Abstract
This chapter examines two critical moments in the Deep South of Thailand, the Dusun-nyor incident in 1948 and the Krue Se incident in 2004, and looks at how these events had been represented by governing élites, intellectuals, and Malay-Muslims. These incidents illustrate that Muslims in the Deep South have become victims of injustice imposed because of the government’s illiberal and anti-multicultural abuse of Muslims’ cultural and religious rights. The way in which intellectuals interpreted the Dusun-nyor incident is examined, arguing that the government fabricated its description of the Muslim protest in the Dusun-nyor as a rebellion in order to defend its suppression of Muslims in the South. The document, Berjihad di Patani (Carrying out jihad in Patani), represented the history of Muslims’ unjust defeat by the Thai government and their determination to reject integration and accommodation with the Thai majority.
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Notes
- 1.
Many newspapers and magazines also reported that government officials also died at the incident of Krue Se. For Example, the Thai-language Muslim Newspaper said that five died and more were injured (See Muslimthai Newspaper May 15–June 14, 2005).
- 2.
I am not denying that there was a possible link between Haji Sulong and separatist struggle in the Deep South. Surin Pitsuwan ties Haji Sulong with the longer-term independence movement of Patani region. As he puts it, Haji Sulong was “the Father of the Greater Patani’s independence movement” until now. His memoir, The Light of Peace (Gugusan Chahaya Keselamatan) continues to inspire various groups which are struggling both by peaceful and violent means to attain their long-aspired goal of full independence (See Surin 1982, p. 164).
- 3.
Shaikh al-Islam is the Arabic form. Chularajmontri is the Thai term.
- 4.
I am not denying the connection between Haji Sulong and Malay-Muslim villagers in the South. When he was under trial at the Nakhon Si Thammarat provincial court (where he had been sent from Pattani), groups of villagers visited him (see Woramai 2005, p. 25).
- 5.
Interview by author in Pattani on 19 February 2008. This To Iman asked that his name not be cited.
- 6.
In early 1958, Amin Dato Minal published 10,000 copies of this book, but it was believed that the Thai government burnt these publications after 5000 copies had been printed (See Nanthawan 1977, p. 85, fn. 3).
- 7.
Interview by author in Pattani on 17 February 2008. The interviewee requested that his/her name and position not be cited.
- 8.
Interview by author in Pattani on 17 February 2008. The interviewee requested that his/her name and position not be cited.
- 9.
The English translation that appeared in, Conflict and Terrorism in Southern Thailand and the Thai translation of Berjihad di Pattani use the spelling of “Pattani” (double “t”s). Yet, the author of Berjihad proclaims the restoration of the Muslim region oppressed throughout history. Thus the spelling should be “Patani” with single “t”. “Pattani” refers to the province of southern Thailand and “Patani” to the old Malay kingdom.
- 10.
Interview with author in Bangkok in 2005. This interviewee asked that his/her name, position, and a specific date of the interview not to be cited.
- 11.
I am not arguing that such a discourse was new in the Krue Se incident. Similar terms, for example, “Thai colonialists”, were apparent in the nine-point declaration jointly made by four resistance movement groups—the BIPP (Barisan Islam Pembebasan Patani; the Islamic Liberation Front), the BRN (Barisan Revolusi Nasional; the National Revolutionary Front), the GMP (Gerakan Mujahidin Patani; the Patani Mujahidin Movement), and the PULO (Pertubunhan Perupaduan Pembebasan Patani; the Patani United Liberation Organisation)—at a conference of Patani freedom fighters on 31 August 1989 (See Che Man 1995, pp. 245–246).
- 12.
The Krue Se incident, here, includes militants’ attacks on police and military outposts not only in Pattani but in other provinces of the Deep South. This suspect was arrested in Yala (See Chao Tai, 6 May 2004, p. 3).
- 13.
The spelling of Warrior of Pattani should be Warrior of Patani (with single “t”) as the context refers to the land of the former independent kingdom of Patani. Yet, the newspaper spelt it with double “t”s (See Chao Tai, 6 May 2004, p. 3).
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Acknowledgements
I am grateful to anonymous interviewees who generously shared their views with me. In accordance with interviewees’ requests, for security reasons, exact places and dates of interviews, names, and gender of interviewees are not disclosed in this chapter. Again, in accordance with the interviewees’ request, I am only quoting their views as back-up sources. I am fully responsible for protecting their identities as per their requests while bearing a sole responsibility for the interpretations in this chapter.
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Tsukamoto, T. (2021). Multicultural Transformation and Anti-Multicultural Injustice: Critical Histories in the Muslim-Dominated Deep South of Thailand. In: Yamahata, C., Seekins, D.M., Takeda, M. (eds) Social Transformations in India, Myanmar, and Thailand: Volume I. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9616-2_19
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