To Obtain a Minority Identification Card in Thailand: The Experience of Shan people in Mae Hong Son Province

Abstract

This research article aims to explore the experience of receiving the Shan ethnic minority card in Ban Huai Khong Khae, Mueang District, Mae Hong Son Province. Utilizing qualitative research methods, the study gathered data from relevant documents, laws, and in-depth interviews with key informants from the Shan community living in Ban Huai Pong Khae. Analysis was conducted through the lens of the Patronage System concept. The study's findings reveal that the process of obtaining identity cards for non-Thai nationals among the Shan people in Ban Huai Pong Khae is intricately linked to the establishment of patronage relationships between the village headman and the Shan population through the Shan people's experience of Negotiation and strategy which vary depending on the prevailing social, political, and economic contexts at the time.