失靈的華人身分：泰國政治與外交中「非認同」研究

Abstract

近年中國崛起促使東亞及整體亞洲進行安全及經濟等區域合作，中國與鄰國關係日漸緊密，相關議題更已成為熱門研究課題。面對崛起之大國實力，不僅世界各國媒體聚焦中國，各地華人亦從各在地情境中探索新局。隨著中國與各國互動逐漸頻密，此開展出世界華人族群與中國之間，從社會、經濟、政治及文化等多層面交流，進而形成華人與中國聯繫再組合與再認識。其中，東南亞華人所展現之華人性（Chineseness）以及華人身分（Chinese identity）轉變，向為學術界所關注。本研究關切主題在於，向已本土化之泰國華人華裔族群，除跟隨各國加入世界華語熱潮外，迄今仍未體現任何對華人身分認同再反思或再認識，而泰國政府對華認識及對華政策則未受其國內華人族群影響。 泰國華人，如同其他東南亞華人，在居住地擁有政經權力，然華人族群身分認同及華人性體現卻有別於其他東南亞國家及華人族群。本研究藉中國崛起議題作為楔子，探究華人意識在泰國外交、政治及對中國關係中未起重要作用此一情形。另透過分析同化是否造就泰國華人性消逝及同化結果是否具體反應在泰國政治中，並研析若華人性並無其顯著性，則中國崛起是否使華人性復甦等問題，嘗試將個別議題串連一起，整理成一脈絡化研究報告。

As China rises in the beginning of 21st century, regionalism emerges in Asia and thus promotes regional and subregional cooperation in the economic, social, military and related fields. China’s interactions and relationships with its neighboring countries have then been developing ever since. The rise of its national power not only draws international attention, but pushes overseas Chinese, increasingly connected with the nascent power through cooperation at all levels, to examine their self-identity. The Thai Chinese are well known for their influence in economy and politics in Thailand, for many of them have been business tycoons and high level officials and politicians of the country. Ironically, their Chinese identity has barely made any noticeable difference in their acquiring such prominenet social status. Much of the studies on the Chineseness and Chinese identity of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia fail to address the phenomenon and the cause of the better assimilation of the Thai Chinese as reflected in their important roles in politics, foreign policy, or the policy they have adopted toward China. Under the current circumstance of China rising, the lack of re-Sinicization, as contrast to such developments elsewhere, is the topic of this research. Specifically, how has the Chinese identity in Thailand lost political relevance?