本文的主要目的是要探討與分析泰國的越南難民地位╱身份的變 化。根據越南人移入泰國的時間差異，可概略地將其區分為二：一是舊 越南人，主要是第二次世界大戰以前就已經移入泰國者；二是新越南人， 主要是第二次世界大戰期間及之後移入的越南人。由於舊越南人移入泰 國的時間較長，久受泰國文化的影響，實際上已經被同化，與泰人差別 不大。所以，本文探討的對象是所謂的新越南人。基本上，新越南人既 是泰國的新移民，也是泰國眾多的少數族群之一，首先要面對的是來自 泰國社會，包括：政治菁英、普羅大眾等，對自身的認知，這將進一步 影響到政府的政策制訂、社會的包容或排斥態度等，以及新越南人本身 的認同意識變遷。其中，泰國社會對越南難民的認知又經常受到對其祖 國—越南的認識所影響。所以，泰國的越南難民的處境必然是與泰、越 關係的發展具有高度相關性。這意謂著，必須將越南難民同時置放在泰 國的少數族群政治及國際政治等兩大層次來分析，包括：泰國的國族主 義、邊境政治、冷戰體制等，才能確實掌握越南難民地位╱身份的動態 變化。

Since the 17th century, there have been several emigration waves of Vietnamese into Thailand, and most of them settled in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. Generally speaking, Thai-Vietnamese or Việt Kiều can be distinguished into two types: “Old Vietnamese” and “New Vietnamese”. The former refers to Vietnamese who arrived in Thailand before World War II, and who are often called “Old Việt Kiều”, or “Việt Kiều Cu”. Due to their having assimilated for a long period of time, there is almost no difference between “Old Vietnamese” and Thais. The latter refers to those who arrived in Thailand after World War II, called “New Việt Kiều”, or “Việt Kiều Moi”. This study focuses on the latter. From the past until the present, the Thai governments’ Vietnam policy, including the policy on the Việt Kiều, is based on the Thai ruling elite’s perceptions and attitudes toward “Vietnam”, which is the external national homeland of Việt Kiều. In other words, a particular relational framework between Việt Kiều, Thailand, and Vietnam is formed. Therefore, in order to explore the changing situations of Thai-Vietnamese in Thailand well, we need to discuss those key elements which have significant impacts on the relational framework such as Thai nationalist politics, regional geopolitical developments and Thailand-Vietnam relations.