Date of Award

Fall 2024

Degree Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

History, PhD

Program

School of Arts and Humanities

Advisor/Supervisor/Committee Chair

JoAnna Poblete

Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member

Joshua Goode

Dissertation or Thesis Committee Member

Alfred P. Flores

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2024 Wipawee Srifa

Keywords

Internal Colonization, Northeastern Thailand, US Militarization, US Military Bases, Women, Working Class

Subject Categories

History

Abstract

From 1964 to 1976, the United States military deployed troops to Thailand as part of its strategic operations during the Vietnam War. Most of these military personnel were stationed in Isan, a northeastern region of Thailand, due to its proximity to key bombing targets in Indochina. Historically, Isan was affiliated with Laos and was assimilated into Thai governance in the late eighteenth century. Until the 1950s, most of Isan’s population resided in rural, agricultural communities and were politically, economically, and culturally marginalized by mainstream Thai society. The Thai state’s internal colonization exacerbated socioeconomic disparities for Isan peasants, severely restricting avenues for upward mobility. However, the situation changed rapidly in the early 1960s, when the US military established four major bases in Isan. The US military spending quickly stimulated the local economy, leading to population growth and a boom in service businesses around the US bases. This economic transformation considerably affected the agrarian residents in these towns.

Scholarly discussions have largely neglected the experiences of Isan workers, who were directly affected by the US military presence. Research on the US military in Thailand tends to focus on local economic growth or rural women’s engagement in prostitution, thereby overlooking other consequential impacts of the US military empire. My dissertation seeks to fill this gap by addressing issues of US militarization, internal colonization, local experiences, and gender. I aim to contribute to the study of the US military empire during the Cold War and highlight the historical significance of local experiences.

I argue that while the establishment and operation of US military bases in Isan communities exploited local populations, Isan workers leveraged the economic opportunities provided to mitigate systemic inequality and economic disparity in Thai society. US militarization brought about various disturbing elements, including recurring aircraft accidents, noise pollution, and a sense of racial and class superiority among military personnel in their interactions with the local populace. Nevertheless, Isan residents, already facing economic hardships and marginalization, endured these challenges while focusing on the financial benefits provided by the US military presence.

I investigate the complex dynamics of internal colonization in Isan by the Thai government and US militarization, relying on oral histories and archival sources. Specifically, I explore how residents in base-hosted towns in Isan navigated the intersection of traditional norms and new realities shaped by the presence of US troops. I focus on socioeconomic factors to analyze the transitions rural Isan communities experienced before, during, and after the US military presence.

ISBN

9798346862604

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