Ethnic Consciousness with Violence: Thai Lady Boys Fighting Filipino Lady Boys, Foreigner Kicking Doctor in Phuket, and Burmese Fleeing Soldiers across the Border

Abstract

This article seeks to critically examine social issues reflected through news imagery in Thai society. Drawing upon documentary sources and academic research, the study presents its findings in the form of a scholarly article. The analysis reveals that acts of violence are rooted in the ideology of ethnic nationalism. The groups highlighted include the David’s community in Phuket, transgender individuals involved in disputes over commercial sex work territories, and members of the Burmese ethnic minority. The violent encounters among these groups underscore fundamental aspects of human nature—namely, the pursuit of happiness, aversion to suffering, and the desire to escape hardship in search of a better life or a reality that aligns with one’s identity. However, these aspirations are often framed within the constructs of ethnicity and otherness, where violence becomes a mechanism for resolving conflict. This tendency, when left unchecked, can escalate, as frequently portrayed in media coverage.