Abstract
This chapter looks at how the on-going ethnic conflict in southern Thailand has been handled by the conflicting parties, i.e., the national government and Patani Malay insurgents. The major challenge for the management of this conflict is that the long-standing security structure which used to absorb and contain violence effectively in the deep South was dismantled by the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra. Since then, the successive governments have been tied down in coping with the chaotic crisis and spiralling violence in the southern region that have continued to date on top of another and larger crisis of national political polarisation, while not much attention has been paid to dissolving the fundamental incompatibilities of the conflict, which can be summarised as the contention between “peace and stability” and “peace, freedom, and recognized sovereignty”. Even if the parties to conflict squarely tackle the incompatibilities, it appears to be quite difficult for them to reach a mutually acceptable solution, as the Thai establishment has consistently ruled out the “autonomy option” by sticking to their Thaification tenets. The conflict has been internationalised to a considerably degree, but an international solution to the internationalised conflict does not seem to come by easily.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
There were several difficulties that faced the Ramadhan Peace Initiative. First of all, the proposed ceasefire came after just three meetings between the two parties. As a result, they neither prepared a detailed implementation plan nor laid the groundwork for any monitoring of the suspension of military operations. Moreover, the initiative was not welcomed by Thai armed forces on the ground. Several troubling incidents that occurred in the early days of the ceasefire undermined its credibility. Besides, the initiative had not been designed for the involvement of other stakeholders, i.e., other armed groups and representatives of civil society in the Patani region (McCargo 2014a, b; Bean 2013).
- 2.
The five demands of the militant group are: (1) recognition of BRN as the representative of the Patani people; (2) appointment of Malaysia as a mediator, not simply a facilitator; (3) involvement of ASEAN countries, the OIC and NGOs in the process; (4) recognition of the existence and the sovereignty of the Patani Malay nation; and (5) release of all detained Patani fighters from prisons.
- 3.
Modern peace processes, such as that between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front which successfully reached two peace agreements with Malaysian facilitation in October 2012 and January 2014 respectively, have been benefitted from suggestions and advices from experts and civil society groups such as NGOs, religious groups, and business associations, etc. (Bean 2013; Rood 2005: 36–38).
References
Askew, M. (2007). Conspiracy, politics, and a disorderly border: The struggle to comprehend insurgency in Thailand’s deep South. East-West Center Washington: Washington D.C.
Bean, J. (2013, July 31). Thailand’s little known peace process. The Diplomat. http://thediplomat.com/2013/07/thailands-little-known-peace-process/1/. Accessed June 30, 2015.
Chalk, P. (2008). The Malay-Muslim insurgency in Southern Thailand: Understanding the conflict’s involving dynamics. Rand Counterinsurgency Study, paper 5.
Chambers, P. (2014, January 15). Thailand’s deep South smoldering imbroglio: Causes and exist strategies. Asia Peacebuilding Initiative. http://peacebuilding.asia/thailands-deep-south-smoldering-imbroglio-causes-and-exit-strategies. Accessed July 4, 2015.
Connors, M. K. (2006). War on error and the southern fire: How terrorism analysts get it wrong. Critical Asian Studies, 38(1), 151–175.
Daily Sabah. (2014, August 28). Insurgents kill Muslim teacher in Thailand. http://www.dailysabah.com/asia/2014/08/28/insurgents-kill-muslim-teacher-in-thailand. Accessed July 8, 2015.
Davis, A. (2014a, January 14). Thai insurgents extend their reach. Asia Times Online. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/SEA-01-100114.html. Accessed on June 30, 2015.
Davis, A. (2014b, June 10). Coup kills South Thailand peace chance. Asia Times Online. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/SEA-01-100614.html. Accessed July 7, 2015.
The Diplomat. (2012, February 17). Bangkok as battleground? http://thediplomat.com/2012/02/bangkok-as-battleground/. Accessed July 8, 2015.
Fuller, T. (2014, September 10). Human rights abuses reported in Junta-ruled Thailand. New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/11/world/asia/human-rights-abuses-reported-in-junta-ruled-thailand.html. Accessed July 6, 2015.
Gunaratna, R. (2012). The terrorist threat from Thailand: Jihad or quest for justice?. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
Harlan, C. (2014, May 23). Five reasons a coup was staged in Thailand, again. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/05/23/five-reasons-why-a-coup-was-staged-in-thailand-again/. Accessed July 6, 2015.
Hutcherson, K. & Olarn, K. (2015, May 6). At least 30 graves found in Southern Thailand, and a lone survivor. CNN Newspaper. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/02/asia/thailand-mass-graves/. Accessed July 6, 2015.
International Crisis Group. (2005). Southern Thailand: Insurgency, not Jihad. Asia Report No. 98. http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/thailand/098_southern_thailand_insurgency_not_jihad.pdf. Accessed June 6, 2015.
International Crisis Group. (2009). Southern Thailand: Moving towards political solution? Asia Report No. 181. http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/thailand/181%20Southern%20Thailand%20Moving%20towards%20Political%20Solutions.pdf. Accessed July 16, 2015.
International Crisis Group. (2012). Thailand: The involving conflict in the South. Asia Report No. 241. http://www.crisisgroup.org/~/media/Files/asia/south-east-asia/thailand/241-thailand-the-evolving-conflict-in-the-south.pdf. Accessed July 6, 2015.
Johnson, J. (2012, September 21). Malaysian role vexes Thai conflict. Asia Times Online. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/NI21Ae01.html. Accessed July 7, 2015.
Jones, L. (2014, June 5). Thailand’s déjà-coup. The Diplomat. http://thediplomat.com/2014/06/thailands-deja-coup/. Accessed July 6, 2015.
LaRocco, T. (2011, August 4). Yingluck faces Thai insurgency. The Diplomat. http://thediplomat.com/2011/08/yingluck-faces-thai-insurgency/. Accessed July 8, 2015.
Lawe-Devies, F. (2006, September 27). A silver lining in Thailand’s coup? International Crisis Group. http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/publication-type/speeches/2006/a-silver-lining-in-thailands-coup.aspx. Accessed July 12, 2015.
Mandhana, N. (2012, April 23). No peace: Why conflict persists in Thailand’s deep South. Time Magazine Online. http://world.time.com/2012/04/23/thailand-insurgency/. Accessed June 30, 2015.
McCargo, D. (2006). Thaksin and the resurgence of violence in the Thai South: Network monarchy strikes back? Critical Asian Studies, 38(1), 39–71.
McCargo, D. (2007). Rethinking Thailand’s southern violence. Singapore: NUS Press.
McCargo, D. (2008). Tearing apart the land: Islam and legitimacy in Southern Thailand. New York: Cornell University Press.
McCargo, D. (2014a, April 23). Southern Thailand: From conflict to negotiations? Lowy Institute for International Policy. http://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/southern-thailand-conflict-negotiations. Accessed June 30, 2015.
McCargo, D. (2014b, December 2). Tony Blair Faith Foundation. http://tonyblairfaithfoundation.org/religion-geopolitics/country-profiles/thailand/situation-report. Accessed July 4, 2015.
Melvin, N. J. (2007). Conflict in Southern Thailand: Islamism, violence and the State in the Patani insurgency. Sweden: SIPRI.
Murdoch, L. (2013, March 1). Malaysia to help broker peace in Thailand. The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/world/malaysia-to-help-broker-peace-in-thailand-20130228-2f92e.html. Accessed July 14, 2015.
The Nation. (2006, June 25). Prem disagrees with proposed use of Malay as official language. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/06/25/headlines/headlines_30007268.php. Accessed July 2, 2015.
Pathan, D. (2015, May 22). Deep South peace efforts hit another dead end. The Nation. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Deep-South-peace-efforts-hit-another-dead-end-30260696.html. Accessed July 30, 2015.
Pongsudhirak, T. (2007). The Malay-Muslim insurgency in Southern Thailand. In A. T. H. Tan (Ed.), A handbook of terrorism and insurgency in Southeast Asia (pp. 266–278). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Rattana, P. (2006, April 29). Shattered by horrific events. The Nation. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/south2years/apr2906.php. Accessed July 30, 2015.
Rood, S. (2005). Forging sustainable peace in Mindanao: The role of civil society. East-West Center Washington: Washington D.C.
Rustici, K. (2013, March 1). Peace talks announced to address the conflict in Thailand. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). http://csis.org/publication/peace-talks-announced-address-conflict-southern-thailand. Accessed July 8, 2015.
Shadbot, P. (2013, February 19). Explainer: Thailand’s deadly southern insurgency. CNN Newspaper. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/18/world/asia/thailand-explainer/. Accessed July 4, 2015.
Storey, I. (2007). Ethnic separatism in Southern Thailand: Kingdom fraying at the edge?. Honolulu: Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies.
Stratfor. (2014, August 15). Thailand and Malaysia resume their pursuit of peace in Patani. https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/thailand-and-malaysia-resume-their-pursuit-peace-patani. Accessed July 26, 2015.
Syuki, I. (1985). History of Malay Kingdom of Patani. Athens: Ohio University Press.
Thompson, N. (2015, June 23). Human trafficking: Thailand’s porous borders. The Diplomat. http://thediplomat.com/2015/06/human-trafficking-thailands-porous-borderlands/. Accessed July 4, 2015.
Umar, U. H. (2003). The assimilation of Bangkok-Melayu communities in the Bangkok metropolis and surrounding areas. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Waesahmae, P. (2012). The Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the conflict in Southern Thailand. MA Thesis. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington.
Watt, D. K. (2003). Thailand: a short history (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press.
Winichakul, T. (2005). Trying to locate Southeast Asia from its navel: Where is Southeast Asian Studies in Thailand? In P. Kratoska, H. E. Nordholt, & R. Raben (Eds.), Locating Southeast Asia: geographies of knowledge and politics of space (pp. 113–132). Athens: Ohio University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Quang, N.M., Oishi, M. (2016). Spiralling Insurgency in the Deep South: Thailand’s Unseen Road to Ethnic Conflict Management. In: Oishi, M. (eds) Contemporary Conflicts in Southeast Asia. Asia in Transition, vol 3. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0042-3_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0042-3_4
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-0040-9
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-0042-3
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)