Research & Article

While modern Chinese communities in Thailand have been the subject of extensive research by social scientists and historians, most empirical data collected specifically focuses on Chinese ethnic groups in 20th-century Thai society, without much regard to the Chinese population in Bangkok during the 19th century. This is in large part due to the lack of contemporary documentary sources, aside from cursory observations of European travelers, however informative epigraphic material from the last two centuries survives inside Chinese communities in Thailand, much of which is displayed inside Chinese temples. Thus, this article outlines the findings of a comprehensive survey of Chinese temples in Thailand, aiming to produce a more satisfactory analysis of the past and present functions of religious institutions in Sino-Thai society. Focusing specifically on the 19th century, the research details the growth of the Chinese community in relation to the development of Bangkok, the demographics of Chinese ethnic groups at each temple, the administration of Chinese temples and the potential secret society connections to these institutions.