Public communication on exotic pets in Thai society: From fashion and marketing to media and social responsibility

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the role of public communication concerning exotic pets in Thai society. The study includes key informants from three sectors in Chiang Mai in the context of a digital society, where keeping such animals is no longer merely a matter of personal preference but is increasingly connected to consumer culture, identity construction, and communication through social media platforms. These dynamics significantly influence public perception, consumer decision-making, and social responsibility. This article is a synthesized academic study drawing upon in-depth interviews. with key informants from three sectors in Chiang Mai, including a conservation and research representative from Chiang Mai Night Safari, a veterinarian specializing in exotic pets from the Northern Veterinary Learning and Health Promotion Center, and a wildlife conservation authority from the Protected Areas Regional Office 16 (Chiang Mai). The perspectives obtained from the key informants are synthesized with communication theories and concepts to explain the communication mechanisms that shape meanings and representations of exotic pets in contemporary society. The analysis reveals that contemporary media significantly influences communication about exotic pets. The analysis shows that contemporary media largely drives communication about exotic pets. The analysis reveals that communication concerning exotic pets in contemporary media is driven by the logic of the attention economy and content culture, which emphasizes the logic of the attention economy and content culture, emphasizing emotional appeal, novelty, and social image, particularly through social media platforms, exotic pet cafés, and commercial spaces. Such communication practices encourage consumer decision-making within conditions of information imbalance, while issues relating to animal welfare, care preparedness, legal regulations, and ecological impacts receive comparatively limited attention. The findings further indicate that one cannot solely understand the challenges associated with exotic pet ownership at the level of individual consumer behavior. Rather, they are closely connected to an “imbalanced communication system” that prioritizes attractiveness and audience engagement over accuracy, completeness, and long-term social responsibility. This article proposes that public communication concerning exotic pets should seek to balance audience engagement, informational accuracy, and social responsibility through collaboration among media organizations, content creators, governmental agencies, experts, and public learning institutions. Such communication can better support consumer decision-making grounded in knowledge. This approach fosters a critical understanding and awareness of the long-term social, environmental, and animal welfare impacts.