Interaction and Identity Creation of Thai - Chinese Descent in Phuket

Abstract

          Thai-Chinese relations in Phuket date back to the 14th century, with t he vast majority of overseas Chinese arriving from Fujian Province.  They t raveled through the Malay Peninsula to trade and work in the mines. The i nfluence of the Hokkien Chinese immigrants who caused their own culture from the Malay Peninsula to spread.  The resulting cultural process has cre ated a unique regional identity of the Phuket city community that is differe nt from the original source population.

          This academic paper aims to study interaction and identity creation o f Thai - Chinese descent in Phuket and how it affects the creation and main tenance of ethnic identity of Thai-Chinese demographic. It can be conclude d that cultural interactions are of mutually reinforcing characteristics: ada ptation, borrowing, assimilation, and integration, forming an expressive d ualism. Defining an identity of “Baba” or “Thai - Chinese Descent in Phuke  t” reflects one's identity through language, traditions, rituals, in which the existence of ethnic identity is linked through knowledge, beliefs and group process This is the power relationship that has molded Thai Chinese in Ph uket,thus strengthening ethnic consciousness.