Discourse of “Alien” and Constructing “Otherness” of the Displaced Shan

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to understand the construction of “alien discourse”. While the Thai state has created the “alien discourse”, representing displaced Shan as “alien workers” who have created such “problems” as threatening national security, generating crimes, and transmitting diseases, the displaced Shan have made themselves beneficial to the Thai economic interests by supporting capitalist mode of production. The migration of the displaced Shan into Thailand is not a new circumstance in Thai society, since enforced violation by the Burmese regime into Shan State has made the situation in their homeland more insecure and vulnerable. They have consequently migrated even if it leaves them no other choice but becoming cheap labour, supporting Thailand's growing economy. In addition, the paper explores the means and tactics which the Thai state has established in order to keep the displaced Shan under the state's surveillance and control. Such tactics include emphasizing and maintaining the representation and the unquestionable discourse which have made the displaced Shan undeniably become “the other” in Thai society. Simultaneously, the state is not able to control the discourse absolutely, as is revealed by the conflict and the negotiation among the state agencies. State mechanisms are also used by the displaced Shan to negotiate with the discourse as well as to improve their relationship with the Thai state and Thai society.