Fish and chips, William Shakespeare, the Spice Girls, James Bond, Harry Potter, Premier League Football, the Beatles, Paddington Bear, tartan fabric, BBC News, and the red telephone box.
What do all these have in common?
The answer is that they are all symbols of the United Kingdom (UK), a cultural superpower that has withstood the test of time for centuries. British soft power has projected itself across the world, in terms of language, education, film, literature, music, food, sports, and other countless topics.
No matter how the global economy, politics, and society may change, the United Kingdom has always retained its ‘soft power’ strength.
For the past two years, there has been growing interest among Thai people in soft power, from mango sticky rice on the Coachella stage, the footprints of Thai red curry and Kaeng Som on the global culinary scene, and the popularity of Thai ‘Y’ series abroad, to Thailand’s ambition to add Muay Thai to the list of Olympic sports. This interest has sparked a question regarding the true identity of Thai soft power, and what its direction should be.
Today, we have an opportunity to discuss what soft power is—over a cup of British tea—with H.E. Mark Gooding, the British Ambassador to Thailand, and Ms. Helga Stellmacher, Country Director of the British Council in Thailand.
More than Entertainment
Ambassador Gooding defines soft power as a broad term to describe how a country influences the actions of other people, countries, and organisations through ideas and passion, rather than economic strengths.
“Culture is the main component of soft power. When people think of the UK, many think of the Premier League and other pop cultures like tv shows as well as films such as James Bond and Harry Potter, or artists like Harry Styles, who has changed the world’s perception of English music. But for me, soft power is much broader than that—it is essentially a reflection of British values.”
“Take for example, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which is the public broadcasting agency of the UK, operating independently from the British Government to create quality content. In this regard, the BBC reflects the confidence of British people in freedom of the press and expression. The same goes for the British parliamentary system and British common law, which respectively represent prime examples of democracy and legal codes for numerous other countries.”
“The British people want to show their character through these symbols, from technology, education, environmental challenges, free trade, and other aspects. This is more than just PR for our country, it is also an effort to make the world a better place. In terms of the environment, we do not talk about how the UK tackles climate change, but seek to promote climate action as a global cause. Our advantages come from the fact that the British Government and agencies have excellent diplomatic networks. We are a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth, as well as numerous other organisations. We try to join hands with other countries to work together.”
“It is truly magnificent how British experiences affect other people. I feel that many popular stories like Harry Potter and the Hogwarts mean so much to so many, and Thai people know more about Premier League Football than I do,” Ms. Helga Stellmacher said with laughter. “Working in Asia, I found that many people who work at the British Council have never been to the UK, but found their connections through language and culture. Some may come across stories about the UK from trips to the library with their grandmothers, and no matter where they go in the world, they will encounter some forms of British culture,” she added.
As well as these pop icons, many people think of the British Royal Family as one of the foremost British institutions. This year, there is going to be a coronation ceremony for King Charles III, the first in over 70 years. The British Royal Household has announced that this occasion will symbolise the role of the Royal Family in the present era and in the future while preserving the beautiful traditions and practices of the past.
Soft power is a shell that all people can see, but before soft power, national policies and initiatives have really jumpstarted this power and all related images.
“We have worked with numerous parties in pushing forward British ideas and values, from sustainable development, and free trade to opportunities for cooperation. The British Embassy also works with the Royal Thai Government via the Thai Ministries of Finance and Public Health in meeting global challenges like climate change, building on the success of COP26 in 2021. We also cooperate with many agencies in Thailand on environmental technology, vaccines, and healthcare services. In addition, we are also pleased to have worked with Thailand in preserving people’s lives, especially in developing vaccines and healthcare services to tackle the global challenge of the Pandemic.”
Ambassador Gooding emphasises the importance of connecting the UK to the world, rather than merely promoting its activities. The UK has committed itself to this cause such as by assisting other countries through Official Development Assistance (ODA), valued at more than 18 billion US dollars per year.
The British Council mainly works with soft power. It supports the learning of the English language, education, science and arts, as well as seeksing to build trust and friendly relations with other communities to meet the challenges of the present.
“The British Council emphasises the educational aspect by developing English language teaching in Thailand, especially online, in order to reach more people. We seek to provide people with an opportunity to develop their careers via our university programmes, promoting further study in the UK, not just to learn English but also other subjects to immerse learners into British culture and ideas. These people will then be able to come back and make changes in Thailand. We have a very big community of British alumni in Thailand, and the UK remains the most popular destination for further study in higher education level among English-speaking countries.”
“We also support arts and the creative industry by organising cultural exchanges between the new generation of artists in Thailand and the UK. We do not work to specifically popularise any one group of British celebrities but help them to grow in the long term. This is why we emphasise the new generation of artists and cultural exchange. For example, we have contributed to the promotion of a creative economy via the Creative Hub in Nang Loeng, and the preservation of Thai intellectual heritage via the Crafting Futures project. We believe that helping the youth develop international relations will provide them with invaluablle experience for the future.”
“Soft power is not just the promotion of things that are already famous, but also includes other facets such as technological support and an emphasis on children, rather than just the entertainment industry,” Ms. Helga elaborated.
Values of Arts
Why has the UK always been successful in introducing new artists and creative minds?
This is a simple question in response to the ever-present and ongoing list of British people who wield significant cultural influence, in terms of films, tv shows, music, arts, fashion, architecture, literature, and sports, among other things.
The answers from both the Ambassador and Ms. Stellmacher are very simple.
“Our educational system prioritises creativity. Arts are important. Thus, the UK policy is built on a foundation that emphasises the ability of our arts to grow. Art is what connect us to the world. We just make sure that the environment conducive to artistic pursuit remains ever-present, and the arts will grow and retain their quality,” the Ambassador answered.
“It is important to learn about the arts of other cultures. In Thailand, we work to encourage artistic exchange that grants our artists the opportunity to learn the traditional arts of numerous cultures,” Ms. Stellmacher added.
Sustainability and the Environment
One topic that the UK deems very important is climate change.
Those involved with this topic in the UK believe that its results will echo through all human undertakings for centuries to come.
“The British public is very alarmed about this topic. As the pollution in London worsens, people are increasingly realising the gravity of the situation. In a short space of time, there has been a huge reduction in plastic use. The British Government plays a part in this behavioural change. The usage of Benzene and Diesel engine vehicles will be banned in 2040, and thus, many people have become interested in alternative modes of transportation. We also look to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.”
“We realise that the problem has arisen from the centuries-long release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. Hence, concrete actions have been taken to correct this. However, we cannot do this alone; that is why we work with countries around the world and the UN to share our knowledge with a view to creating solid climate action. This cannot be achieved merely by cooperation among big players, but everyone needs to change their behaviours.”
“Our main goal is to work internationally to meet the climate challenge in a sustainable manner to make sure we will succeed in developing our economy and trade while preserving the environment. This is a big, overaching topic that concerns all our missions.”
“Thailand is one of the 10 countries that will be affected most by the climate crisis, due to flood, drought, and agricultural difficulty. Thus, it is very important that we work together. This is also a reflection of British values,” Ambassador Gooding reiterated.
The British Council also cooperates with the British Embassy in relationship-building, and other PR programmes concerning the environment in order to move forward in the same direction.
Thai Soft Power
In the eyes of foreigners, Ms. Helga and Ambassador Gooding like Thai soft power.
Both agree that Thai soft power is interesting, captivating and powerful. However, the question is, “How can we expand on its strong points?”
“When I worked in Manchester, dining in a Thai restaurant was a luxury. When I came here, I learnt many new things, like how Lisa of BLACKPINK functioned as a soft power, shedding light on new possibilities that are worth exploring,” Ms. Helga narrated her experience with respect to her image of Thailand.
“Thailand is very well-known in the UK. It is a top tourist destination and is known for the smiles of the Thai people. Every year, about one million Brits come to Thailand because they love this beautiful country, the pristine beaches, the exotic culture, and the metropolitan energy of Bangkok. In the UK, there are also a lot of Thai restaurants, not to mention how many people come here to practice Muay Thai. For the Brits, Thailand is very interesting,” Ambassador Gooding closed his remarks on a high note.
The UK looks forward to working with Thailand, in terms of education, international relations and digital programmes, as well as other areas where we can exchange views, such as culture.
The goal is not just to get Thai people to know the UK better, but to let both countries know how to cooperate going forward because in many cases, good things cannot happen by working alone, but through working together with synergy to foster great, unexpected things.
