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Raya or Patani Besar, "Greater Patani"; Thai: ปาตานี) is a historical region in the Malay peninsula.
It includes the southern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala (Jala), Narathiwat (Menara), and parts
of Songkhla (Singgora).[1] Its capital was the town of Patani.
The Patani region has historical affinities with the Singgora (Songkhla), Ligor (Nakhon Si
Thammarat), Lingga (near Surat Thani) and Kelantan sultanates dating back to the time when
the Patani Kingdom was a semi-independent Malay sultanate paying tribute to
the Siamese kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. After Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese in 1767,
the Sultanate of Patani gained full independence, but under King Rama I, it again came under
Siam's control.
In recent years a secessionist movement has sought the establishment of
a Malay Islamic state, Patani Darussalam, encompassing the three southern Thai provinces. This
campaign has taken a particularly violent turn after 2001, resulting in an
intractable insurgency across southern Thailand and the imposition of martial law.
Contents
1Name
o 1.1Founding legend
o 1.2Patani, Pattani
2Culture
o 2.1Cultural background: Patani traditions
o 2.2The 20th century: forced assimilation
o 2.3The 21st century: traditional culture under threat
3History
o 3.1Early history
o 3.2Siamese rule
o 3.3Greater Malay Patani state
o 3.4Secessionist movements in Patani
o 3.5Current insurgency
4See also
5References
6External links
Name[edit]
Founding legend[edit]
According to legend, the founder of Patani was a raja from Kota Malikha named Phaya Tunakpa.
Phaya Tunakpa went hunting one day and saw a beautiful albino mouse-deer the size of a goat,
which then disappeared. He asked his men where the animal had gone, and they replied: "Pata ni
lah!" ("This beach!" in the Patani Malay language). They searched for the mouse-deer but found
instead an old man fishing, who identified himself as Che' Tani. The old man said that he was sent
by the raja's grandfather to build a new town further beyond but had fallen ill on the journey; as he
could not go any further, he stayed at that place. The raja later ordered a town be built at the site
where the mouse-deer had disappeared. The town became Patani, which is believed to be named
either after "this beach" where the mouse-deer had disappeared, or the old man as Pak Tani
meaning "Father Tani".[2]
Patani, Pattani[edit]
In Thailand's southernmost provinces, "Patani" has become a controversial term used to refer to
the area encompassing the provinces of Pattani (with two t's), Yala, Narathiwat, and parts of
Songkhla, mostly inhabited by Malay Muslims. Patani in Malay is written with one "t", but in Thai
sources with two "t"s.[3] When written in Thai, "Patani" (ปตานี) "pa-ta-ni" sounds markedly different
from "Pattani" (ปั ตตานี) "pat-ta-ni". Malays say P’tani (ปตานี), pronounced as "pa-ta-ni" with a very brief
first syllable and stress on the second syllable. "P'tani", the original Malay word for the region, has
been used for a long time and is usually never written in Thai. So while technically being the same
word as "P'tani", "Patani" with one "t" has a certain separatist political connotation.[4]
Culture[edit]
From the cultural point of view the term "Patani" may refer to the territories of the
historical Sultanate of Patani, as well as to the wider areas that were once under its rule.[5]
The inhabitants of the Patani region have been traditionally part of the Malay culture, having a
historical background in which Islam has constituted a major influence.[6]
The Patani people speak a form of the Malay language locally known as Jawi. Patani had a
complex and distinct culture that included a rich oral literature, rice harvest ceremonies, colourful
paintings on the hulls of Korlae boats, and the performances of a kind of Wayang theatre. Living
in a borderland at the northern end of the Malay peninsula, over the centuries the Patani people
adapted themselves to a life of harmony with the local Chinese, Buddhist, Indian, Arab and Orang
Asli communities.[7]
Despite the ethnic affinity of the Patani with their Malay neighbours to the south, The Patani
Kingdom was led by sultans who historically preferred to pay tribute to the distant Siamese kings
in Bangkok. For many centuries the King of Siam restricted himself to exacting a periodic tribute
in the form of Bunga mas, ritual trees with gold leaves and flowers that were a symbolic
acknowledgment of Siamese suzerainty, leaving the Patani rulers largely alone.[8]
History[edit]
Early history[edit]
Main articles: Langkasuka and Pan Pan (kingdom)
The area was home to the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Langkasuka as early as the second century,
as accounts from Chinese travellers attest. Langkasuka reached its peak in the sixth and seventh
centuries, and then declined as a major trade center. Pattani subsequently became part of
the Hindu-Buddhist Empire of Srivijaya, a maritime confederation based in Palembang, which
spanned the seventh to the thirteenth centuries. Regional influence during these early centuries
also came from the developing Khmer, Siamese and Malay cultures.
The founding of the Islamic kingdom of Patani is thought to have been around the mid-13th century,
with folklore suggesting it was named after an exclamation made by Sultan Ismail Shah, "Pantai
Ini!" ("This beach" in the local Malay language).[16] However, some think it was the same country
known to the Chinese as Pan Pan.
Siamese rule[edit]
Main article: Patani kingdom
Patani came under Thai rule briefly during the Sukhothai period, and more extensively during the
later Ayuthaya period.
In 1791 and 1808, there were rebellions within Pattani against Thai rule, following which Pattani
was divided into 7 largely autonomous states (Mueang): Pattani, Nongchik, Saiburi (Teluban), Yala
(Jala), Yaring (Jambu), Ra-ngae (Legeh) and Raman. All were ruled by the King of Ligor.
In 1909 Great Britain and Thailand signed the Bangkok Treaty of 1909. The British recognised
Thailand's sovereignty over Pattani, and, in return, Thailand gave up the kingdoms
of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu to the British.[17] All seven mueang were reunited into
a monthon and incorporated into the kingdom. Later, the central government in Bangkok renamed
certain localities with Thai versions of their names and merged some of the mueang.
When the monthon system was dissolved in 1933, three provinces remained: Pattani, Yala and
Narathiwat.
Tengku Mahmud Mahyuddin, a prominent Pattani leader and the son of the last Raja of Pattani,
allied himself with the British in the hopes that Pattani would be granted independence after an
Allied victory. His main support came from ethnic Malays displeased by the nationalistic policies of
the Phibun regime, which were seen by the southern Malays as forcing them to give up their own
language and culture and the economic hardship that ensued as a result of alleged
mismanagement. According to Ockey, even leading Thai politicians such as Pridi
Phanomyong and Seni Pramot were among those that "overtly or covertly" supported this
resistance against the Japanese.[11]: 132 During this time the electoral seats for in this region were
mainly held by non-Muslim representatives except Satun.[19] Mahyuddin assisted the British by
launching guerrilla attacks against the Japanese. In 1945, a petition by Malay leaders led by
Tengku Abdul Jalal demanded that Britain guarantee independence for the southernmost
provinces of Thailand. At the war's end, the Greater Malay Pattani State (Negara Melayu Patani
Raya) flag did fly briefly in Pattani. However, since the British had no power over Thailand, the
Thai continued to rule over Pattani, while the British kept Thailand stable as a counterweight to
the communist insurgency in Malaya. This led to the formation of several insurgent groups seeking
the independence of Pattani.
After World War II had ended, the US had wanted to treat Thailand as an ally because of the
resistance movement against the Japanese during the war but the British on the other hand had
wanted to treat it as a defeated enemy.[20] With this notion in the balance, the newly elected
government led by Pridi had to address the issue of the South. With the aid of advisor Chaem
Phromyong, a Muslim, the government began policies of accommodation and integration of the
South. With the closure of the war, the government also approved the Patronage of Islam Act. This
act recognised the work and role of religious figures in the South and gave them authority once
more in the affairs of the Muslims in that region. Coincidentally, this act also paved the way for Haji
Sulong to become the president of the Pattani Islamic Committee in 1945.[11]: 133 It was from this
appointment that Sulong began to take an interest in the restoration of the Islamic courts which
had earlier been abolished by the Phibun regime. Ockey points out that Sulong was not entirely
pleased with the restoration process because the authority in the Islamic courts was still preceded
by the presence of a judge from the Ministry of Justice alongside the Muslim judge in cases.
However, the negotiations over this supposed unhappiness was in the form of meetings to discuss
terms and not open confrontation. These peaceful attempts at resolution would all come to an end
in November 1947 when Pridi was forced out of power by opposing army personnel.
Current insurgency[edit]
Main article: South Thailand insurgency
Patani separatist groups, most notably the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Koordinasi (BRN-C), began
to use increasingly violent tactics after 2001. There have been suggestions of links between the
BRN-C and foreign Islamist groups, such as Jemaah Islamiyah, however the strength of these
relationships remains unknown.[13]
See also