The kinship relations of Thai-Lao communities along Mekong River banks: a case of Mukdahan-Savannakhet community and recommendations for improving Thai-Lao Relations

Abstract

Background: The bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos were initially based on a good perception for a long time. It can be said that Thai policy towards relations with Laos was adhered to the old discourse, which believed that Thailand and Laos are Sister Countries, and thus presumed the close tie between them. While Thai myth believed that they were strong bilateral relations, Lao people, on the contrary, believed that the aforementioned discourse implied an insult of Thai people towards Laotian.

Objective: 1. To study the cause of the problems concerning the bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos. 2. To study the relative advantage of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos.

Results: The study of the comparison of the advantage and disadvantage between Thailand
and Vietnam on the relationship with Lao showed that Thailand was relatively disadvantaged in comparison to Vietnam in all aspects. However, the Researcher has proposed the advantage that Thailand possesses over the bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos, namely, the kinship relations of the communities along both Mekong River banks included Mukdahan-Savannakhet community which was closely sustained.

Discussion: This research is to study the causes of the bilateral relations problem, and to present the advantages over the improving of the bilateral relations between Thailand and Laos under the historical research and the concept of National interest.