Charting History: The Influence of Malay Muslim Elites in Political Mobilization and the Democratic Movement in Thailand's Deep South

Abstract

This article presents the changes of Thai national political history over the past century and their impact on the political landscape in Thailand's three southernmost provinces. The objective is to illustrate the political connections between these provinces and the center. Studying these connections will enhance and enlarge our understanding of the conflicts in Thailand's Deep South. Although elections were held occasionally in Thailand between the 1950s and 1980s, more than half were corrupted by military rulers’ abuses of power, not only abusing electoral processes, but also intimidating those representatives from the Deep South whom they perceived as a potential threat to national security. Many prominent Malay Muslim representatives, such as Haji Sulong, Haji Ameen, and Siddik Sharif, who were highly respected by their electorates, were often seen as separatists’ intent on undermining and destabilizing the Thai government. This article suggests that the frequent military coups in Bangkok fomented conflict in the Deep South. It also examines Malay Muslim political candidates and their election campaigns under military rule, particularly their methods of managing campaigns to circumvent conflicts.

This article argues that within a dominant nationalistic Thai state, individuals acting in isolation face immense challenges; protest alone cannot succeed. Even if solo actors represent broader perspectives or larger movements, their visibility makes them easier targets for governmental surveillance and action.