Formation of Attitudes Towards Indigenous and Ethnic Minority Communities in Thailand—from the Colonial Period to the Cold War

Modern attitudes and state policies toward the Kui and other Indigenous and ethnic minority groups in Thailand are the byproduct of a long historical relationship between the Thai/Siamese state and the communities living within its borders. I examine the threefold impact of the (post) colonial and the Cold War periods on Thai society, focusing on the narrative of Thai history, attitudes towards ethnic minorities and expressions of difference, and, finally, the formation of Thai national heritage. Thailand’s experiences of colonialism and the Cold War, and the state’s reactions to these periods, played an essential role in establishing the contemporary image of Thainess and attitudes towards ethnicity/difference, the retelling of Thai history, and the creation of national culture and heritage.