Thais That Bind

THE difference between Thais and Chinese, I was told, is all in the eyelids: Thai lids have epicanthic folds; Chinese lids do not. But although half of Bangkok’s population is thought to be Chinese to some extent, the racial mixing has been so thorough that I could only rarely spot the difference.

Thais and Chinese began with the same ethnic roots. Most Thais descend from people who lived in southwestern China until they were forced southward by the Mongols. And in modern times Thailand has been working to eradicate the remaining ethnic distinctions by encouraging Chinese immigrants to take Thai names, to practice the Thai form of Buddhism, and to intermarry.

GK

About the Author

G. Bruce Knecht

Featured Tags

THE difference between Thais and Chinese, I was told, is all in the eyelids: Thai lids have epicanthic folds; Chinese lids do not. But although half of Bangkok’s population is thought to be Chinese to some extent, the racial mixing has been so thorough that I could only rarely spot the difference.

Thais and Chinese began with the same ethnic roots. Most Thais descend from people who lived in southwestern China until they were forced southward by the Mongols. And in modern times Thailand has been working to eradicate the remaining ethnic distinctions by encouraging Chinese immigrants to take Thai names, to practice the Thai form of Buddhism, and to intermarry.