RLST166B Presentation Flashcards
thailand today
- locaiton: pattani, yala, satun, narathiwat
- population makeup in these regions: 68.6 million people, 92.5% Buddhist, 5.4% Muslims, and 1.2% Christian; all really isolated in one area, southern part of Thailand
- religious makeup of the southern region: malay-muslims compromise 70-90%
- language: thai & Jawi
- author: Minority Rights (no author)
regional background
- 1816: Southern border between current Thailand and malaysia divided into seven regions, each constituted a Muslim sultanate
- 1909: Anglo-siamese treaty: incorporated former Patani sultante into Siam (Thailand) and three other regions seperating it from British Malaya, divided the Malayan terriroty into one under the British under the Siamese rule, creating what would become Thailand and Malaysia
- author: Shibayama
background of the government (important dates)
-anglo-simaese treaty of 1909
- 1920s to 1940s: thaification
- 1948: suppression of local government
- 1960s to 1970s: social and economic development projects
- 2001 to 2006: thaksin sgubawatra’s government
- 2006 to 2014: attempts at peace talks
- 2014 to 2023: military junta under Prayut Chan-ocha
- author for most of it: Ulath
anglo siamese treaty of 1909
Siam cded four northern Malay states to British control and in exchange retained soverigtenty for other terriroties such as Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, and songkhla
- addressed economic interests like trade and railway instructions
1920s to 1940s (thaification)
- under Field Marshal Phibun government implemented thaification policies, also called Thai Rathanioym
- included: enforcing the use of thai language in schools and gov, prohibiting malay medium education and literature in jawi script, banning malay ethic costumes, promoting thai culutre
- also included: religious expression restrictions and discouragement of jaw as a language with thai become official in 1938
- author: Lim
1948: suppression of local government
- local government suppressed, thai buddhist officials replace local malay muslim leaders
- in efforts to centralize power and reduce the atuonomy of the malay muslim people
1960s to 1970s: social and economic development projects
- development projects in the southern border region, aimed at improving infrastructure, energy, economic, and education opportunities
other programs
1971: priority admission for Muslims in higher education
1976: approval for Islam to be taught in public schools
1977: programs initiated to improve relationships between communities
2001-2006: Thaksin Sgubawatra’s government
- southern border provinces administrative center was disolved
- SBPAC was put in place in 1981 as an integrated organization to hositically deal with public security and general admin for the southern regions
- had been working with Malay political and religious leaders & maintain connections between central government and local communities
- Prime Minister Shinawatra’s disolved it in 2001 in his efforts to restructure the admin of the southern provinces
- harsher security measures were implemented in response to increase in insurgent activites, escalation of violence
- led to less trust between thai government and malay muslim population
2006-2014: attempts at peace talks
- various thai governments had tried to initate peace talks with the insurgent groups, no success because of the lack of trust and political instability
- author: Pathan
2014-2023: military junta under Prayat Chan-ocha
- led a successful coup and became prime minister till 2023
- the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO_ implemented various policies and maintianed control for the country’s governance
- characterized by suppression of political opposiiton and dissent, constitutional changes to entrench militayr influece in policies, tried to maintain stability
basics of the BRN
the BRN is a barisan revolusi national (BRN)
- founded in the 1960, there are many insurgent groups but they are the leading one advocating for the rights of Malay Muslims. started to just oppose thai opposition and now want the establishment of malay muslim states
- no author noted: Human Rights Watch report
present day
- under prime minister: Paetongtarn shinawatra
- she is the first female prime minister, shift from military leadership to civilian democratic goverenance
- focused and commited to addressing the divisions in thailand
- civilian leadersip in peace talks under chatchai bangchaud
- JCCP (joint comprehensive plans towards peace): focused on finding a comprehensive political solution to the conflict, break from the past which focused solely on military action and both initially agreed until BRN backed out
- author: Chalermsripinyorat and Miller
arguments from both sides
- TRUTHS GOVERNMENTS: national government and stability in thailand, education opportunities/progress, and preserve and unite Thailand under one government
- FALSE GOVERNMENT: military intervention and strict law enforcement as necessary to combat violence and that granting the Malay could cause more separatism in the country
- TRUE BRN: freedom for the malay muslims, independent state for malay muslims, ability to incorporate islamic teaching into education system
- FALSE BRN: all thai influence (including civilians) are threats
solution: the philipines example
- had also previously been a kingdom
- majority christian with a small muslim region in mindanao; incorporated in philipines post WW2
- uprisings and attacks by insurgency groups in response to Philipines gov assimilation programs
- establishment of autonomous region of muslim mindanao (ARMM) which was seen as unsatisfactory by the insurgency groups and led to further extermism. had self governeance but still not than much freedom
- then in 2019, establish the bangsamoro autonomous region of muslim mindano (ratified ny the mindano region and the philipines legislature)
- features: shared funds from taxes and natural resource sales, seperate political structure with muslim led legislature, philipines government laws apply to the region but also any laws passed by the local government
- author: Jurgesmeyer
