A discourse relating E-san people poverty in Thai country song lyrics of Tai Orathai

Santi Thippana, Ratree Thippana

Abstract

This article purposes to qualitatively examine a discourse relating E-san people poverty in Thai country song lyrics of Tai Orathai. Poverty discourse in term of asset revealed specific discourses as follow 1) Income: working hard for money 2) Accommodations: living in a small rental room 3) Meal: nostalgically reminding of E-san food which was cooked by a mother, eating street food stall, and eating E-san Shabu and
4) Clothes: wearing old or inexpensive clothes. Poverty discourse in term of education opportunity pointed out that poverty problem was the main reason for dropping out in order to get a job and salary to support a family. E-san people get a chance to study a middle school and a high school; unfortunately, most of them rarely have an opportunity to study in a university as they have to get a job to support their family. Poverty discourse and the disempowerment of the poor make an employee to have less negotiation with an employer which causes an effect on their minimum wage because they have no negotiation power. Poverty discourse in missing the past presented that E-san people who move to work in Bangkok are homesick, and they always think of their parents, family, hometown, and local tradition such as Songkran Festival, paying respect to the Buddha’s relics, other holy ceremonies, etc.