SSRScientific and Social Research2661-43322981-9946Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty. Ltd.10.26689/ssr.v6i12.9202ArticleThe Full Names of Ethnic Chinese in Vietnam and Thailand: A Comparative Cultural Perspectivehttps://artdesignp.com/journal/SSR/6/12/10.26689/ssr.v6i12.9202CanhDoan Thi20246122024-12-31The ethnic Chinese in Vietnam and Thailand share certain similarities and comparable migration histories. However, differences have emerged due to distinct national policies and the varying processes of cultural adaptation and coexistence in each country. The Chinese community in Southeast Asia presents a complex and diverse case, not only because they exist as an ethnic group today but also because they historically held the status of foreign nationals in many countries. Chinese names and surnames are not merely personal identifiers; they are also deeply tied to ethnic identity through the lens of nationality. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of comparative research and identity studies, this article examines the similarities in typologies and the differences in naming practices among ethnic Chinese in Vietnam and Thailand, using documented sources. It explores the causes of these similarities and differences, offering insights into community structures and collective thought. The study concludes with lessons for national governance, culturally appropriate engagement, and fostering mainstream identities within these communities.

Zhang QY, 1973, Zhongwen Da Cidian. Institute of Chinese Studies, 10(3): 106.

Zhang QY, 1973, Zhongwen Da Cidian. Institute of Chinese Studies, 10(3): 504.

Li ZY, 2017, Chinese characters and Chinese Name Culture. Taste and Classics, 2017(2): 44–46.

Wang B, 2017, Cultural Connotations in Names. People’s Daily Overseas Edition, February 23, 2017.

Walwipha B, 1995, Chinese Identity in Thailand, Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science, 23(1): 43–56.

McHenry R, 1993, Britannica Encyclopedia, 15th edition, Volume 24. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Norway.

Nguyễn Thị Lệ Mỹ, 2008, Người Hoa ở Thái Lan (Chinese in Thailand), thesis, University of Social Sciences & Humanities, Hanoi, 30–34.

Quoc Su Quan (An official Nguyễn-era compilation of Vietnamese history, geography, and people from the 1820s to 1945), 2016, Kham Dinh Dai Nam Hoi Dien Su Le (History of cabinet system in the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnam).

Dụ số 10 ngày 7 tháng 12 năm 1955 (Nationality Law, Decree No. 10, December 7, 1955)

Dụ số 48 ngày 21 tháng 8 năm 1956 (Decree No. 48 August 21, 1956, Office of the President of the First Republic (1954-1963). Folder: 6579, Art 16

Vietnam National Archives Center No. 2, Presidential Office Archives, Folder: 1646-M.

Chỉ thị 62 - CT/TW ngày 8/11/1995 của Ban Bí thư Trung ương Đảng (Directive No. 62-CT/TW November 8, 1995 Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam)

Vietnam National Archives Center No. 2, Department of Chinese Affairs, 1958, Office of the President of the First Republic, 1954–1963, Folder: 6579

Vietnam National Archives Center No. 2, Department of Chinese Affairs, 1963; Office of the President of the First Republic, 1954-1963, Folder: 6579

Quora, 2022, What are some Thai Chinese surnames? https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-Thai-Chinese-surnames-How-do-you-distinguish-them-from-other-Thai-surnames