การสร้างชุมชนข้ามถิ่นและเครือข่ายทางสังคมของมุสลิมในจังหวัดหนองคาย : The Construction of Translocal Community and Social Networks of Muslims in Nong Khai Province

Abstract

This article aims to explore the construction of Translocal Muslim community in Nong Khai, a province in Northeast Thailand. The studied phenomenon is explained through Appadurai’s translocality concept, which reflects on the connection between a place of origin of migrants and their destination. Based on qualitative research, the data used in this article was drawn from literature reviews and fieldwork, of which the latter employed in-depth interviews as well as participant and non-participant observations as main data collection techniques. According to the research, Nong Khai’s multicultural context has allowed for migrations and settlements of Muslims from different areas, who consequently constructed an Islamic-based translocal community. In addition, mosques were built to serve as places for performing religious ceremonies and for organizing Islamic traditional activities. The aforementioned constructed translocal community and religious spaces clearly reflect the mobility of Islamic local traditions from a place of origin of these Muslims to the new place—Nong Khai. Interestingly, members of this translocal community live their lives not only by following Islamic culture from the place of origin, but also by adopting cultural practices in Nong Khai. The integration between cultural practices from the place of origin and that in the current settlement have led to sense of neighbors and local of which the Muslims shared with the local people. At the same time, the sense of neighbors has been expanded in a close connection with Islamic organizations in both Thailand and beyond.