily lives,” he added.

Expectations for future China-Thai cooperation

Sedthawut Inboonis optimistic that the cultural cooperation between China and Thailand will benefit young Thais like himself who are interested in China. (Photo credit: Sedthawut)

Sedthawut is optimistic that the upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Thailand will result in more chances for future cooperation between the two countries, which will benefit young Thais like himself who are interested in China.

“While traveling through Thailand, I came across several publications written in Thai that elaborated on President Xi’s views on international politics and governance. I’m intrigued by how he led China to ongoing successes over the past decade, and I aim to study more books about this,” said Sedthawut.

Sedthawut argues that modern China-Thai ties rely heavily on cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the people of the two nations.

“The China I know is from old books, but I hope to go there someday and observe its incredible modern cultural diversity,” he continued.

(People’s Daily Online)