Siamese-Chinese

        The Siamese –Chinese stock is represented by Ahom (now extinct), Phakiyal, Khamyang, Turung, Aiton, Nora and Khamti.

        Early in the 13^th century, a section of the Mao branch of the Tai race entered Assam under the leadership of Chao-lung Shu-ka-pha and conquered it and ruled till the British annexed erstwhile Assam in 1826. These people came to be known as Ahoms and their language Ahom or more properly Tai-Ahom. Dr. B.K. Kakati suggests that the name Assam pronounced /OxOm/ has its roots with the Ahoms who were so called /OxOmO/ meaning unequaled by the vanquished local people. For several centuries the Ahom language continued as their mother tongue in which works on various subjects such as history (the word for History in Assamese is buranji which is borrowed from Ahom), Astrology, Religion and Politics were produced. Gradually the Ahoms converged with the locals and there was a total shift of language from Ahom to Assamese.Today the Ahom language is used only by the Mawsams. Mawhungs and the Mawplangs, the three priestly Ahom classes, for religious purposes only.

        The Khamtis were originally a Northern Shaan tribe from Moguang in upper Burma, who migrated to Assam in the later part of 19^th Century and settled in the Lakhimpur district.They are Buddhists and are still maintaining their own language and culture unlike the Ahoms.They are also found in the Dibrugarh and the Lakhimpur districts.

        The Phakyals too have come from Moguang in upper Burma in 1760 and settled in the Jorhat district of Assam. Their language closely resemble the Shaan language and like the Khamtis they are also Buddhists. Apart from Jorhat district they are also found in the Dibrugarh and the Tinsukia districts.

        The Noras, Khamyangs , Aitonias or Aitons and the Turungs are also of the same stock i.e. they too had their roots in the Northern Shaan tribe of Moguang in upper Burma and they came to Assam in the 18^th and the 19^th century and settled in the Jorhat and the Dibrugarh districts of Assam.(Census data not available).