Transmitting Thoughts and Beliefs Through House -Decorated Pictures : A Case Study of Bangsakae Village, Song Phi Nong District, Suphan Buri Province

Abstract

This research was aimed at gaining understanding about the thoughts and beliefs embedded in the house-decorated pictures and analyzing the methods used in con-structing semiotic meaning embedded in the pictures use for decorating the houses. The sources for the study were the pictures set up to decorate the houses of the people in a comrunity in Song Phi Nong District, Suphan Buri Province. The research had selected a house 10 serve as the sample for the study. The research project was inspired by the phenomenon ff using pictures to decorate the house. This phenomenon was interesting and reflecting the rotions proposed by semiotics. The findings reveal that the pictures used in decorating the house had reflected 3 beliefs: firstly, social values covering the love and stronghold in the nstitutions of nation, religion, and monarchy, and the mintenance of one's life in compliance t,0 societal customs and traditions; secondly, the social relationship covering the love and faith bf ancestors, and; thirdly, the self-presentation signifying personal life successes and adora?ion of bureaucratic rankings. Regarding the method of semiotic communication, it was found that the house-decorated pictures indirectly carried the meaning. There was the use of parts to represent the whole and the use of sets of signs in the same paradigm. Another interesting rnding was the signs used in the house decoration were blended and borrowed from other tontexts to construct the meaning in a particular context as well.