Estimates show that there are around 4.5 to 6 million Chinese in Thailand. That’s about ten (10%) percent of Thailand’s population of 60 million. In truth, no one really knows the exact population of the Chinese in Thailand. This is in part due to the intermarriage that happens between Chinese and Thais. In addition to this, the Chinese in Thailand took on Thai names, which makes it even harder for researchers to survey them through Chinese surnames.

Indeed, there is a close relationship among Thais and Chinese. Aside from intermarriage among these two communities, the Thais have incorporated Chinese tradition to their own culture. This caused many observers to view Chinese (often called as Sino-Thai or Jek) culture as an essential part of Thai culture. There was even a time in history when the Sino-Thais were not considered foreigners in Thailand. During the Cold War however, closeness between the two communities was downplayed when ties with the West kept China apart from most of Southeast Asia. As the battle between non-Communist states like Thailand and local Communists (backed by Beijing) progressed, the Chinese community held a low profile. They hid their cultural distinctiveness and adapted to the Thai culture.

Migration History

The Chinese was initially drawn to the Malay Peninsula where they visited trading towns in the 13^th and 14^th centuries. By the 16^th century, the Chinese already had their own area in Ayudhya, the old capital of Thailand. Also, Chinese tin miners were already established in southern Siam, Thailand’s official name until May 11, 1949. Moreover, a large Chinese colony already existed in a Pattani, a city far south of Thailand. It was traced to a notorious pirate named Lin Daoqian and those of his followers when they fled from Fujian in the 16^th century.

According to “Chinese Society in Thailand”, a book written by G. William Skinner in 1957, the number of Chinese in Siam during the late 17^th century is estimated to be around 10,000. That’s around one percent of the total population during the time. Sources say that most of these Chinese were of Fujian and Canton origin.

Even though there were setbacks, the Chinese became unrivalled when it came to trading. This is partly because they were not treated as foreigners by the Thais.  As a matter of fact, a Chinese writer observed that the Thais warmly accepted the Chinese much better than those in other countries.

When Burma attacked Ayudhya in 1766, the local Chinese community made an effort to defend the city. Yet, the Thai kingdom was defeated by Burma. It so happened that the man who re-established the Thai kingdom was half-Chinese and half-Thai. He eventually became king and presided over the new capital at Bangkok. This man was King Taksin.

King Taksin’s father was a Teochiu (Chouzhou) immigrant who held a gambling monopoly at Ayudhya. During his rule (1767-1782), Taksin encouraged more Techoius to immigrate to Thailand. He persuaded these Chinese to establish themselves as merchants and plantation agriculturalists.

Another ruler who made a contribution to the increase of Chinese immigration was Rama I. He planned and situated the Chinese trading center in Sampheng which caused the royal trading to prosper. Because of that, Chinese commercial involvement and immigration started to increase.

During the economic boom in 1850, the speed of Chinese immigration moved even faster. By early 1900s, the Chinese account to almost fifty (50%) percent of Bangkok population. Not all Chinese, however, were residing in the city. Some of them scattered outside the city in search of other opportunities.

Majority of the Chinese immigrants are from the province of Guangdong and Fujian. In the early 20^th century, the Teochius dominated the Chinese population at forty (40%) percent. The remaining population is accounted by the: Hainanese (18%), Hakkas (16%), Hokkiens (16%), and Cantonese (9%).