Inequality, Identity, and Everyday Peace: Lessons From the Thai Peace Index

This article analyses Thailand's peace landscape using the 2023 Thai Peace Index (TPI), a composite index of 34 indicators across four dimensions: absence of physical violence, social security, respect for diversity, and equitable distribution of resources. Drawing on national and provincial data alongside qualitative fieldwork in a multiethnic community in Aranyaprathet, the study shows how structural inequalities, uneven development, and governance asymmetries are associated with subnational variations in peace. Although the overall score rose from 3.42 in 2021 to 3.43 in 2023, this aggregate stability masks substantial regional disparities, particularly in Northeastern and Southern border provinces. The qualitative findings illustrate how locally led, multicultural peacebuilding—rooted in shared cultural practices, intergroup dialogue, and safe deliberative spaces—can strengthen social cohesion in structurally disadvantaged settings. The results challenge narrow conceptions of peace as the absence of violence, underscoring the importance of distributive justice, recognition, and inclusive governance. The article concludes by proposing an integrated model linking subnational data systems with culturally grounded participatory processes and policies that reduce structural inequalities.