Barriers toward peace in southern Thailand

This paper examines the prospect of the current peace process to bring an end to the conflict in southern Thailand, which comprises the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and portions of Songkhla where separatist groups commonly perpetrate violence. The research will focus on the government’s side in terms of its involvement in the peace dialogue, its counterinsurgency measures in the southernmost provinces and will include a look at the general political landscape of Thailand.

2014

Konflik di Thailand Selatan antara pemerintah Thailand dan kelompok muslim Pattani menjadi satu gambaran konflik berkepanjangan ketika tidak adanya pihak ketiga yang menjadi mediator dalam konflik ini. Jika dilihat dari durasinya, tuduhan satu dengan lainnya pada pihak yang berkonflik dan kematangan dari konflik itu sendiri maka, konflik Thailand Selatan sudah dapat dikategorikan sebagai intractability conflict. Kondisi konflik Thailand Selatan menjadi potret ketidakmaksimalan negosiasi yang dilakukan oleh kedua belah pihak berkonflik tanpa ada pihak ketiga yang menjadi mediator. Tulisan ini menawarkan strategi lain yang dapat dipergunakan dalam penyelesaian konflik dengan melibatkan pihak ketiga. Kata-kata Kunci: Intractability Conflict, Thailand Selatan, resolusi konflik, pihak ketiga

International Studies Review

The Introduction to this Special Issue lists the background, principal causes, possible future scenarios and potential solutions to the conflict in Thailand’s Deep South. It also presents summaries of the articles in the Special Issue.

Contemporary Southeast Asia, 2006

The Contested Corners of Asia - The Asia Foundation., 2013

The recent bombings in the tourist city of Hat Yai in southern Thailand reflect deep-seated and enduring institutional problems that defy easy categorisation. Commentators have put forward many explanations for this complex situation, ranging from seeing the conflict in terms of a counter-terrorist campaign as part of the so-called global war on terror, to nationalism, religious extremism, linguistic and cultural disenfranchisement, poverty, lack of education, corruption and absence of the rule of law. These explanations have touched on aspects of the problem, but so far few have translated into a clear or compelling plan of action to restore peace and order to the Malay–Muslim dominated provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat that make up Thailand’s deep south.

2011

Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice, 2021

2020 was the year that saw the beginnings of conflict transformation in southern Thailand and the beginning of a process that should eventually lead to some form of resolution to a separatist conflict that has claimed more than 7,000 lives since 2004. 2020 began with the 'Geneva Call Declaration', which was followed by two meetings between insurgent representatives and the Thai military, in both January and March. Most importantly, 2020 saw the lengthiest cessation of hostilities that has taken place between the two sides since 2004: the covid19 ceasefire. This article assesses the importance of these developments and puts forward the argument that 2020 has been the most significant year for conflict resolution efforts in the south since the conflict began in 2004; although there are many factors in place that may obstruct efforts at securing a lasting resolution to this conflict in the near future. Additionally, this essay provides background to the arguments put forward by examining processes and events since 2014 that have paved the way for the aforementioned developments of 2020.