Thailand

Multi-racial society, the case study of the Chinese in Thailand.

The concept of race and ethnic group.

Ethnic group : a group that is defined by cultural characteristics that are held in common, such as religion and language.

Racism : a belief system that views groups of people (identified by various physical characteristics) hierarchically in terms of superiority and inferiority.

The racial conflict of Oversea Chinese in host societies that happened in Southeast Asia

countries. In Malaysia, the “May 13, Racial Riot” occurred

in 1969. In Indonesia, in April 1994, the labor unrest in

Medan in Northern Sumatra turned into prolong rioting in which Chinese owned businesses were attacked.

Before, lesson war, Sino-Vietnamese border conflict 1979 Feb- March, 50,000 – 200,000 of Chinese in Vietnam were forced to return to China.

The map of Siam in nineteen century.

Location : Situated in the centre of mainland of South East Asia

Chinese in

Thailand : .

1890 =7.5% of pop ( 5 m.)

1917= 9.8% of

pop (9 m.)

The map of Thailand today.

Area : 514,000 Square km.

Population: 63 Million.

Chinese in

Thailand

: in the year 2000

214,894

Background

Thailand has many racial groups in society. Chinese, Vietnamese, Laos, Hill Tribes, Malay,

Indian for instances. The relationship of Thais exposes over those

racial groups in the form of dominantor. Among them,the Chinese is the most powerful

racial group in Thai society.

The domination of Thais over racial groups in society.

Thais

Racial group Racial group Racial group

Before World War II, the consciousness between Thai and non-Thai was not emphasized by government.

Between and after World War II, the nationalistic policy was strengthen then the consciousness of Thais and non-Thais were presented in mind.

Although there have been many racial groups, the serious racial problem has never been occurred in Thailand.

The point to be considered.

How the Chinese racial group can be the most powerful racial groups in Thai society?

How did Thai state treat them in the history?

How does the Chinese-Thai community coexist in Thai society?

The background of the Chinese in Siam.

The Chinese has settled down in Southeast Asia since thirteen century.

The reason for them to left their country were the lack of crop, civil war, natural disasters.

Throughout the 19th century and through the first half of the 20th , immigrants from China poured into Siam until the Communist party took power, the immigration slowed down and stopped.

When they went to overseas, most of them were male. They worked hard and acquired money to raise their family life.

When the time go by, they got married with local women and had their own children who latter become the Chinese Thai people, the next generation of the Chinese. They had the consciousness to be Siam people.

95 percent of the Chinese came from Kwangtung and Fukien province of China.

Most of them were poor farmers and peasants in China before.

They were consisted of 5 groups of different Chinese dialectics, that are Taechue, Hakha, Hainan, Hokien and Kwangtung.

The proportion of each groups is 56%, 16%,12%, 7% and 7% respectively.

The Chinese SiamImmigration

to

Lack of crops

Civil war

Natural disasters

The demand of labor

The reason of immigration from China to Siam.

Push factors Pull factor

The location of Kwangtung and Fukien Province in China.

Kwangtung and Fukien Province

The reason why Siam let the Chinese immigrated in.

Due to the demand of labor. Because, during the period of 1759-1855, Siam

faced the prolong war with neighboring states which causal to lose large number of man force.

The Chinese man force in Siam took participation in serving ranging from royal court trade, construction, agriculture, traders to rickshaw coolie.

After Bowring Treaty in 1855, Siam entered modern world trade and commercialization process then proceeding to demand the labor to contribution the new era .

And then, the Chinese became the entrepreneurial class of Chinese rice trade. Some of them became tax-farmers and became the noblemen of Siam society.

With the frugality and hard work, they escalated their status to become the middle class of Siam society that premodern Siam society existed only elite class (King and family) and mass class (agriculturalists).

The assimilation in Siam society. The assimilation among Thais and racial

groups in Siam took place naturally. The assimilation between Thais and the

Chinese took place by intermarriage among the elite class and among masses class.

Then, Thais and the Chinese had the closed relationship between them.

The close relationship between Thais and the Chinese.

Thais Chinese

The admixture of race between Thais and the Chinese by intermarriage

Elite class

Masses class

Assimilation process

Nationalism policy The nationalism policy had been started from Rama VI

(1910-1925) and strengthen during World War II and after in the Field Marshall Phibun Sonkraam regium.

Being awareness of being occupied in economic sector by the Chinese and the nationalism consciousness was the main stream around the world at the time.

During and after WW II, Phibun regium adopted full scale the policy of nationalism as the state policy to pressure on the Chinese economy and society.

Especially, the Thais wanted to take over the economic sector from the Chinese but due to the limited time, it was impossible to succeed this mission.

The portrait of Field Marshall Phibun

Sonkhraam

1897-1964

Born at Nontaburi Privince.

Educated from France.

Took political power between World War II and after.

The government strengthened the education by development the feeling of Thai consciousness and Thai knowledge to Chinese schools that effected until nowadays.

To cope with the policy, the Chinese adapted themselves by organizing together in form of trade association, business association and even secret society in order to negotiate with powerful government.

The new era of capitalistic development

After 1960, Thai economic entered the new era of capitalistic development.

The first five years national development plan was formed to aim to develop the country.

The Chinese Thai who located in private firms have shifted their activity to contribute to the plan, from rice trader to be the constructor or exporting products of cassava, maize, jute.

With the proceeding of economic development process, the Chinese Thai constitutes a large majority of middle strata in Thai social structure.

Nationalism policy as socialization Typical Chinese traits Pride of race and

culture Contempt for local

people Political allegiance to

China Etc.

Thais

Socialization process bynationalismbased on Thai educationfrom primaryschool to university.

Research Methodology Based on the research in the year 2000. Used anthropology approach by key

informant interviewing, informal interviewing, participant observation and photographing, making maps.

Sampling from 43 households in Boe Bae community by interviewing head of the families.

The Boe Bae community location.

Boe Bae - the Chinese community at the midst of Bangkok.

The official name of Boe Bae is Trok-Dhamma. Located between two official districts - Pratumvan and

Pomprabsattruphai districts. Boe Bae expanded itself from the area called old

market on two side,after that acrossing Krungsasem Road to the other side and further to tall building called Boe Bae Tower.

Boe Bae is the most well-known wholesales ready-made

-dresses market in Bangkok.

The exactly population is not recorded but consists of about 500 long-house shops, 1,000 stall-shops in the daytime service and 100 stall-shops for the nightime services from 02.00 pm to 7.00 am.

Boe Bae market had been settle down from about 1930 by Chinese.

During WWII, consumption goods were went out from the market then used clothes were brought into for sales

or exchange to necessary goods such as eggs or sugar and etc.

After WWII not only used clothes, others business was held and became handmade ready made dress in family business level.

Now, it developed to machinery manufacturing level and exported to the world market.

The institution in Boe Bae Community

Institution of belief

Institution of association

Pung Tao Kong Association.

Boe Bae Association.

Supernatural : Pung Tao Kong

Shrines

1. 2.Buddhism : Barom Niwat Temple

1.2.

Baromnivat Buddhism Temple

Established in the year 1794 in King Rama 3 regium. Each year, 5 Buddhism ceremony will be held. In connection with Boe Bae market, the temple are the

owner of land which the old market locates. The residents in the old market area have to pay to the

temple for renting land but the amount is too tiny to account at present.

In return, according to the owner - renter land relation, when the temple held the ceremony, the temple requires supporter to spread news. It is old market association channel.

The old association actively respond the temple both spread news and donate to the temple.

This is a kind of reciprocal relationship. About residents consciousness in taking participation with

shrines and temple, all of the sampling households take participation with shrines and about half take participation with the temple.

In the communal level : the co-exist relation between Chinese Shrine and Thai Temple

Pung Tao Kong Shrine Barom Niwat Thai Temple

Reciprocal relationship

Boe Bae Association Officially settled since 28 March 1983. The function : - as the information center of community,

funeral, marriage and public services. Especially, informational distributor and promotor of

ready made clothes to the international market level. Then, Boe Bae Association has the distinctive function

of modern institution functioning for the residents in dealing with international market .

Pung Tao Kong belief. Protect community from disaster such as fire. God-Pungtaokong Supernatural belief of Boe Bae

community. - 7 shrines scattering over all community - the oldest one is in old market area. - each shrine has their own association functioning in

managing the donated money. Each shrine has one ’s own boundary where restricted residents are living in.

Among 7 shrines, the old market shrines is the most active in activity.

The association consists of permanent and contemporary committee.

The permanent committee consists of 20 members who are senior and well known.

The contemporary committee consists of 24 members. These members are turned on December 5th ceremony each year.

Through the ceremony, they are selected from the the permission of God Pung Tao Kong.

In the ceremony, one of senior committee will use chopstick to pick up the householder’s name written and rolled in paper in front of God.

Then, he throws a pair of Puak Puay (big wooden bean) to the air, if God prefer that person, it will be one side down and one side up.

The senior committee conducts this until it completes 24 members, then the list of new members will be announced at the front of God.

After the ceremony, some of senior members will educate these new committee about the obligation of the association how to manage the donate money and distribute the authority among them.

This is a kind of socialization process of the new member in organizing community.

The three principles belief of Thai village. (syncretism)

In order to understand the Boe Bae community, let’s see the pattern of belief in Thai village.

Buddhism, the belief of conducting merit (bun) and demerit (bap). - the next life exists according to conducting merit or demerit. - has temple to conduct Buddhism ceremony. Brahman, the belief to fulfill man spirit, conducting ceremony to

thanks Rice-Spirit after cultivating seasons. Phe or supernatural belief, the belief to natural spirit and ancestor

spirit, protects villager from bad spirit. Each village has shrine for worship supernatural phe.

Buddhism : merit and demerit, the next life

Brahman : fulfill human spirit, ceremony correlation to rice spirit.

Phe : supernatural belief, preserving natural damage.

Three principles belief of Thai village

Buddhism Brahman Phe

Chinese family system :-pattern and transformation

Patrilineal:- head of family has absolute authority

Structure:- extended family. The oldest brother is priority

in take care of family’s business after father retired.

Transformation. Patrilineal:- housewife take

more participate in decising making.

Nuclear family :- (from orientation family to procreation family.)

No certain pattern in successor system. It is upon the appreciation of the head of family

Pattern.

Pattern Transformation The property of family will be

divided equally among brothers.

After marrige, patrilocal resident

Chinese will preserve their own language.

Chinese community is homogeneous society.

In connecting with clan association and contacting with relative in China.

There is no certain pattern. But sisters will be accounted in family’s property too.

Neolocal resident. Chinese-Thai gradually

neglect their own language. Boe Bae community is

heterogeneous society.

Only a few connecting with clan association and contacting with relatives in China.

Pattern Transformation Conducting Chinese

annual rite regularily.

Chinese female’s status is lower than male.

Continuing conducting annual rite but the frequency is lessen except Chinese New Year festival.

According to the dividing property and education, Chinese-Thai female is equally in status with male.

Chinese Community Pattern. They do not naturally dispose the

immigrants to assimilate into the host society.

They form a closed, tight integrated, self-sufficient system.

As long as the institutions remains intact, it acts as a strong deterrent to the assimilation process.

In Boe Bae community case study results.

Because of being business community, the connection with host society is inevitable.

The residents of community are in busy business, most of them neither take part in social work nor afford mutual help among them.

They have changed their name and surname to be Thai, speaking Thais as master language, educating in Thais education system.

From now on, the next generation, they will be Thais absolutely.

The Chinese rickshaw coolie

The co-exits structure of Chinese community to Thai host society and to international market in

communal level

Boe Bae community.

Pung Tao Kong Association

Conventional Thai temple

Boe Bae Association

International market

In belief

In marketing

The condition to be multi racial society in Thailand : in the national level.

Sustainable : (in term of development) able to be maintain at a certain level without causing damage to the environment or depletion of the resource.

In society sustainable can be interpreted in term of the stability of the entire society.

Especially, the coexist of multi racial group in host society without conflict or trouble.

Chinese in Thailand successfully coexist with host society sustainablely. Chinese and their descendants in Thailand attains

merit in full scale in Security. no conflict within host society Social position. Take the high position in

Thai society as Priminister and ministers. Economic opportunity. Successful middle

class. Then Chinese in Thailand is “ Progressive” in

coexist with the host society.

Thais and the Chinese in Thai society will be sustainable coexistent .

In Thailand, there is no deep-rooted anti-Chinese, nor have there been any of the serious racial conflicts.

These man are the new members of committees