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Thailand is home to at least 60 indigenous groups who maintain their traditional ways of life. While nation-building has pushed for cultural unification, many communities preserve their distinct customs and identities. The key understanding is that all Thai citizens have indigenous roots—there is no "us vs them."
These indigenous peoples can be categorized into 4 groups based on their traditional territories:
Forest-dwelling peoples, such as the Mani and Mlabri
Highland peoples, such as the Karen (Pga K’nyau), Hmong, and Akha
Plains-dwelling peoples, such as the Tai Dam, Tai Lue, Phu Thai, Chong, Kui, and Kaling
Island and coastal peoples, such as the Urak Lawoi, Moken, and Moklen
Thailand's indigenous communities, numbering around 6.1 million people according to a 2002 government study, make up nearly 10% of the nation's population. Despite this, societal misconceptions persist, stemming from stereotypes that indigenous peoples are somehow "alien," recent immigrants to Thailand, drug traffickers, or destroyers of forests and natural resources. In reality, their communities face a complex struggle to adapt to a rapidly developing country, while upholding traditions that protect them and the environment. To this day, indigenous peoples continue to face multiple challenges, including:
Insecure land rights and housing
Lack of citizenship recognition
Cultural erosion and loss of identity
Declining use of indigenous languages
Disappearing traditional knowledge and wisdom
Reduced self-reliance and increasing dependency on state support
Prejudice cannot empathize. It is based in ideology that not only continues to hurt vulnerable indigenous communities, but the entire Thai population. Over the past decade, there has been more and more evidence that can help us understand how valuable it is to preserve their cultures and protect their communities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, indigenous communities demonstrated their resilience by utilizing their traditional knowledge and cultural heritage to address challenges in spite of the lack of aid and support. Link to the story here. Their unique social networks enabled them to mobilize food aid to help both their own members and urban poor populations. Their solutions benefited not only their own communities but also supported broader society.
Meanwhile, natural wildfires which have been historically vital to forest ecosystems over millions of years, are being intensified by climate change, in frequency and severity. This leads to widespread forest loss impacting community livelihoods and damaging local economies. A recent study published in 2023, finds that, perhaps contrary to expectations, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries have seen the greatest increases in exposure to fires, and that indigenous communities may hold the key to maintaining our forests in way that reduces that risk. Misconceptions of traditional agricultural burning, from outside indigenous communities, has led to them being blamed for these fires. This holds many parallels with colonial countries where only now indigenous knowledge is being recognized for its role in controlling the spread of fires.
Along these same lines, every year as the blanket of PM2.5 smothers us, many are likely to point fingers at indigenous communities for agricultural burning. However, upon closer examination research shows that the majority of PM2.5 comes from vehicles and industrial factors. Even though a small but significant percentage comes from agricultural burning, indigenous communities burn on a 5-7 year cycle, whereas many conventional farmers burn large fields of animal feed crops like sugarcane, rice, and corn every year. Adding insult to injury, the indigenous diet is also a primarily vegetarian one.
These examples demonstrate why the state should reconsider its approach to managing indigenous communities and cultural diversity within Thai society. It further highlights the need for us to examine our own role in many of these issues.
So then how can we move beyond these misconceptions and build a better future for “all of us”? We may start by recognizing the role indigenous culture has in supporting the life-systems of the planet. This is why it is crucial to support the "Indigenous Peoples Rights Act”, as it protects not just specific communities but benefits everyone. Recognizing and valuing cultural diversity and human dignity strengthens Thai society and drives national development. You can find more information on this act here:
https://ethnicity.sac.or.th/contents/policy_pdf/pdfLinkFileTH20230525093947.pdf
Indigenous peoples are communities bound by shared cultural consciousness, expressed through their ways of life, languages, wisdom, and traditions. Their identity isn't about being "other"—it's about "our" collective heritage. Let us work together, embrace our unique strengths and build a future that ensures a place for each and every one of us.
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