People in Thailand

The modern nation of Thailand is a multicultural society. The predominant Thai culture, identity and civilization emerged as a byproduct of the interaction of the indigenous population with Tai and other immigrant peoples [including China and India]. When people call themselves selbst''''Thai it means they are in a political sense, subjects of the Thailand nation. When investigated further, the word has a cultural and for many, a linguistic sense. However, not all > Thailand citizens speak Thai and of those who pretend it is a second language for them. This Thai identity in its present form is still relatively young.

The first inhabitants are described in the Background link. After the pre-historic times, there were the Mon, the Khmer and other Austro-Asiatic tribes such as the Lawa, H 'tin, etc. The key factors are to 1300 and the arrival of the Tai tribes. The Khmer who set up the Kingdom of Angkor Chenla and described in East> Thailand People although Khmer influence was significant and elsewhere.

The Austro-Asiatic speakers including the Mon in North Thailand People and Central Thailand People regions considered. The Mon had separate kingdoms in each region. The other Austro-Asiatic speaking tribes are but these were less important. In North Thailand People we describe the smaller groups of Austro-Asiatic speakers such as the Lawa, H 'tin and other hunters andcollect this region.

The Tai tribes [of which we identify 30 groups] in the regions of Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, southern Thailand or South and North-East Thailand considered. These regions are relevant in that ethnic diversity is also through the various regions of Thailand. Modern Thailand is a modern political Nation now what historically numerous ethnic cultures and empires. The ethnic characteristics,Beliefs, languages and lifestyles of each of all the tribes are also compared in these links. As between the Tai tribes the points of comparison are language and writing, art and culture and architectural style. As among all other ethnic tribes, the points of comparison are language groups, monogamous and polygamous cultures, animist and non-animist beliefs, ancestor worship or not, indic script or Khmer based text, highland dwellers [dry rice farmers] or lowland farmers [wet riceFarmers], hierarchical and non hierarchical societies, spirit beliefs and religion [Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Taoist, animist, etc].