Iranian migration to Thailand began as early as the 17th century. Thai citizens of Iranian background or descent may be called in Thai: Khaek Ma-ngon (), Khaek Mahon () or Khaek Chaosen (; "Shia Muslim"). There is a community of Thai people of Iranian descent who still practice
Shia Islam
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, m ...
in many districts throughout
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
, such as
Yan Nawa,
Bueng Kum
Bueng Kum ( th, บึงกุ่ม, ) is one of the 50 districts (''Khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. From north clockwise, it is bounded by Bang Khen, Khan Na Yao, Saphan Sung, Bang Kapi, and Lat Phrao.
History
Bueng Kum was separated from B ...
,
Saphan Sung, and
Min Buri
Min Buri ( th, มีนบุรี, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bounded by other Bangkok districts (from north clockwise): Khlong Sam Wa, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang, Saphan Sung, and Khan Na Yao. Min Buri ...
, as well as parts of
Chachoengsao Province
Chachoengsao ( th, ฉะเชิงเทรา, ) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat''), located in eastern Thailand.
History
''Chachoengsao'' or ''Paet Riu'' ('eight stripes') is a province in eastern Thailand. It has a ...
.
[''"นักเดินทาง...เพื่อความเข้าใจในแผ่นดิน" ธนบุรี'', หน้า 153]
History
During the
Ayutthaya Kingdom
The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is conside ...
period, the Iranian community in Thailand consisted primarily of merchants. They are recorded in some memoirs of their fellow merchants, the
Dutch East India Company
The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock ...
, as well as in the ''
Safine-ye Solaymani
The ''Safine-ye Solaymani'' ("Ship of Solayman") is a Persian travel account of an embassy sent to the Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1685 by Suleiman I (1666–1694), King (''Shah'') of Safavid Iran. The text was written by Mohammad Rabi ibn Mohamm ...
'' ("Ship of Solayman"), an account of a Persian embassy to King
Narai
King Narai the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระนารายณ์มหาราช, , ) or Ramathibodi III ( th, รามาธิบดีที่ ๓ ) was the 27th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom, the 4th and last monarch of the Pr ...
. Some descendants of Iranians from the Ayutthaya period converted to Buddhism, and continued to retain influence in Thai public life to the present day; one prominent example is the
Bunnag family, whose ancestor "
Shaykh Ahmad
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
" is said to have come from
Qom and arrived at Ayutthaya in 1602. Shaykh Ahmad crushed and defeated Japanese merchants who attempted a coup against the Thai king in 1611.
Influence and legacy
The presence of Iranians in Thailand came to be felt within the commerce, art, architecture, and culture of Thailand. Pieces of Thai architecture, art, and literature sometimes incorporated Persian-style icons, motifs, and more.
Modern tourism
In recent years, Thailand has become a popular destination for Iranian
medical tourists. However, due to numerous incidents of
methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...
smuggling, Iranians coming to Thailand fall under heavy suspicion from police.
Cultural Center
An Iranian Cultural Center exists in Bangkok that convenes Persian language classes and facilitates translations of Iranian works
into the Thai language.
See also
*
Iran–Thailand relations
Iran–Thailand relations refer to the bilateral relations between Iran and Thailand. Iran has an embassy in Bangkok while Thailand has an embassy in Tehran.
History
Relations between the two countries began when visits of Persian diplomatic d ...
References
Bibliography
*
Further reading
*
*
*
{{Thailand-stub
Ethnic groups in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...