The Cultural Identity Of Teochew Thai-Chinese

The many accomplishments of overseas ethnic Chinese in Thailand motivate an ethnological study on their behavioral and cultural aspects influencing such success. This research raises the case of the Thai-Chinese Teochew speech group, who play a dominant role in Thailand’s private business sector. Specifically, this research seeks to identify how the cultural identity of Southern Chinese Teochew gives them a comparative advantage vis-a-vis other immigrant groups. The answers to this question are provided through observations and interviews of local ethnic Chinese and an extensive review of extant literature. The results confirm that in addition to unrivaled endurance and preservation of the Chinese ethnic identity, the Teochew people are blessed with essential instinctive entrepreneurship skills, which are inherited intergenerationally. Furthermore, the Teochews’ historical endowments in term of geography, economy, and business environment have given them comparative advantages relative to other groups. Principally, the findings here can be instructive for those seeking to understand the culture of entrepreneurship through the success of the Teochew in Thailand. Moreover, through the study overseas Chinese people in Thailand, this research provides a framework for understanding the factors that encourage the success of expatriates in their adopted countries. This ethnography can provide a useful template for the study of other ethnic groups in different environments.