Migration and Political Engagement in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand

Abstract: This thesis describes how the migration of people from Isan, the northeastern region of Thailand to Bangkok have allowed them to ‘learn the rules of the [political] game’ (Bourdieu, 1990), and make increasingly vociferous political claims. The thesis describes the political diversity, and the political impacts of migration found within Ubon Ratchathani province, in Village Ban, Amphoe Mueang, and among current migrants from there who are living in Bangkok. Mediated forms of voting, from vote-buying to policy-voting are found, and are contrasted with Bangkok-based tropes of political legitimacy such as education and urbanity, which are intended to deny Isan people the same political legitimacy. Education and urbanity become conflated with specifically urban citizen voters, which are contrasted against rural, vote-selling clients. Through migration and subsequent economic development, Isan migrants and villages have become more educated and urbanised, yet the tropes of political power continue to be denied to them. Despite the denial of political legitimacy, and the rewriting of the political rules through coups, the political crises from 2005-2015 provide a powerful message; Isan can no longer be politically ignored.