Thai Diaspora in Tenasserim: Livelihoods of “Who Chose to Remain” in the Diaspora

Abstract

Thai diaspora in Tenasserim is a new form of diaspora ‘staying put’. Although these groups of people have no cross-border movement, but the effect of demarcation between British Burma and the Kingdom of Siam in 1868, made the Siamese communities in Tenasserim transition from ‘native’ to be ‘diaspora’. Thai diaspora have been painful adjustment to the new situation at their ‘home’ where belonged to the others. And the hostland government came controlling, threaten and oppression these diasporas. Consequently, some members in Thai diaspora ‘chose to flee’ while some ‘chose to remain’. In spite of Tenasserim has no time to free from war since it was established. Choosing to remain in the hostland whose hospitality was unreliable, therefore Thai diaspora need to build diversified livelihood strategies for survival while maintaining identity ‘Thainess’. ‘Choosing to remain’, thus demonstrate capabilities of ‘agencies’ as freedom of Thai diaspora in Tenasserim who chose to remain at their ‘home’ or ‘place of origin’.