This thesis focus on the sociological aspects, analysing television drama in relation to Thai society during 2498-2516 BE. Based on the concept that men and society have two-way relation¬ship, as a social activity performed by individuals who are mem¬bers of that society, television drama is considered to be a social phenomenon which affects society and, simultanously, is affected by the feedback also. This means television drama and its creative people are, consequently, involved with society or organizations according to social contexts and periods. Socio-historical method is used as the approach to study and analyse the subject which concerns past events. The most important data are scripts of television drama broadcast during the above-mentioned period which related to the society at that time. Information on the quantity, show times, titles as well as production companies was avaiable in monthly magazines of each channel and was also obtained from interviewing persons in line with documentarily studying social situation which took about 6 months to accomplish. This research shows that television drama interrelates with the society in political, economical and sociological as¬pects. In political, the government used, it as a tool to stabi¬lize its regime and promote social ideas as well as a media to communicate with the public. Being an effective media and popu¬lar among the people, it is highly prized as a media to communi¬cate message to the people as evident in several charity programme organizers. In charity dramas, the government could directly suggest its wishes and the government could control plots of television dramas by private companies. Criteria and regulations to censor drama scripts were flexible relying on each government’s policy and were imposed by television stations. In economical and sociological, the sponsors and the audiences could set up types and plots of television drama, and also the economical and sociological could determinedthe direction in organizing drama of private companies and taste of the audiences. However, types and plots of the drama must not violate the regulations of tele¬vision station. Television drama during these 19 years were un¬der the control of the government which concentrated on guiding and promoting morality, patriotism and loyalty to the monarchy institution. However, the real purposed were for political order and discipline to facilitate its governing. As a consequences, dramatic creativity and initiative were restrained, and televi¬sion drama could not fully perform its function to reflect the social realities under the regulation of the government and tele¬vision station. Despite all these limitations, television drama was still considered as an important force in economic development by creating new jobs, providing advertising channels and earning
