Eastern domain – Thai place, perhaps (9)
I believe the answer is:
caliphate
'eastern domain' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both locations as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'thai place perhaps' is the wordplay.
'perhaps' indicates an anagram.
'thai'+'place'='thaiplace'
'thaiplace' is an anagram of 'CALIPHATE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for caliphate that I've seen before include "Type of government" , "religious office" .)