• The Shan people in Thailand face a complicated political situation. The government of Thailand has rejected the use of the term "indigenous peoples," stating that these groups are as much Thais as other Thai citizens, yet they continue to face systemic challenges.

• The Indigenous movement in Thailand officially began in August 2007 when a coalition representing 24 ethnic groups organized Thailand's first annual 'Festival of Indigenous Peoples in Thailand’. The Tai Yai are part of this broader movement, which has grown to potentially represent some 6.1 million people, comprising 9 percent of Thailand's total population. The movement established the Network of Indigenous Peoples of Thailand (NIPT) and later the Council of Indigenous Peoples in Thailand (CIPT). Sakda Saenmi, Secretary-General of the Council of Indigenous Peoples of Thailand, presented an overview of the Indigenous Peoples' Movement in Thailand, highlighting their efforts to gain recognition and rights.

• A significant political development occurred when participants collectively decided to identify themselves as "ไตย" (Tai) in everyday and cultural contexts, while reserving the term "ไทยใหญ่" (Thai Yai) for official use by the Thai government. This demonstrates their agency in defining their own identity while navigating bureaucratic requirements.

• Shan people who nowadays migrate to Thailand view their border-crossing as day-to-day movement, and have intentionally adjusted their identity to Thai cultural norms in hopes of changing their economic and political status, while trying to resurrect the idea of shared Tai or Thai ethnic heritage to ensure the legitimacy of their entering Thailand

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