• Assoc.Prof.Suchawadee Kesmanee

Bachelor of Education -Srinakarinviroth (Patumwon) University

Master of Education - Kasetsart University

Candidate Doctor of Philosophy Program in Thai Language - Kasetsart University

Literature presents the picture of people's lives in the society in details. There have been numerous studies on Chinese-Thai literatures but none has an in-depth study on the Chinese identity. This study has been conducted due to personal interest to analyze the authors'  effort of how they presented the Chinese identity through the characters, contents and social contexts.

☻To collect and conduct analytical study of Chinese identity in Thai society display in Thai literature from 1957 to 2007☻To create understanding and the sentimental in Chinese identity in Thai Society☻To create adherent and sustain Chinese Identity in Thai society

1.Concept of identity according to Fiske, J. Lewis (1991) which has been used for identity selection criterias such as Individual Identity is to answer “Who am I?” question. Each individual person may have more than one identity depends on how they look at themselves. To be a member of several units in society, each individual has different role and can look at themselves differently from each aspect.Collective identity refers to the process of creating social shared consciousness and that would drive individual, as a social member, to realize their group common interest and that is another way of how they look at themselves by answering “Who are we?” question and understand how “Our group” difference from “ Other group”. Those social shared consciousness can be created and changed by using numerous symbol which has been built in group culture system, such as folk song. According to Schlesinger 1992( ) concept related to identity, society and culture have important roles to create, maintain and adjust identity directly.

2. Concept and theory of ethnicity developed by Barth (1969) defined ethnic group as a type of which people select to present themselves who they are. From Barth’s standpoint, ethnic identity study or the selection process of social member in presenting who they are and which group they are is important because ethnic identity focus on the importance of people interactions and cultural characters of ethnic which can be changed. Cohen (1985)’s concept has been stated clearly that ethnicity is represent as interest group which seeking for better political and economic opportunity while interacting with other ethnics, therefore ethnic identity has been selected and utilized in order to get those opportunity. Ethnic identity is a tool to complete among ethnic groups in order to grab maximum resources. And according to Kunstadter (1967), Ethnic Group means a group of each individual person who has same conscious and shared interest or having same value and define Ethnic Identification as a process of determine characteristic to accept people as a group member.

• 3. Concept and theory about the meaning of Society and Culture especially on the adjustment by Thorpe and Schmuller (1965) which split individual adaptation into 2 groups, Personal Adjustment which has been meaned that thinking and feeling about themselves. Personal adjustment can divide into 2 parts. 1) Physical adjustment for example, the need of food and drink to adjust for biological balancing 2) Psychological adjustment is the adjustment driven by mental condition which has been resulted from learning and experience. This mean thinking, knowledge or behavior of one person toward others or the demand caused by environment and human social require reaction and behavior adjustment to bring it into harmony.

• This considered as adjustment to keep balance among conflict between demand, believe, value or culture that has been developed to be self factor which contradict with social and eliminate conflict.

• The Roy Adaptation Model (1984, 1999) has been said that the adjustment means that individual reaction behavior while confront self or environmental change to maintain physical and mental balancing. Since personal adjustment is to balance personal live condition, the adjustment is dynamic process and continuing change.

• Concept of adjustment theory by Roy has been believed that the Person is adaptive system which interacts with both self internal and environment around it all the times.

• Roy’s definition of environment is all conditions or circumstances surrounding person. The environment has been defined as an input to adaptive system and according to Roy , the environment is a stimulus to activate human adjustment. Once human confront with stimulus or environment, they need to make adaptive response to it and behave in 4 aspects

☞ Behavior adaptation needs of the body (Physiological Needs) starts from the basic needs of security physiologies that have been covered by basic needs.

☞ The orientation behavior concept (Self Concept) is adaptative behavior to the needs of mental stability which happened from feeling by themselves that effectal from their experience and learning, and act to their relationships with others. Furthermore, conjecture about this self has involved with thinking, feeling, understanding to any pressures and focusing on their values.

☞ Adaptative behavior to roles (Role Function) is a adaptative behavior to their needs, and maintaining a stable society or acceptance of others in any situations that individual person cannot perform their duty as a role. Individual must adapt to their roles by regularly.

☞ Adaptation behavior of mutual dependence. (Interdependence) is the basic needs of individuals in which retain in the stability of society. Because people must be associated and depended on each other, be fit enough during the self-reliance to depend on others, and rely on others to contribute to their psychological and social stability

The data were gathered through Thai literature since 1957 to 2007. Data collected had been inspected,

classified, analyzed, and composed.

The results revealed that

The Chinese had immigrated to and settled down in Thailand mainly due to economic reasons. Thailand had welcomed the Chinese and provided them with job opportunities.

* Increase in number of Chinese immigrants in Thailand.

* Became The largest minority group in Thailand.

The ancestors of the Chinese settling down in Thailand were the Chinese residing in the South and Southeast of China.

* They were not well-educated farmers .

* Their lifestyle and way of living reflected their beliefs in

Taoism + Confucianism + Mahayana (a sect in Buddhism)

The concepts of the 3 doctrines were the natural spirits, rituals and moderate way of life respectively. Their beliefs were displayed in rituals which  were performed to strenthen the sense of communal unity and the need to help each other.

The Chinese, even after immigrating to a new land.They have always been very strict to observe

☞ the tradition despite the political crisis

☞ social changes☞ and ethnic integration

Their beliefs and these social activities were signs of cooperation and key roles to lead

☞ their lives☞ work ☞ and maintain well-balanced emotional

stability

The mechanism and methods used by the Ethnic Chinese Thai to conserve their Chinese identity through rites included family elders acting as model, consultants or instructors, religions leaders passing on concepts and beliefs, relatives giving advices and chances to learn through rite participation, community organization and groups arranging activities to reinforce the cultural identity.

• The results revealed that the time periods can be categorized into 4 periods, ☞ Before Siamese Revolution of 1932 ☞ After Siamese Revolution of 1932 until the end of General Poh. Phiboonsongkram -1932(1956)☞ From General Poh. Phiboonsongkram’s government until the end of General Sarith Thanarath’government (1956-1963)

☞ Present Time 

Conclusion

Doctrines

Confucius

Manner TaoismNature

BuddhismMerit and Future Life

IDENTITY

RiteDressing

Birth

Death etc.Politics in Thailand

Generation - 1 4

Retention Change Disappearance

+

The Chinese Identity in the Thai Society

The findings of the research were :To collect and create intimate knowledge of Chinese identity in Thai society which has brought many benefits to culture studies and sustain identity of each nationalityTo make new generation which realize the importance of the identity of each nationality that focus on human performance which rely on environmentAble to gain data related identity which has been applied for future utilization

The End