“Phuthai” meaning of the name, Original Settlement and New Settlement in Thailand

Abstract

 This article aims to analyze the names and meanings of the names of the Phuthai ethnic group popularly used by Thai scholars when using in research and academic reports and to study the immigration of the Phuthai ethnic group from the past to the present. It found that; There are multiple words that have been used when referring to the Phuthai ethnic group. However only three words are dominant. Furthermore, Thai scholars unanimously agree that the original hometown of the Phuthai ethnic group was in Muang Thaeng. (or Muang Taen) or Muang Nam Noi Oi Nu (or Na Noi Oi Nu) which is now called Dien Bien Phu Province in Vietnam. Later, the group migrated in the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang, Vientiane. After that, it was forcibly driven to Thailand three times, namely, during the reign of King Taksin the Great. The reign of King Buddha Yot Fa Chulalok the Great (Rama I). And the reign of King Phrabat Somdet Phra Paramathiworaset Maha Jessadabodindra Phra Nangklao Chao Yu Hua (Rama III) which is the largest migration because the ethnic groups lived in cities on the left bank of the Mekong River were forcibly settled on the right bank of the Mekong River. And the Phuthai ethnic group has settled on the right bank of the Mekong since then. When there was a change in the administrative structure of the state affairs in Thailand. As a result, many cities of the Phuthai ethnic group were downgraded to sub-districts. Many cities were downgraded to districts. With such administrative division, The Phuthai ethnic group has settled in many provinces of the Northeast. It is found mainly in Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Mukdahan and Nakhon Phanom provinces.