ภาวะความเป็นชายขอบกับการต่อรองของชาวลาหู่ในชุมชนแออัดคลองแม่ข่าในเมืองเชียงใหม่

Abstract

This thesis aims to study the marginalization of the Lahu people in Chiang Mai Province who migrated from other highland provinces in Northern Thailand to the Mae Kha Khlong slum communities (Lam Ku Wai Canal) in Chiang Mai during 1989-1992. The migration of some of the Lahu people in this study was driven by the impact of policies and development projects in the highlands implemented by the Thai state, which forced them to leave their homes in the highlands and seek new alternative livelihoods in this studied area. The researcher intends to analyze the marginalization of the Lahu people in this community, focusing on their adept use of cultural capital to convert it into economic resources for survival. This ethnographic study employs interviews and participatory observation methods to explore these dynamics. In order to protect the confidentiality and security of informants, pseudonyms have been assigned. The study found various forms of marginalization experienced by the Lahu people residing in the Khlong Mae Kha congested community (Lam Khu Wai Canal) across different generations. The first generation, arriving between 1989 and 1992, encountered marginalization primarily due to government policies and development initiatives, compelling them to relocate to Chiang Mai in pursuit of livelihood opportunities. Confronted with language barriers, limited access to education, and constrained career prospects, this cohort predominantly engaged in low-wage labor. While the second generation followed the first, with some arriving during the years 1998-2007, they faced significant educational limitations that prevented them from completing compulsory education. Despite these barriers, many in this generation acquired basic proficiency in the Thai language. Today, they have become the pillars of their families. This generation has begun to enter the labor market with increasing skills in various sectors, including garment factory work, construction, and repair technicians.The third generation, who were born and raised in the city, experience greater opportunities for education and employment compared to the preceding two generations. However, a notable portion of this generation opts not to pursue further education, instead entering the workforce through daily wage employment. Despite some individuals attaining educational qualifications, they often do not leverage these credentials in their professional careers. Instead, they seek alternative means of livelihood by utilizing their cultural capital, effectively converting their physical capital into economic capital. The marginalization of Lahu men in this study refers to their situation of uncertainty, where they may transform into different people within the community they reside in. This is due to the influence of urban people such as community leaders and local politicians. This marginalization results in their residential rights within the community being determined by those in power within the community, despite living within urban areas. They remain on the periphery of urban power, without equal rights to urban residents.