The research interests of Yos Santasombat encompass a wide range of interconnected fields, including biodiversity, local knowledge systems, and sustainable development. His work engages deeply with political anthropology, particularly in relation to elites and power dynamics, as well as with peasant societies and cultures, natural resource management, and community forestry.
He also draws on psychological anthropology, with a focus on socialization processes, alongside critical perspectives on women and gender under neoliberalism. His research further addresses biodiversity and indigenous knowledge in the Mekong region, as well as border and transnational issues in Southeast Asia, including the relationship between China and the region.
In addition, his academic interests extend to environmental issues and community-based natural resource management, consumerism in modern society, rural development, marginality and displacement, and the study of space and diverse ethnic identities.