Luk khrueng (Thai:ลูกครึ่ง, literally "half-child") is a colloquial Thai term referring to a person whose parents are of different nationalities.[1] In a narrow sense, luk khrueng means people of mixed Thai and foreign origin;[2][3] a person of mixed Thai and Chinese origin is calledchao Thai chuea sai Chin (Thai:ชาวไทยเชื้อสายจีน), rather thanluk khrueng.
In the mid-20th century the number ofluk khrueng increased dramatically followingWorld War II, with the increasing number of Western residents and visitors to the country. Many were the children ofAmericanservicemen who moved to the country in the 1960s and the 1970s, when there were several large U.S.military bases in the country because of theVietnam War. While some of the servicemen formed lasting relationships withThai women, someluk khrueng were the product of temporary relationships with "rented wives" orsex workers, a fact that led to somediscrimination in that era. Some Thais were also hostile because of the perceived lack ofracial purity but most were quite accepting.[4]
In the modern era, manyluk khrueng are born of relationships and marriages whenWesterners come to live and to work in Thailand or when Thai people go to study in Western or foreign countries.[5]
In more recent generations,luk khrueng have become accepted and even embraced by society and manyluk khrueng have carved out a prominent role in theentertainment industry in which their often-fluentEnglish and their Caucasian features (such asfair skin, larger or colored eyes and allegedly tall physique), which are deemed attractive inThai culture, have proved to be advantageous. Withinteenage culture these features are also extremely popular.[6]
ลูกครึ่ง น. ลูกที่เกิดจากพ่อแม่ที่เป็นคนต่างชาติกัน, ครึ่งชาติ ก็ว่า.
