Identity Negotiation of Thai Female Migrants in Hong Kong: Under the Gaze of Buddhism

This article, which aimed to investigate the complicated identity negotiation of Thai female migrants in Hong Kong, guided by identity, gender, and narrative perspectives, examines the subjective experiences of Thai female migrants from an intersectionality perspective. Based on my ethnographic study of Thai migrants in Hong Kong, the analysis shows that Buddhism has become a symbol of the Thai people to articulate their identity and Thainess, becoming the connection between Thai migrants and Thailand. However, their experiences in terms of the autonomy and freedom for women in Hong Kong society empower them to challenge and question gender inequality and the definition of being a woman. Under these circumstances, subtle idea changes set the way for the negotiation of gender role expectations and reinvent their womanhood in Hong Kong. This study enriches understanding of the dynamic nature of identity negotiation and in-between identity.