OpinionNew Chinese migrants to Thailand hit with negative stereotypes, language barrier form ‘parallel communities’

Unlike earlier Chinese migrants to Thailand, many ‘xin yimin’ are more transient and report finding social interactions with local Thais challenging

Hindered by communication struggles and negative stereotypes, they tend to seek out their fellow Chinese in search of belonging and support

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A woman walks through an alley in the Talad Noi neighbourhood, long home to the ethnic Chinese communities of Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Aranya Siriphon,Fanzura BanuandPagon Gatchalee

Published: 9:30am, 31 Mar 2022

Thailand has a long history of Chinese immigration. There are an estimated 7.1 million people in the country who identify as Chinese, forming the oldest and most significant ethnic Chinese community in Southeast Asia.

Earlier migrants found success, studies show, by assimilating and integrating into Thai culture, but over recent decades a new generation of Chinese migrants has emerged who do not necessarily aim to settle in their host countries.

These new, more transient migrants may be mainly searching for business opportunities and to pursue a better quality of life, strategically encouraged by China to explore such opportunities overseas as part of its official discourse on xin yimin (new migrants) – even as others simply wish to pursue personal dreams.

Signs written in Thai and Chinese line Yaowarat Road in the Chinatown area of Bangkok. Photo: Bloomberg

Thailand became a prime destination for many, and since the 2000s, they have moved to its big cities in substantial numbers. By 2020, the number of new Chinese migrants in the country had reached 77,000 – variously moving for business, education, lifestyle and leisure.