Online Lecture: "Chinese Networking in Songkhla, Thailand, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries"

Topic:
    "Chinese Networking in Southeast Asia: The Chinese community in Songkhla, Thailand, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries"

Speaker:
    Dr. Apiradee Jansaeng

Affiliation:
    Research Institute of Northeastern Art and Culture and
    Department of History at Mahasarakham University

Date/Time:
    February 28th, 2025 (Friday), 14:00 – 16:00 (CET/MEZ)

Language:
    English

Zoom Link:
    https://uni-hamburg.zoom.us/j/64563521222?pwd=OEdSbENCOUV2Ynl5ZUdnNG5mM1pwQT09

Zoom Meeting-ID:
    645 6352 1222

Zoom Passcode:
    hgtlecture

About this lecture:

The lecture explores the significant role of the Chinese community in Songkhla, southern Thailand, during the late 18th and 19th centuries. There is a particular emphasis on the Wu family and its influence. It discusses previous sources that overlooked the community's autonomy and political power by highlighting the transformative role of the Wu family in the changeover of Songkhla from Muslim to Chinese domination.

The economic and political dynamics of Songkhla reflect its significance as a regional trade hub that engaged with both the Bangkok court and international networks across Southeast Asia and beyond. By referring to primary sources in English, Thai, and Chinese, along with interviews and archival materials, the talk illustrates the interplay between local autonomy and national authority.

The political position of the Wu family, within the broader historical context of Southeast Asian maritime trade, contributes to a deeper understanding of Chinese migrant communities and their enduring influence on regional history. The lecture will highlight a "centralist" perspective on Thai historiography, providing a localized view of Songkhla's development and the strategic adaptability of its Chinese community.

Brief profile:

Dr. Apiradee Jansaeng is a distinguished historian specializing in Southeast Asian history, ethnic studies, and cultural dynamics. She serves as the Vice Director of the Research Institute of Northeastern Art and Culture (RINAC) and is a lecturer in the Department of History at Mahasarakham University in Thailand. Her academic work is widely acclaimed for its interdisciplinary approach, particularly her doctoral research at The Australian National University (2008–2012), which explored the historical and cultural dynamics of Chinese communities in Songkhla, from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Her research focuses on significant topics including Chinese diasporas, indigenous knowledge systems, and the development of collective identity, and the ancient wisdom, art, and culture of Thailand's Northeastern region (Isan). apiradee.j@msu.ac.th

We would like to thank the Hamburg Society for Thai Studies for the cooperation. 

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