18_(291-308) Thai BuddhistsMuslims.pmd


THAI BUDDHISTS-MUSLIMS CUSTOMS IN DIALOGUE FOR

PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE IN THE SOUTHERN THAILAND

Dr. Veerachart Nimanong

Assumption University, Thailand

Abstract

The religiously and culturally or traditionally pluralistic harmony

and tolerance of Buddhists and Muslims in the southern part of Thailand

is the necessary condition for the ever lasting peace, for it is based on the

mutual respect for the diversity of pluralistic harmony between two reli-

gions. Tolerance is the essential condition of harmony in Buddhism as

well as in Islam. Tolerance as the essence of sustainable harmony can be

conducted through the method of inter-religious dialogue of life.  To solve

the problem in the Deep South of Thailand, both Thai-Buddhists and

Thai-Muslims and Thai-Malay-Muslims, who have been living there in

the three provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, for many decades,

will have to build their trust through the dialogue of life through tradi-

tions or customs based on their religious doctrine of tolerance. Dialogue

of life entails dialogue of action, religious doctrine and religious experi-

ences.

º·¤Ñ́ ÂèÍ

à§×è͹䢨Óà»ç¹·Õè̈ СèÍãËéà¡Ố ÊѹµÔÀÒ¾¶ÒÇÃã¹ÀÒ¤ãµé ¤×Í¡Ò÷ÕèªÒǾط¸áÅÐ
ªÒÇÁØÊÅÔÁµéͧ¹ÓËÅÑ¡¢Ñ¹µÔ̧ ÃÃÁ«Öè§ÁÕÍÂÙè»ÃШÓã¹ÈÒʹҢͧµ¹àͧáÅéÇÁÒãªé  ·Ñé§
¾Ø·¸ÈÒʹÒáÅÐÈÒʹÒÍÔÊÅÒÁµèÒ§¡çÂÍÁÃѺÇèÒËÅÑ¡¢Ñ¹µÔ¸ÃÃÁà»ç¹à§×è͹ä¢ÊӤѭ
ÊÓËÃѺ¤ÇÒÁÊÒÁѤ¤Õ ËÅÑ¡¢Ñ¹µÔ¸ÃÃÁ¹Õé¨Ð»¯ÔºÑµÔãËéä´é¼Å´Õâ´ÂÍÒÈÑÂÇÔ¸Õ¡ÒÃÈÒʹ
ÊÑÁ¾Ñ¹ ì̧Ẻ¡ÒÃÊÒ¹àÊǹÒàªÔ§ãªéªÕÇÔµÃèÇÁ¡Ñ¹©Ñ¹à¾×è͹ËÃ×ͩѹ¾Õè¹éͧÃÐËÇèÒ§ÈÒʹԡ¢Í§
·Ñé§ÊͧÈÒÊ¹Ò  ́ ѧ¹Ñé¹ à¾×èÍãËéà¡Ố ¤ÇÒÁʧºã¹ÊÒÁ Ñ̈§ËÇÑ́ ªÒÂá´¹ÀÒ¤ãµé ¤×Í »ÑµµÒ¹Õ
ÂÐÅÒ áÅйÃÒ Ô̧ÇÒÊ ÈÒʹԡ¢Í§·Ø¡ÈÒÊ¹Ò ¡ÅèÒǤ×ͪèÒǾط¸ä·ÂáÅЪÒÇä·ÂÁØÊÅÔÁ

Prajna Vihara, Volume 13, Number 1-2, January-December, 2012, 291-308 291

 c 2000 by Assumption University Press

__                 __
~



ÃÇÁ·Ñ駪ÒÇÁÒàÅÂìÁØÊÅÔÁµéͧÃèÇÁÁ×͡ѹÊÃéÒ§¤ÇÒÁàª×èÍÁÑ蹫Ö觡ѹáÅСѹãËéà¡Ố ¢Öé¹µÒÁ
ËÅÑ¡ÈÒʹÊÑÁ¾Ñ¹ ì̧àªÔ§ãªéªÕÇÔµÃèÇÁ¡Ñ¹©Ñ¹à¾×è͹ ·ÕèµÑé§ÍÂÙ躹°Ò¹áËè§ËÅÑ¡¢Ñ¹µÔ̧ ÃÃÁ
¢Í§áµèÅÐÈÒÊ¹Ò ¡ÒÃÊÒ¹àÊǹÒẺãªéªÕÇÔµÃèÇÁ¡Ñ¹©Ñ¹à¾×è͹¤Ãͺ¤ÅØÁ¡ÒÃÊÒ¹
àÊÇ¹Ò ·ÕèàËÅ×ÍÍÕ¡ÊÒÁÍÂèÒ§¤×Í¡ÒÃÊÒ¹àÊǹÒẺÃèÇÁÁ×͡ѹ·Ó¡Ô¨¡ÃÃÁÊѧ¤Á
ʧà¤ÃÒÐËì ¡ÒÃÊÒ¹àÊǹÒẺáÅ¡à»ÅÕè¹àÃÕ¹ÃÙéËÅÑ¡¤ÓÊ͹¢Í§áµèÅÐ £ÈÒʹÒ
ÃèÇÁ¡Ñ¹ áÅСÒÃÊÒ¹àÊǹÒẺà¢éÒÃèÇÁ¡Òû Ô̄ºÑµÔÈÒʹ¸ÃÃÁÃÐËÇèÒ§ÈÒʹÒ

I. Introduction

My attempt in this paper is to explore the role of the dialogue of

life in connection with the spirit of Buddhism in pacifying conflict and

supporting peace throughout the world. My purpose is to show how this

dialogue of life can strengthen the relationships between Buddhists and

Muslims in the Deep South of Thailand in particular. This paper is not

intended to be an elaborate discussion of the details of the conflict be-

tween the Buddhists and Muslims in the deep southernmost provinces of

Thailand, but intends to suggest a religious and philosophical solution to

the problem. However, to fulfill the objectives of this paper, some neces-

sary information on the nature and structure of the political conflict and

violence must be given so that clear connection of the two aspects of

religious doctrine and political conflict can be properly understood.

II. Buddhist-Muslim Conflict in Southern Thailand

2.1 Historical Background of the Conflict:

As we have already known that Thailand has been experiencing

unprecedented escalation of political unrest in its three Malay-Muslim-

dominated provinces, namely Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, where 80

percent of the total Thai Muslim population today about 8-10 million

(Oknation, 2552) are experiencing ethnic, lingual, cultural and political

conflict. The incidents of unrest in the Deep South were particularly se-

294  Prajna Vihara
__                 __

~



vere from January 2004 to January 2010.

From the database of Deep South Watch, it was found that over

the past 73 months, there were a total of 9,446 incidents of unrest, result-

ing in approximately 4100 deaths and 6,509 injuries. The total casualties

resulting from this unrest over the past six years has been more than 10,609

individuals. If the family of the deceased and the injured are included as

those affected by the mentioned loss, then it is estimated that the number

of people who were directly affected by loss would be approximately

53,045 persons. It is interesting to note that the victims __ those who lost

their lives as well as those who were injured from the violence in the

southern border provinces __ consist of various backgrounds. There are

Muslims as well as Buddhists. Among the dead, the Muslims outnum-

bered the Buddhist, while among the injured, the majority are Buddhists.

Statistics showed that 58.95 percents (2,417 individuals) of the deceased

were Muslims, while 38.02 percent (1,559 persons) were Buddhists.

Among the injured, 59.82 percent (3,894 persons) were Buddhists, while

32.17 percent (2,094 persons) were Muslims, (Srisompob Jitpiromsri,

2011).

Dr. Imtiyaz Yusuf is right in saying “The unrest in Thailand is

rooted in historical grievances and the rise of the ideology of Malay ethno-

religious nationalism leading to the rise of mass-based insurgency”, (2006,

p. 189). Michael K. Jerryson, suggests “Some southern Thai Buddhists

perceive the violence in their villages as a product of the conflict between

radical Islam and Thai Buddhism; conversely, many southern Malay Mus-

lims perceive the conflict to be between Malay Islamic separatism and a

hegemonic Buddhist State” (Jerryson, 2011, p. 12).

Vanchai Vatanasapt in his research entitled “Citizens Dialogue:

The Way Out Of the Southern Thailand Violence”, also agrees with Imtiyaz

Yusuf, and summarized the origin and development of the conflict:

1. The issue of conflict in southernmost provinces, Thai-

land is a chronic problem that several governments

have attempted to resolve, but day after day acts of

violence still occur.

2. From research done by the King Pradjadhipok Insti-

tute, we have summarized the following: the conflict

Dr. Veerachart Nimanong  293



in Southern Thailand stems from the desire of the eth-

nic Malay-Pattani people to preserve their unique lan-

guage, religion and culture.

3. There is evidence of, and an expressed desire for sepa-

ratism, but it is probably not the view of the vast ma-

jority of those in the region.

4. The state must understand that Game Theory will prob-

ably have a part in creating a united front and trust

building measures.

5. The life of every citizen whether Buddhist or Muslim

which become the capital cost of the Game Theory

needs to be reduced effectively.

2.2 Conflict Analysis:

My observation drawn from the data received from the

DeepSouthWatch agency can expressed in the following points.

Firstly, the number of incidents has decreased due to the new mea-

sures rendered by the government. Instead of using military action, the

government is now using peaceful dialogue of life and action, which was

used previously during the time of Former Prime Minister Prem

Tinsulanonda.  DeepSouthWatch therefore claims that “Thailand attrib-

uted the success to the “Tai Rom Yen” amnesty programme”. (DeepSouth

Watch, 2011a). And this peaceful dialogue has been maintained by the

former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva up continues up to the present

period of Prime Minister Yingluck Chinavat. (DeepSouthWatch, 2011b).

Secondly, the numbers of ordinary Muslims killed, outnumber those

of Buddhist monks, Islamic leaders, teachers, policemen and soldiers,

and leads to a conclusion that the separatists are trying to kill those Mus-

lims villagers who do not cooperate with them (DeepSouthWatch, 2010).

This also suggests that the majority of Thai Muslims do not want separa-

tion from Thailand.

294  Prajna Vihara
__                 __

~