ETHNIC RELATIONS IN THAILAND: THE MON-THAI RELATIONSHIP

There is an abundance of literature concerned with the antagonistic nature of inter-ethnic group relations. In contradistinction to this literature, this study is based on observations of the Mon and Thai who have maintained non-antagonistic, cooperative relationships with each other throughout their history. This study of positive ethnic group relations emphasizes social interaction in the framework of prejudice, competition, and status relations through the history of Mon-Thai relations. The commune (Kwaeng) Lumplatiw of the Lardkrabaang District in Bangkok, Thailand was chosen as the field-research area for its varied cultural groups (e.g. Thai, Mon, Chinese, Moslems, and Laos).;The following hypotheses were formulated to test the position that Mon-Thai relations are positive: (1) antagonism in the form of prejudice and competition varies as a function of spatial distance between groups, (2) cooperation among Mon and Thai varies with the presence of other ethnic groups. The hypotheses were supported. It is concluded that the Mon and Thai have positive relationships of varying degree depending upon the spatial distance between groups and the presence of other ethnic groups. Cooperation is shown to vary inversely with spatial distance between groups and to increase in the presence of other ethnic groups.