This dissertation has three objectives, (1) to study the social context of the Shan ethnic group and the preservation of ethnic Shan in the province of Mae Hong Son, (2) to study the role of the clergy in the preservation of ethnic Shan in Mae Hong Son province, and (3) to present the way of role of the clergy in the preservation of ethnic Shan in Mae Hong Son province. This research is qualitative research documents with descriptive and in-depth interviews.

It was found that Shan is the same as other ethnic groups, such as Tai dam etc., receiving the influence of the nation-state and the discourse in the modernization to change the identity of their ethnic. The researcher has studied the case of Shan to explain the change of the expression of ethnic identity. The author has presented that the expression of changed identity is from interaction of the powerful relations between the governor and people, this relationship of Shan cannot reject. When the country became the state of nation, the model of the powerful relation has influence to be “Shan” become Thai people, and to affect to the expression of the cultural identity of Shan.

This dissertation is about the historical and ethnographic concept; it explained to the origin of “nation-state” is to be “six conscious”, 1) the same descent, 2) the same of race, 3) the same of language group, 4) the same of religion, 5) the same of area, 6) the culture and festival are the same, and the important condition is based on the conscious to build “nationalism” of the group of ethnic by presenting the three widely ways: 1) historical dimensions, 2) religion, 3) the land to be Thai people for explain and analyze the way of conservation of identity of  Buddhist Tai Sangha in Mae Hong Son in the six sides: 1) the language, 2) the culture, 3) the arts, 4) the food, 5) the clothing, and 6) the way of life.

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