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Socio-economic Development in Southeast Asia:
A Case Study of the Marginality of Burmese Labourersin the Chang Klan Community in Chiang Mai.
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Samak Kosem20 June 2008
Introduction
Thailand has adopted an open economic system since the early 1960s, whereas the neighboring countriesto the north and east adopted a much more ‘closed’ economic system in the 1960s and 1970s. Open foreigninvestment in Thailand resulted in rapid industrialization and urbanization. Not only Bangkok, but manyregional towns, such as Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north, have benefited from economicdevelopment, especially within tourism and construction. On the other hand, a neighboring country,Burma, in the same period, had adopted a rather careful policy towards foreign investment. Hence,economic expansion in Burma did not take place as fast as what happened in Thailand. This unequaleconomic development has resulted in a number of workers from Burma crossing the border to come toseek employment in Thailand. It has been estimated that the number of Burmese workers in all parts of Thailand could be nearly one million.In the following paper, I used an anthropological method of observation and informal interviews to talk toa number of Burmese Muslim workers working in Chiang Mai to find out about their livelihood and problems with adjustment and the exclusion of these migrant workers in a foreign environment.
The Issue: Muslim Burmese
Muslims are a minority group in Buddhist Burma. They are one of the poorest groups who are scattered allover unnoticed. A number of them had moved across the border to work in Thailand in Mae Sot district inTak province. Most were engaged in heavy labor. However, after two generations of migration, a number of them began to make ‘a fortune,’ though they did not have to pay tax. Some could manage to save asmuch as a ten baht
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weight of gold (equivalent to about 100,000 Baht in money). Children who were born
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This paper was originally presented as “The Burmese Muslims at Chang-Klan: Life as Marginality” (2008) at theundergraduate seminar symposium held by the Sociology and Anthropology Department, Faculty of Social Sciences,Chiang Mai University.
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A measurement of gold. (1 baht weight = 15 g.)
 
in Thailand could gain Thai nationality. Some had even been able to buy land in Thailand. Therefore, thesuccess stories attracted more people to want to come to seek their fortune in Thailand.
The Chang Klan community in Chiang Mai
Chang Klan community is quite close to the center of the city of Chiang Mai (see map). It has been thecommunity center of Thai Muslims for many generations with their own Masjid (Mosque) at the center of the community. As such, it is a place where Muslims from Burma feel attracted to settle down when theymigrate into Chiang Mai to find a job. It is estimated
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 that there could be as high as 2,000 BurmeseMuslims in Chang Klan. They could be divided into two sub groups: one who moved from Mae Sot to find jobs in Chiang Mai; the other moved from Shan state. These people work in all sorts of occupations,ranging from cleaning, serving food in restaurants, manual work, and even begging. Their daily wage isabout 70-150 baht. Despite the fact that apart from “Thais”, there are other Muslims such as Muslims fromBangladesh, the Burmese Muslims seem to be the poorest ethnic group living in the Chang Klancommunity. Most of their employers are also (Thai) Muslims within the same community.
Double Marginality
Despite the fact that the community can be considered a Muslim community, the Muslims from Burmaseem to occupy the lowest rank of social status in the community. According to a Thai employer, these people would be willing to work hard at low wages. Though they are ‘members’ of the community, theyare not so much included in the community; they are not greeted when other Muslims meet them in thestreet, tea shop, or even in the Mosque. Some of the poor ones had become beggars. While some may sit atthe gate to the Mosque, others might beg from home to home; their presence in neither place waswelcomed.
The case of Husen
Husen worked in a shop selling rice and lived in a rented room with his wife near the work place. He hasan alien card (the ‘pink card’) and ‘health-insurance card’ for non-Thai citizens (the ‘orange card’). Husenmigrated from Mae Sot, but he could not return there because “There are too many police. Living here isalready quite OK. I am also now well acquainted with the police here. Even in Mae Sot the Burmesecommunity may be much more friendly, but living here in Chang Klan I can find a better-paid job. I get
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Interviewed Muswi Ali (10 Jan 2008)
 
5,000 Baht a month. My room rent and electricity and water bill is only 1,750 Baht. Though I had to payfor food and other expenditures I still have some small savings. …. I pay about 3,000 baht for the aliencard and health insurance card” So life is considered better than in Mae Sot. However, not everybody cancome to live in Chang Klan because it would cost some money to make oneself ‘legal’. Apart from the3,000 Baht fee, they have to pay an extra 1,000 Baht to people whom they rent room from.
Hard labour, cheap wages, and “We are all Muslims”
Despite being Muslim like their Thai employers, the Burmese ‘Muslims’ were not treated on equal terms.While Thai employers can spare time to go to pray in the Mosque, the Burmese Muslim workers had towork very hard all day. One Thai employer said that “The wage rate for a worker is around 70-100 baht per day. One employer pays 100 Baht plus free board, but the worker has to wake up at 4 o’clock in themorning to prepare things (for sale) and sometimes cannot sleep until 10 o’clock the next day. Thoughthey have to work very hard, they still do it because they have nowhere else to go. Though I never look down on them because I think they are also human beings, they dare not treat themselves as my equal.When I call them to a meal, they will come to take the meal to eat elsewhere.”
“Burmese are taking over our town,” Freedom that has never been accepted
Some local people perceive the Burmese workers as a threat to the community. They are afraid that theBurmese Muslims will cause trouble as happened in the southern part of Thailand.This attitude occurred because the Burmese Muslims, because of their poverty, may appear dirty and poorly dressed. Some of them chew betel nut and spit out the red paste after the chewing all over the street.This was considered uncivilized and bad-mannered behavior in the eyes of the local community. For their dress, if they live in a Muslim community in Burma, they cannot wear shorts because that will reveal theknees, but here in Thailand, they can enjoy the ‘freedom’ of dressing how they like. However, this‘freedom’ has been considered by the local community as unacceptable and impolite.
The “Eid” Day: Reflection of Marginality
One woman I met in the community, Fatimah, sells betel nut to Burmese workers. She told me “I missMae Sot a lot. During the ‘Eid’ festival it was so much fun there, so friendly. It is very different fromChang Klan where people are so unfriendly. I don’t know where or who to visit as I don’t know very many people.”
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