Proceedings of the 41st International Academic Conference, Venice

NEW CHINESE IN THAILAND: THE COMBINATION OF DIASPORA, OVERSEAS CHINESE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

SIVARIN LERTPUSIT

Abstract:

This paper aimed to explain the pattern of migration of Chinese people in Thailand between 1978 and 2014 through qualitative research methodology. The findings were divided into two parts: the demographics of the new Chinese people in Thailand and the pattern of migration. After Sino-Thai open its diplomatic relations in 1975, the number of Chinese arrivals were slowly increasing. The shifting point was in the beginning of 2010 which a large amount of Chinese came to Thailand under supporting international circumstances in mobility and the economic interdependency. Assessing from their objectives of entering Thai, the new Chinese can be divided into four groups: Investors, small traders, labourers and students. This paper was implied in the concept of diaspora and the characteristic of new Chinese migrant around the world. The unique characteristics of Chinese diaspora, however, are the long residing in host countries, the formation of a well-established ethnic group and the retaining of Chinese identity including contributing to the development of China. The model of new Chinese migration in Thailand can be divided into two forms. Those investors, employees and students match the terms of diaspora as they were long-term migrants who probably return. On the other hand, the trader’s model is a traditional form of overseas Chinese who stayed and worked with their relatives. Moreover, they tend to stay permanently in Thai as ethnic Chinese.

Keywords: Chinese migrant, Thailand, student mobility

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2018.041.022

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