Session Name: Seeing Southeast Asia through a sea-nomadic lens II
1 - Nationality, Social Space and integration: Challenges for the Sea Nomads in Thailand
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
11:15 – 13:00 (GMT+7)
Presentation Abstract This paper examines the fundamental conflict between Thailand’s policy direction to grant nationality to the ethnic sea nomads called the Moken and the needs to control their mobility and livelihood in the wake of human rights protection. Based on a longitudinal study of the Moken on Phuket and other islands during 2020-2023, we collected statistical data on Moken population and nationality granting; conducted indepth interviews with Moken leaders, stateless ageing Mokens, local authorities from the Ministry of Interior in charge of nationality status and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in charge of Moken’s habitual residence on the islands, and the civil society groups who monitor nationality status and Moken’s integration into the Thai society.It investigated the nationality process and its challenges, Moken ‘s social space, transboundary nomadic migration and the intersectionality of ethnicity, mobile livelihood, nationality and integration which have left some Moken in the vacuum and incapable to fully integrate and contribute to Thailand’s development in Thailand.
Co-Author 1 Narumon Arunotai, Chulalongkorn University
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