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The Making of Modern Siamese-Burmese Boundaries: The Ethnographic Factor

Research Project

Project/Area Number 22K00911
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 03030:History of Asia and Africa-related
Research InstitutionKyoto University

Principal Investigator

C Pavin  京都大学, 東南アジア地域研究研究所, 准教授 (40646098)

Project Period (FY) 2022-04-01 – 2025-03-31
Project Status Granted (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2024: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
KeywordsTerritorial conflicts / Spatial knowledge / concept of sovereignty / Colonial politics / Thai-Burmese Relations / Thai-Burmese Border / Ethnographic factor / Modern border-making
Outline of Research at the Start

This project examines the making of the modern territorial borderline between Siam and Myanmar. Britain and Siam jointly conducted surveys and negotiations to draw the borderline between the two states. This research investigated how the ethnographic factor plays a role in defining boundary. It will uncover (1) how the British and Siamese surveyors/researchers jointly conducted the ethnographic classification (2) how the findings of ethnographic classification were used to map the border region and (3) how Britain and Siam negotiated the demarcation of the border.

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

This year, I underwent an in-depth analysis of how the ethnographic classification led to border demarcation. I studied different mapping techniques based on the result of ethno-classification in drawing the borderline, focusing on the choropleth mapping technique in identifying the borderline. I found documents recorded by diplomats, historians, translators and missionaries who initiated knowledge production in the border region. I also participated in a workshop in Britain in February 2024 to discuss the method of ethnographic classification. In London I collected archival diplomatic telegrams to continue my work in the final year.

Current Status of Research Progress
Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

I was able to search for the right materials, using my academic networks in the United Kingdom. The assistance from the Royal Historical Society which jointly organised a workshop in London in February 2024 allowed me to consolidate my networks. I found all the necessary documents for my current research and for the next step of my conclusion. I was also able to connect with scholars in the same field who shared with me the essential mapping techniques for the re-interpretation of the colonial map, hence being able to understand the underlining existence territorial conflict between Thailand and Myanmar as a result of the politicised mapping.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

For this final year, I will explore the bilateral diplomatic negotiations. The Border Commission used the ethnic classification to negotiate which ethnic groups belonged to Burma or Siam (hence their territorial occupancy). The negotiation was particularly important in the event that ethnic classification failed to offer a satisfactory conclusion to either side. To further discuss these intricate diplomatic negotiations, I will hold the final workshop at the University of Harvard and invite researchers who partook in a previous meeting in London to share their latest findings. I will submit the findings in a peer-reviewed journal and will continue to work with those in my networks on the same topic beyond this three-year project.

Report

(2 results)
  • 2023 Research-status Report
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (25 results)

All 2024 2023 2022 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (4 results) Journal Article (5 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 5 results,  Peer Reviewed: 5 results,  Open Access: 2 results) Presentation (12 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 5 results,  Invited: 7 results) Book (2 results) Funded Workshop (2 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] Royal Historical Society/Cambridge University(英国)

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Harvard University(米国)

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] CICP(カンボジア)

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Royal Historical Society(英国)

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
  • [Journal Article] Peace and Conflict Studies in Thailand: The Primacy of the State’s Narrative of Security2023

    • Author(s)
      Chachavalpongpun Pavin
    • Journal Title

      Asian Journal of Peacebuilding

      Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Pages: 95-117

    • DOI

      10.18588/202305.00a336

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] An Unreconciled Gap: Thailand’s Human Rights Foreign Policy versus Its Lèse-majesté Crisis2023

    • Author(s)
      Chachavalpongpun Pavin
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs

      Volume: 12 Pages: 31-45

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Nationhood in the Cloud: Cyber Sovereignty in Thailand2022

    • Author(s)
      Chachavalpongpun Pavin
    • Journal Title

      Asian Studies Review

      Volume: 0 Issue: 2 Pages: 1-20

    • DOI

      10.1080/10357823.2022.2109591

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] On His Majesty’s Service: Why is the Thai Foreign Ministry Royalist?2022

    • Author(s)
      Chachavalpongpun Pavin
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Contemporary Asia

      Volume: 0 Issue: 1 Pages: 1-20

    • DOI

      10.1080/00472336.2022.2081930

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Kingdom of Fear: Royal Governance under Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn2022

    • Author(s)
      Chachavalpongpun Pavin
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs

      Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Pages: 359-377

    • DOI

      10.1177/18681034221111176

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Border Demarcation between Thailand and Myanmar, Cambridge University2024

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Border Demarcation in Asia
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Nationhood in the Cloud: Cyber Sovereignty in Thailand2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Cyber Sovereignty in Southeast Asia, ANU, Australia
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Rama X: The Thai Monarchy under King Vajiralongkorn2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Book Launch on Thailand, ANU Australia
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Territorial Conflicts in Asia2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Roundtable on Thai Politics, University of Queensland
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Thailand's Political Development2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Political Development in Southeast Asia, CSEAS Kyoto University
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Thailand's 2023 Elections2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Possibilities and Limitations of Liberal Democract in the Non-Western World, University of Tokyo
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Border Making between Siam and Burma2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Territorial Demarcation in Southeast Asia
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] Thailand's Upcoming Elections2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      The Future of Democracy in Southeast Asia
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Thailand's Social Media2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Social Media and Youths in Southeast Asia
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] Human Rights Politics in Thailand2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Human Rights Politics in Southeast Asia
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] Internationalisation of Education2022

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Education in Thailand
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] The New Monarchy in Thailand2022

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Organizer
      Politics in Thailand
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Book] Rama X: The Thai Monarchy under Thailand's King Vajiralongkorn2023

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Total Pages
      306
    • Publisher
      Yale Southeast Asia Studies
    • ISBN
      9781732610224
    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
  • [Book] An Alien Man2022

    • Author(s)
      Pavin C
    • Total Pages
      256
    • Publisher
      Avocado Books
    • ISBN
      9786169409311
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
  • [Funded Workshop] Territorial Boundary in Southeast Asia2024

    • Related Report
      2023 Research-status Report
  • [Funded Workshop] Territorial Boundary in Southeast Asia2023

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report

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Published: 2022-04-19   Modified: 2024-12-25  

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