Burapha University International Conference, BUU-2014

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Cooperation of the Ethnic Malay-Muslims in Pattani Province, Southern Thailand
Suria Saniwa

Last modified: 2014-06-03

Abstract


This study is about the cooperation of the ethnic Malay-Muslims in southern Thailand. It aims to examine why ethnic minority groups are represented in their respective parliamentary democratic systems to act their cooperation with dominant powers? This research explores the cooperation of political representation of the Malay-Muslims using seven independent factors such as liberalization of a system, better standards of living, attitude change, styles of leadership, knowledge of religion, better education, and globalization of communication. It aims to discover some values which might be connected with the cooperation of this ethnic group. This research uses both primary and secondary sources which are analyzed using qualitative and quantitative approaches. The primary data are from our interviews and structured questionnaires that involved 100 respondents in Pattani province (Southern Thailand). The interviews are conducted in order to gauge the perceptions of why the ethnic strategic movements are manifested. The answers from respondents are qualitatively analyzed in the forms of frequencies and percentages. The biggest percentage in the results from these seven independent factors is the most important value that can clarify the question of why ethnic minority groups are represented to act their cooperation in their communities. The secondary sources are from published materials. The conceptual framework used in this research is that of ethnic movement as put forward by Huntington (1991). The Malay-Muslims formed

Al-Wahdah organization and Bersatu movemen in order to promote their interests and welfare. The questions we are asking are: (a) how does liberalization of a system influence the form of ethnic representation in strategic cooperation movement?; (b) how does globalization of communication contribute to forming the organizations and strategies of ethnic minority cooperation?; (c) how do liberal styles of leadership influence the cooperation of the ethnic minority groups?; (d) how does knowledge of religion influence ethnic cooperation strategies?; (e) how do better standards of living contribute to forming the organizations in ethnic minority cooperation?; (f) how does better education influence the form of ethnic representation in an atmosphere of cooperation?; and (g) how does attitude change contribute to a form of ethnic representation in ethnic minority cooperation strategies? This research collected the feedback and examine the frequency of the answers from each item of the questionnaires into percentages. This process is to find which one is the factor influencing an atmosphere of cooperation in ethnic representation. The data collected are analyzed from the answers of informants during the fieldwork. It has found that better education (100%), knowledge of religion (90%), better living standard (80%), globalization of communication (70%), attitude change (60%), and styles of leadership (50%) are the factors influencing an atmosphere of cooperation in ethnic representation. The other factor such as liberalization of a system is rather less influencing. Keywords: Cooperation, Ethnic Group, Malay-Muslims

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