ELECTORAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE SINO-THAI IN THAILAND NATIONAL ELECTIONS, 1979-1995

Comparison of Thai and Sino-Thai participation and success rates from the seven elections taking place since 1979 show Sino-Thai participati on comparable to their proportion in the country's population. Assimil ationist government minority policy and electorate acceptance have ser ved to integrate this group into the mainstream political system. Ther e is no pattern of support for a particular political party and there are no indicators of a separate Sino-Thai political element. Their hig hest success rates, however, occur in regions of the country that have historically had small Sino-Thai populations. This appears to be the result of factional politics and of monetary and organizational resour ces needed to garner votes at the provincial level.