The perceptions of Narathiwat people towards the autonomous region of the deep south provinces of Thailand

Abstract

The insurgent unrest in Thailand's Deep South provinces, particularly in Narathiwat, has originated in 1948, and the secessionist movement remained low-level until 2001, marking the year of contemporary insurgent re-escalation. The reasons for the violence are multifaceted, ranging from economic deprivation, political problems, historical grievances, and cultural and religious differences. This study aimed to answer three main objectives: (1) the perceptions of Narathiwat people on the Autonomous Region, (2) their trust in the insurgent organisations, (3) their satisfaction with the government's performance in counterinsurgency management. This study was conducted using quantitative methodology. A questionnaire survey with a non-probability quota sampling technique was used to proportionally include Buddhists, a religious minority, and Muslims: a religious majority in Narathiwat, into the study's sample of 400 respondents, comprising 328 Muslims and 72 Buddhists, in accordance with the religious demography of the province. A Likert scale-based questionnaire was utilised, and the collected data was analysed statistically. The findings discovered a significant correlation between the respondents' religious background, perceptions of Autonomous Region, and trust in the insurgent organisations. Overall, Muslim respondents exhibited more positive support for establishing the Autonomous Region and demonstrated greater trust in the insurgent organisations than their Buddhist counterparts. However, no significant correlation was found between the respondents' religious background and their satisfaction with the government's performance in counterinsurgency management. Both religious groups expressed dissatisfaction with the government's efforts in the Deep South counterinsurgency.