In Thailand, the Chinese are a market-dominant minorities: they constitutes a small fraction of the population, but still control almost its entire economy. An interesting features about Thailand is that its market-dominant minority is very well accepted, where as market-dominant minorities like the United States are met with hate and resentment. This presentation explores racial assimilation as a factor of acceptance over the course of Thailand’s history. It also takes a look at current problems with assimilation in Thailand, analyzing the situation of the Muslim-Malay’s insurgency’s fight against Thai-Buddhist assimilation.

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} Introduction
} Developing Countries and Market Domination
} Asian Tigers
} Thailand: An exceptional Case
} Thailand and how they differ?
Assimilation, Globalization and the Case of Thailand
Helen Laycock, Gilian Ortillan and Krista Lambert
} Not all developing } Increased growth rates, Stats:
countries have market- suggest that China will } Hong Kong:
dominant minorities develop like Japan, ◦ English and Chinese are
} China South Korea, Hong prosperous
◦ Does not have any Kong, Taiwan- not
economically powerful } Taiwan, Han Chinese
ethnic minorities
considered developing ◦ Constitute 99% of the
◦ Has other problems: country- Asian Tigers population
corruption, wealth ◦ 1% non Han aborigines
inequalities } Japan and Korea are } Singapore
◦ Does not have the practically nonexistent
problem of a market- ◦ Chinese constitutes 77%
dominant minority of population and quite
stable
} Facts about Thailand: } Rates of intermarriage is 0
◦ Shares a wildly ◦ Thailand very common for intermarriages
disproportionate wealth
market dominant
Chinese minority } Work separately from each other
◦ Chinese are only 10% of ◦ Why: Pork Factor
population- control lots
◦ Thai Chinese speak only
Thai } Conflict between Chinese and indigenous
◦ Lots of intermarriage Thais are civilized
between Chinese and ◦ Some conflict due to the ambivalence towards the
Thai
Thai Chinese

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} Chinese Nationality Laws } Forced Assimilation
◦ Education System
} Thai Response
◦ “The Jews of the East”
} Anti-Chinese Economic Policies
◦ Industries nationalized
◦ “Out-Thai the Thai”
} Thai-Chinese are now reclaiming their } The Malay identify with Muslim and Malay
Chinese identity. customs more so than Buddhist Thai ones.
} Nonetheless, there are still restrictions on the } Buddhists being attacked by Muslims in
use of Chinese languages. Southern Thailand.
} A new separatist movement has been ◦ Buddhist temples closed and monks killed
instigated by the Muslim Malay in Southern ◦ Schools burned down and teachers killed
Thailand against the Buddhist Thai people. } This November: peace talks between the Thai
government and Southern Muslim groups.
} “Mixing blood” and forced assimilation aren’t } What could be an alternative to assimilation?
the antidotes to all political and social
problems. } Discuss nationality laws as a tactic of
} Ethnicity is powerful social force, but is also a preserving a culture. How is it effective and
double-edged sword. how does it hurt the culture?