Preliminary Review of Patani Political Activists and Public Policy Advocacy for Resolving Unrest in the Three Southern Border Provinces of Thailand

Abstract

The weapons-stealing incident in Narathiwat in January 2004 occurred two decades ago. Since then, successive governments have implemented policies aimed at addressing the issue comprehensively, covering dimensions of security, politics, economics, and social development. Nonetheless, unrest from dissenters persists, though its intensity has lessened, particularly when compared to the first decade following the incident. This reduction in intensity does not signify the absence of unrest, as sporadic attacks on security agencies continue. Dissenting groups, however, consist of both armed factions and politically driven organizations, each advocating for their respective interests and ideological demands. This paper focuses on the latter—political activist groups—and provides a preliminary survey of the approaches and roles of four Patani political activist groups in promoting public policies to address unrest in the three southern border provinces. The paper particularly examines these groups' efforts to bring provincial issues to the attention of policymakers and their attempts to establish a political presence that positions them as agenda setters within a democratic framework. The study finds that the four Patani political activist groups share similar origins, approaches, and activities, united by a common goal of contributing to the resolution of unrest in their area. However, they have not yet succeeded in advancing their issues onto the policy agenda as recognized agenda setters.