Nation-state building through the lens of language policy: the development of Chinese language education in Thailand

Against the backdrop of the expansion of international Chinese education and the fiftieth anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations, this study examines the historical evolution of Chinese language education in Thailand through perspectives from language policy and the sociology of education. Employing a qualitative, multi-source analytical approach, it explores shifting social contexts, educational policies, and Chinese school practices across different historical periods. The findings reveal that the development of Thai Chinese education reflects a dynamic negotiation between ethnic cultural continuity and state governance. From the rise of modern Chinese schools in the early twentieth century to the restrictive policies that marginalized Chinese education during the mid-twentieth century, the Chinese community continuously recalibrated its educational practices under shifting political conditions. Since the normalization of Sino-Thai relations and the acceleration of globalization in the late twentieth century, Chinese education has gradually moved from a marginalized ethnic institution to an institutionalized foreign language subject within Thailand's education system. By adopting a historical-institutional lens, this study elucidates the complex interactions among nation-state building, language policy, and educational practice, offering insights into the development of Chinese education across Southeast Asia.