Thai people

This article is about Thailand's ethnic majority. For other Tai ethnic groups, see Tai peoples.

Thai
ไทย

1st Row Rama I · Rama VI · Mak · Pleak Ketasangkha 2nd Row Wanchana Sawatdee · Tony Jaa · Paradorn · Somluck Kamsing 3rd Row Bird Thongchai · Joe 5 Yard · Katreeya English · Leesaw 4th Row Mario · Ploy Chermarn · Aed Carabao · Narisa Chakrabongse
Total population
approx. 70,000,000
Regions with significant populations
Thailand 64,200,000 [1] United States 350,000 Laos 180,000 [2] Australia 150,000 [citation needed] China 139,000 France 97,000 Taiwan 68,618 [3] (2010) Malaysia 65,000 [4] Germany 52,849 [5](2007) Singapore 56,744 [6] Japan 41,279 [7] (2010) Burma 41,000 Vietnam 40,290 Cambodia 39,556 [8] United Kingdom 35,000 [9] (2010 est.) Hong Kong 30,000 [10] Sweden 28,739 [11] Saudi Arabia 23,000 [12] South Korea 19,000 New Zealand 18,000 Russia 15,291 Norway 13,293 [13] Indonesia 13,010 Canada 10,500 Philippines [citation needed] 10,000+ United Arab Emirates 10,000 Spain 9,990 Bahrain 9,670 Switzerland 8,170 Qatar 7,800 India 7,000 Hungary 6,910
Languages
Central Thai, Lanna Thai, Isaan Lao and Southern Thai. Most Thais who are not native speakers of Central Thai speak it as a second langauge
Religion
Predominantly Theravada Buddhism
Related ethnic groups
Lao, Shan, Ahom, other Tai peoples

The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Tai–Kadai family of languages, and the majority of Thai are followers of Theravada Buddhism. The term Thai people may also refer to the population of Thailand in general, and not only to ethnic Thais.

History

A Siamese peasant in 1904.

An upper class Siamese lady in Bangkok, 1904.

There have been many theories proposing the origin of the Tai people, especially the association of the Tai people with the Kingdom of Nanzhao that is proved to be invalid. Linguistic studies suggested that the origin of the Tai people lies around the Chinese Province of Guangxi, where the Zhuang people are still a majority. The ancient Tai people should be the part of Chinese Nanyue or "southern barbarians". The Qin dynasty founded Guangdong in 241 BC, initiating the successive waves of Chinese migrations from the north for hundred years to come.

With the political and cultural pressures from the north, the Tai people migrated south where they met classical indianized civilizations of the Southeast Asia. The Tai first established themselves at Mueng Thaen (Thai: เมืองแถน) or modern Dien Bien Phu, according to the Khun Borom Legend. The Tai later scattered all around the continental Southeast Asia threatening the classical kingdoms and then replacing them. The Tai Yuan established themselves in northern Thailand, the Tai Lao people in modern Laos, and the Shans in Burma.

The Tais from the north gradually settled in the Chao Phraya valley from the tenth century onwards assimilating the earlier Austroasiatic Mon and Khmer people. They came into contacts with the Khmer Empire. The Tais were engulfed into the Hindu-Khmer culture and this gave rise to the Thai culture. Early Thai chiefdoms included the Sri Saccanalai and Supanburi (Khmer:Sophon Borei). The Kingdom of Lavo, which was the center of Khmer culture in Chao Phraya valley, was also the rallying point for the Thais. The Thai were called “Siam” by the Angkorians and they appeared on the bas relief at Angkor Wat as a part of the army of Lavo kingdom. Sometimes the Thai chiefdoms in the Chao Phraya valley were put under the Angkorian control under strong monarchs (including Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII) but they were mostly independent.

A new city-state known as Ayutthaya, named after the Indian city of Ayodhya, was founded by Ramathibodi (a descendant of Chiang Mai) and emerged as the center of the growing Thai Empire starting in 1350. Inspired by the then Hindu-based Khmer Empire (Cambodia), the Ayutthaya Empire's continued conquests led to more Thai settlements as the Khmer Empire weakened after their defeat at Angkor in 1431. During this period, the Thai developed a feudal system as various vassal states paid homage to the Thai kings. Even as Thai power expanded at the expense of the Mon and Khmer, the Thai Ayutthaya faced setbacks at the hands of the Malay at Malacca and were checked by the Toungoo of Burma.

Though sporadic wars continued with the Burmese and other neighbors, Chinese wars with Burma and European intervention elsewhere in Southeast Asia allowed the Thai to develop an independent course by trading with the Europeans as well as playing the major powers against each other in order to remain independent. The Chakkri dynasty under Rama I held the Burmese at bay, while Rama II and Rama III helped to shape much of Thai society, but also led to Thai setbacks as the Europeans moved into areas surrounding modern Thailand and curtailed any claims the Thai had over Cambodia, in dispute with Burma and Vietnam. The Thai learned from European traders and diplomats, while maintaining an independent course. Chinese, Malay, and British influences helped to further shape the Thai people who often assimilated foreign ideas, but managed to preserve much of their culture and resisted the European colonization that engulfed their neighbors. Thailand is also the only country in Southeast Asia that was not colonized by European powers in modern history.

Geography and demographics

Thai People Abroad

The vast majority of the Thai people live in Thailand, although some Thais can also be found in other parts of Southeast Asia. About 60 million live in Thailand alone [14], while thousands can also be found in the United States, Laos, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Burma, the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Libya and the United Arab Emirates.

Culture and society

The Thais can be broken down into various regional groups with their own regional varieties of Thai. These groups include Central Thai (also the standard variety of the language), the Isan (more closely related to the Standard Lao of Laos than to Standard Thai), Lanna Thai and Southern Thai. Modern Central Thai has become more dominant due to official government policy, which was designed to assimilate and unify the disparate Thai in spite of ethnolinguistic and cultural ties between the northeastern Thai people and the people from Laos for example.

The modern Thai are predominantly Theravada Buddhist and strongly identify their ethnic identity with their religious beliefs that include aspects of ancestor worship (see Culture of Thailand). Indigenous arts include muay Thai (kick boxing), Thai dance, makruk (Thai Chess), and nang yai (shadow play).

The Thai have a literacy rate hovering at 94% (one of the highest in Southeast Asia) and a strong predilection towards education and national development.

See also

• Thailand
• List of Thai people
• Thai American
• Thai British
• Thai culture
• Thais in Hong Kong
• Thai marriage
• List of Thai actresses
• List of Thai actors

References

• Girsling, John L.S., Thailand: Society and Politics (Cornell University Press, 1981).
• Terwiel, B.J., A History of Modern Thailand (Univ. of Queensland Press, 1984).
• Wyatt, D.K., Thailand: A Short History (Yale University Press, 1986).

External links

• US Library of Congress Country Studies, Thailand, The Thai and Other Tai-Speaking Peoples
• CIA Factbook Thailand
• ETHNOLOGY & THAI HILL TRIBES
• About things Thai.