Annexation and Assimilation: An ethnic approach to the roots of conflict in Thailand's deep south

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to investigate the root causes of the conflict in southern Thailand. Ethnicity is central to the theoretical approach as the Malay Muslims of Pattani, being one part, and Thailand, being the other, are displaying very contrasting ethnical and cultural benchmarks. Power mechanisms have been able to function through a politicized ethnic ideology and have as such legitimized policies in a nation-building context that have ranked the Malay Muslisms as second-class citizens. The empirical research ranges between the end of the 19th century up to 1947 and focuses mainly on an outlining of the political creed of ?nation, religion and king? as well as on various policies that have been carried out in the Pattani region by Thai authorities. The conclusion suggests that ethnic politics works well in amalgamating the ethnic majority of a nation, but that this strategy simultaneously works subordinatingly for ethnic minorities that fail to adjust to the policies of a mono-ethnic state. Consequently, the conclusion also suggests that the contemporary Pattani conflict is a result of historical circumstances and must be analysed as such in order to be comprehended in full.