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STUDY OF NON-CITIZENS: Benefits of multicultural society touted

The Nation, Published on Jul 1, 2004

‘Salad bowl’ model is better than forced assimilation – expert

Thailand should move towards becoming a more multicultural society rather than insisting others abandon their language and identity to become Thai, said a population expert yesterday.

Krittiya Achavanitkul of Mahidhol University made the comment at the launch of the Kingdom’s first comprehensive, integrated study of non-citizens in the country. The study, conducted by Krittiya and 18 other researchers, revealed that there were at least 2.4-million illegal residents in Thailand.

“Whether we will eventually grant them Thai citizenship or not is one matter, but we have a choice between [having them as part of] a salad bowl or compelling them to join the melting pot,” she said.

The “salad bowl” refers to a society where members can maintain their cultural and linguistic diversity while also learning the language of their adopted country and being treated like a citizen.

Speaking from the Office of the National Security Council, which initiated the study along with Mahidhol University’s Population and Social Research Institute, Krittiya said cultural and linguistic diversity should not be treated as a threat but a strength, if handled properly.

“This will help avert problems in the future. And [help solve] the problems in the deep South,” she said in reference to the growing number of illegal immigrants and widespread violence in the region, which is predominately populated by Thai-Malay Muslims.

Krittiya said the way the government approached the issue was most important.

That view was echoed by Pichai Rattaaphon, chairperson of the Committee for Peace Strategy of the Office of the National Security Council, who said a new security paradigm was needed for peaceful co-existence in the Kingdom.

“We need a vision on how to deal with the matter. We cannot leave the issue of two million people in limbo,” Pichai said.

“Is being Thai just about having an identification card?

“Some people are born without opportunities. They can’t access information and legal rights.

“We must shift our paradigm and start looking at them as human.”

Pichai said the Hmong, a hilltribe in the North of Thailand, felt bitter because they had been neglected.

They were only cared for when the government needed them to fight against communist insurgents during the Indo-China War along the Thai-Lao border – only to be abandoned again once it was over, he said. “Hmong say that if nobody cares for them then they don’t need to care for others,” he said.

“In the deep South, too. These people are Thai but other Thais don’t feel that they are Thai,’’ Pichai added.

Other interesting statistics revealed in the study include that fact that 38,380 children of illegal labourers from Burma, Laos and Cambodia are presently studying in Thai schools.

There are also 248,866 highland people without citizenship in Thailand and 41,000 people born in the Kingdom with no citizenship, while 109,836 people are housed in refugee camps along the borders in four provinces.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

THE NATION