The continuing unrest in Southern Thailand since January 2004 resulted of more than 4,300 deaths and 10,000 persons injured . The root causes of the conflict may go back into the history of 1909 when the Patani kingdom was incorporated into the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand).
The Aglo -Siamese Treaty effected in 1909 was completely separated the northern Malay state into two parts : Patani, Narathiwat, Yala, Setul and Songkhla remained under Siam(Thailand), while Siam relinquished its claim to sovereignty over Kedah, Perlis, and Trangganu to Great Britain.The four states along with Johor, became known as Unfederated Malay state. The five states above remained with Siam because the British responded to the value of Siam as friendly buffer against the French in Indochina.Since 1909 incorporated, there has been an ongoing cultural clashed between the Patani Malay and the Siamese state. The Siamese state initiated the policy of assimilation during the era of strongmen rule of General Pibulsongkram and Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. The policy of “nationalism” was imposed through out the country. This phenomena had created a bad effect to the Patani Malay Muslim.
The current episode of unrest according to the commentators is the result of activities of separatist, strains of center periphery relation, the continuing unjust and discrimination practiced of Thai state toward the Patani Malays and some scholars believed that the growing numbers of higher education among Patani Malays, significantly upgrade the understanding of the Patani history and current phenomenon locally and inter- nationally .
