Factors influencing artificial intelligence usage behavior for English communication with foreign customers among Thai massage therapists in Bangkok

Authors

  • Teeradet Chuenpraphanusorn Suan Dusit University
  • Ongorn Snguayat Suan Dusit University
  • Prakit Bhulapatna Suan Dusit University

Keywords:

artificial intelligence, English communication, Thai massage therapists, technology acceptance, technology anxiety

Abstract

This objectives of this mixed - methods research aimed to: 1) examine the levels of perception, attitude, anxiety, and behavior regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for English communication with foreign customers among Thai massage therapists in Bangkok; 2) compare AI usage behavior based on gender, age, and English proficiency levels; 3) investigate the influence of perception, attitude, and anxiety on AI usage behavior; and 4) explore these therapists’ needs for English language skill development and AI-related knowledge. The quantitative sample consisted of 424 Thai massage therapists selected through multi-stage sampling, and data were collected via a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of .96 Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, One-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. For the qualitative phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 key informants. The findings revealed that: 1) the perception, attitude, anxiety, and AI usage behavior among the therapists were all at a high level. 2) Therapists with variations in gender, age, and English proficiency levels exhibited statistically significant differences in their AI usage behavior at the .05 level. 3) Perception, attitude, and anxiety together explained 40.8% of the variance in AI usage behavior with perception emerging as the strongest positive predictor, followed by attitude, whereas anxiety exerted a statistically significant negative influence. 4) regarding training need,  all key informants expressed  a strong desire to develop their listening, speaking, and massage-specific vocabulary skills, and unanimously agreeing that establishments should provide structured AI training. The qualitative findings further confirmed that AI should serve as an augmentation tool to enhance capabilities rather than a replacement for human therapists within the context of massage therapy service. The researcher recommends developing English for Specific Purposes programs through blended learning and creating domain-specific AI applications embedded with a curated Thai massage terminology corpus to enhance service standards in Thailand’s wellness tourism industry.

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Published

2026-07-02

How to Cite

Chuenpraphanusorn, T., Snguayat, O., & Bhulapatna, P. (2026). Factors influencing artificial intelligence usage behavior for English communication with foreign customers among Thai massage therapists in Bangkok. Journal Of Management Science Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, 6(2), 909–925. retrieved from https://so08.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JMSSNRU/article/view/6833

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Academic Articles