Ep. 259 | The History of the Thai Chinese (Part 1)
In a new series that may or may not take us to the end of 2020, Laszlo looks at the great Kingdom of Thailand and the history of the Chinese immigrants who decided to call that place home.
In this Part 1 episode of the new series, we’ll focus on the goings-on in the Chinese community during the Ayudhya Kingdom (1350-1767) up to the time of King Phetracha.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | Thai | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayudhya | 艾尤塔雅 | อยุธยา | Also written Ayutthaya and Ayodhya, City north of Bangkok that was site of a Siamese kingdom that lasted 1350 to 1767 |
| Chakri Dynasty | 查克里王朝 | ราชวงศ์จักรี | The current ruling dynasty in Thailand, founded 1782 |
| Chantaburi | 庄他武里 | จันทบุรี | about a three and a half hour car ride from Bangkok driving southeast. Also lots of Teochews settled there |
| Chao Phraya | 湄南河 | แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา | The main river of Thailand where early Thai history happened |
| Chiang Mai | 清迈 | เชียงใหม่ | City in Northern Thailand that I might retire to one day |
| Dǎi | 傣族 | One of the 56 ethnic minority people in China. The Dai are based in Yunnan in and around Xishuangbanna | |
| Fújiàn | 福建 | ฝูเจี้ยน | Guangdong's next door neighbor to the east |
| Guǎngdōng | 广东 | กวางตุ้ง | The southernmost province of Mainland China |
| Guǎngxī | 广西 | Province in China's southwest bordering Guangdong, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan and Vietnam | |
| gōngxǐ nǐmen | 恭喜你们 | ยินดีด้วย | Congratulations to you (plural) |
| Hakka | 客家 | แคะ | A Northern Chinese people who migrated to the south of China in ancient times. Called "Guest People" |
| Hariphunchai | 駭黎朋猜 | อาณาจักรหริภุญชัย | Mon Kingdom based up in northern Thailand, capital at Lumphun. 1292 defeated by Kingdom of Lan Na |
| Hokkien | 福建 | ฝูเจี้ยน | Overseas Fujian people who primarily came from around Xiamen and Zhangzhou and all points in between |
| Hóngwǔ Emperor | 洪武帝 | The founder of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang (see below) | |
| Hǎijìn | 海禁 | These were bans against trading, leaving China and engaging in any trade that involved boats on the sea. Effectively limited trade to the tribute type only | |
| Jiēyáng | 揭阳 | One of the cities that makes up the Chaoshan Region of Guangdong where the Teochews originated from | |
| King Narai the Great | 那莱王 | สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช | King of Siam during the most prosperous period in the history of the Ayudhya Kingdom. Reigned from 1656 to 1688. Her was the son of King Prasat Thong |
| King Phetracha | 帕碧罗阇王 | เพทราชา | King of Siam 1688 to 1703 |
| King Prasat Thong | 巴沙通 | ปราสาททอง | King of Siam from 1629-1656 |
| Kāngxī | 康熙帝 | Long reigning Qing Dynasty emperor (1661-1722) | |
| Lamphun | 南奔 | ลำพูน | City just south of Chiang Mai |
| Lan Na | 兰纳王国 | อาณาจักรล้านนา | Another Indianized kingdom in Northern Thailand, also known as Lannathai, south of Chiang Mai |
| Ligor | The city of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Site of the ancient kingdom of Ligor | ||
| luk khrueng | ลูกครึ่ง | A Thai of mixed parentage | |
| lukchin | ลูกจีน | A Thai of mixed Chinese parentage | |
| Lín Dàoqián | 林道乾 | 16th century pirate, Lim Toh Kam | |
| Lóngqìng | 隆庆帝 | Ming Dynasty emperor who reigned 1567-1572 | |
| Lǐ Dàn | 李旦 | Major 17th century Hokkien Chinese pirate | |
| Míng Dynasty | 明朝 | ราชวงศ์หมิง | Chinese dynasty that ran 1368-1644 |
| Mǎ Huān | 马欢 | Assistant to Zheng He for three of his voyages, responsible for recording the events of the expedition | |
| Nakhon Si Thammarat | 那空是贪玛叻 | เทศบาลนครนครศรีธรรมราช | Europeans called this land the Kingdom of Ligor |
| Nányáng | 南洋 | The South Seas, the Chinese name for the Southeast Asian Region (not to be confused with Nanyang, Henan 南阳 Province) | |
| Patani | ปตานี | City in Southern Thailand close to the Malaysia border | |
| Plaek Phibunsongkhram | 銮披汶颂堪 | แปลก พิบูลสงคราม | Thai Field Marshal (1897-1964) a.k.a. Phibun, prime minister and later dictator of Thailand 1938-1944 and 1948 to 1957 |
| Qīng | 清朝 | ราชวงศ์ชิง | The Qing Dynasty 1644-1911 |
| Shàntóu | 汕头 | ซัวเถา | Another one of the cities that makes up the Chaoshan Region of Guangdong where the Teochews originated from |
| Shíbā Zhī | 十八芝 | A Pirate organization Zheng Zhilong that consisted of 18 of the most powerful pirate clans of the day | |
| Sukhothai Kingdom | 素可泰王国 | สุโขทัย | Ancient kingdom in Thailand that lasted 1238 to 1438. |
| Sòng Dynasty | 宋朝 | Chinese dynasty that ran 960-1279 | |
| Taksin the Great | 郑昭 | สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช | The King of Thonburi, Chinese name Zheng Zhao 郑昭. Lived 1734-1782 |
| Teochew | 潮州 | แต้จิ๋ว | Chinese born or descended from the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong province |
| Thonburi Kingdom | 吞武里王国 | ธนบุรี | The Kingdom that succeeded Ayudhya, lasted 1767 to 1782. Thonburi today is a district of Bangkokj |
| Toi San | 台山 | ไท่ซาน | One of the cities of the Pearl River Delta where most Chinese Americans are descended from |
| Trat | 达勒 | ตราด | Town in eastern Thailand, lots of Teochews migrated there....Pol Pot too after he was overthrown |
| Tái | 台 | ภาษาไท or ภาษาไต | Tai language family spoken by many different ethnicities in Southeast Asia |
| Táiwān | 台湾 | Island province off the coast of China | |
| Xiàmén | 厦门 | City in southern Fujian, also known as Amoy, where many Hokkien Overseas Chinese originated from | |
| Yuán Dynasty | 元朝 | ราชวงศ์หยวน | The Mongol Yuan Dynasty 1271-1368 |
| Yǒnglè | 永乐帝 | Ming Dynasty emperor who reigned 1402-1424 | |
| Zhèng Chénggōng | 郑成功 | เจิ้งเฉิงกง | better known in the West as Koxinga |
| Zhèng Hé | 正和 | Muslim Admiral in the Ming fleet famous for the epic voyages he led to the west of China | |
| Zhèng Jīng | 郑经 | Son of Koxinga who later got out of the family business of Ming Loyalty and joined up with the Qing Dynasty | |
| Zhèng Zhīlóng | 郑芝龙 | เจิ้งจื้อหลง | Another 17th century pirate who founded a pirate dynasty. Son was Koxinga and grandson Zheng Jing |
| Zhāngzhōu | 漳州 | City in southern Fujian where many Hokkien Overseas Chinese originated from | |
| Zhū Yuánzhāng | 朱元璋 | See above, founder of the Mong Dynasty |
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