Sanuk (Thai culture)

Sanuk or sanook (สนุก, pronounced [sa.nùk]) is a Thai-language word most commonly translated as 'fun'. It is used in English to describe the Thai cultural concept that regards fun and enjoyment as "a regular and important component of everyday life".^[1] This is expressed through a wide range of activities, including numerous traditional festivals but also religious and work-related contexts.^[2]

Sanuk is not limited to pure entertainment or leisure activities. It also encompasses "the feeling of enjoyment, excitement or pleasure that one has taking part in work, play or any other activities".^[3] In the workplace, the Thai sense of sanuk contrasts with modern Western society, where work and leisure are usually kept separate. However, activities have undergone significant changes since the onset of rapid economic development and social change in the 1980s.^[4]

References

^ Kislenko, Arne (30 May 2004). Culture and Customs of Thailand. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-313-05838-7.
^ Weiner, Eric (25 November 2015). "The country where fun is a way of life". BBC Travel. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
^ Dakin, Sujin (1998). Critical elements of Thai culture influencing the relations between Thais and Americans: A study of cross-cultural interaction at the Phanat Nikhom Processing Center (PhD dissertation). School for International Training. Quoted in Wallace, Mike; Poulson, Louise (2003). Learning to Read Critically in Educational Leadership and Management. Sage. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-4129-3378-0.
^ Pewnim, Maneewan (1995). Sanuk: A study of Thai "leisure" activities in transition (PhD dissertation). University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

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[1] Kislenko, Arne (30 May 2004). Culture and Customs of Thailand. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-313-05838-7.

[2] Weiner, Eric (25 November 2015). "The country where fun is a way of life". BBC Travel. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

[3] Dakin, Sujin (1998). Critical elements of Thai culture influencing the relations between Thais and Americans: A study of cross-cultural interaction at the Phanat Nikhom Processing Center (PhD dissertation). School for International Training. Quoted in Wallace, Mike; Poulson, Louise (2003). Learning to Read Critically in Educational Leadership and Management. Sage. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-4129-3378-0.

[4] Pewnim, Maneewan (1995). Sanuk: A study of Thai "leisure" activities in transition (PhD dissertation). University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

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