THE DRIVING OF SELF-REGULATORY MECHANISMS OF THE ADVERTISING PROFESSION IN THAILAND

Abstract

The research is aimed 1) to study the driving of self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in successful countries, 2) to explore the driving of self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in Thailand, and 3) to examine guidelines for solving problems and obstacles for the driving of self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in Thailand. The study was divided into two parts:

Part 1: The study on the driving of self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in successful countries was conducted by qualitative research through the documentary analysis of public records of the advertising media professional organizations for regulating advertising ethics in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the People’s Republic of China. The results show that the United Kingdom and Australia have driven advertising ethics in their countries by developing codes of conduct, establishing regulatory committees, and disseminating through organizational communication. For the People’s Republic of China, advertising regulatory associations were established, including researching and upgrading the advertising industry. The self-regulatory organizations in the United Kingdom and Australia are responsible for establishing fundamental structure, enacting and enforcing laws, consumer protection, support, and regulation, while Chinese organizations determine roles covering additional issues towards the utmost social and economic. Regarding funding, the budget of self-regulatory organizations in the United Kingdom and Australia benefits comes from the levy, fees, and fines, while the income of Chinese organizations comes from other additional sources.

Part 2: The study on the driving of self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in Thailand was conducted by qualitative research through in-depth interviews. The study found that self-regulatory mechanisms of the advertising profession in Thailand should be managed by the Advertising Association of Thailand via the determination of roles and responsibilities in advertising regulation, research, and collaboration development to ensure that advertisements through every communication channel in Thailand has a social responsibility and can compete in the market mechanisms fairly by following the 5Cs Strategy, namely Consumer and Community, Complaint Handling, Content, Consensus, and Center of Excellence. The advertising auditing should be supported by the budgets from membership fees, auditing fees, activities for fundraising, government funding, and the levy from advertising media. Moreover, possible problems in the coverage of self-regulation, voluntary workers in self-regulatory missions, regulatory officers’ conscience, funding, and the intervention from stakeholders should be prevented.

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