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A New Dataset on Horizontal Structural Ethnic Inequalities in Thailand in Order to Address Sustainable Development Goal 10

Author

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  • John Draper

    (Khon Kaen University)

  • Joel Sawat Selway

    (Brigham Young University)

Abstract

Thailand is the world’s fourth most unequal country by wealth, but past research on this phenomenon has mainly been along individual or geographic lines as the census is insufficiently detailed to provide ethnic-based measures. This article introduces an innovative methodological solution to measure horizontal inequality in countries where the census excludes ethnicity. We investigate the roots of a structural ‘ethnic penalty’ by contextualising in some detail an ethnic gap in Thai public policies concerning poverty and inequality. Then, using data from the United Nations Development Programme’s ‘Human Achievement Index’ for Thailand, the Thai Office of the National Culture Commission’s Ethnolinguistic Maps of Thailand report, and Thai National Statistical Office population and poverty data, we compile the country’s first dataset on horizontal (between-group) inequality by ethnicity. Employing this novel approach, we then examine the eight sectors in the Human Achievement Index: health, education, employment, income, housing and living environment, transport and communication, family and community life, and participation. Describing how Thailand’s major ethnic groups fare in each sector and comparing inequality amongst sectors, this ethnolinguistics-based approach provides evidence of a significant ‘ethnic penalty’ in Thailand and makes initial recommendations for addressing the issue.

Suggested Citation

  • John Draper & Joel Sawat Selway, 2019. "A New Dataset on Horizontal Structural Ethnic Inequalities in Thailand in Order to Address Sustainable Development Goal 10," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(1), pages 275-297, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:141:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-019-02065-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-019-02065-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. William Easterly & Ross Levine, 1997. "Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1203-1250.
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    3. Cederman, Lars-Erik & Weidmann, Nils B. & Gleditsch, Kristian Skrede, 2011. "Horizontal Inequalities and Ethnonationalist Civil War: A Global Comparison," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 105(3), pages 478-495, August.
    4. Joshua R. Gubler & Joel Sawat Selway, 2012. "Horizontal Inequality, Crosscutting Cleavages, and Civil War," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 56(2), pages 206-232, April.
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    6. Frances Stewart, 2000. "Crisis Prevention: Tackling Horizontal Inequalities," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(3), pages 245-262.
    7. Selway, Joel Sawat, 2011. "The Measurement of Cross-cutting Cleavages and Other Multidimensional Cleavage Structures," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 48-65, January.
    8. Montalvo, Jose G. & Reynal-Querol, Marta, 2005. "Ethnic diversity and economic development," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(2), pages 293-323, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas Dufhues & Judith Möllers & Antje Jantsch & Gertrud Buchenrieder & Laura Camfield, 2023. "Don’t Look Up! Individual Income Comparisons and Subjective Well-Being of Students in Thailand," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 477-503, February.
    2. Orratai Waleewong & Khanuengnij Yueayai, 2022. "Patterns of Socioeconomic Inequities in SDGs Relating to Children’s Well-Being in Thailand and Policy Implications," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Manh Hung Do & Trung Thanh Nguyen, 2023. "Does irrigation development mitigate weather extremes’ impacts and reduce poverty? Evidence from rural Southeast Asia," TVSEP Working Papers wp-034, Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade, Project TVSEP.
    4. Do, Manh Hung & Nguyen, Trung Thanh, 2024. "Impact of crop commercialization on smallholder farmers’ resilience to shocks: Evidence from panel data for rural Southeast Asia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    5. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Azam, Muhammad & Bruna, Maria Giuseppina & Verhoeven, Peter & Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2022. "Sustainable development: The impact of political risk, macroeconomic policy uncertainty and ethnic conflict," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).

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