Agency, Social Capital, and Mixed Embeddedness among Akha Ethnic Minority Street Vendors in Thailand’s Tourist Areas

Eye-catching self-employed female Akha souvenir vendors have become part of the informal sector in Thailand that is linked to the global tourism economy. Data from nine months’ qualitative research are analysed in the framework of “mixed embeddedness” to explore the opportunities and risks with which ethnic minority street vendors in Bangkok are confronted. The role of social capital merits analysis, and Akha vendors’ practices of economic action require examination. Comprehensive assessment of ethnic minority entrepreneurs with respect to their everyday economic activities and prospects must systematically integrate individual and collective action into socio-economic and politico-institutional contexts.