The three “Deep South” provinces of Thailand—Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat—remain territories marked by a long-standing and deeply rooted conflict. Once collectively part of the Sultanate of Patani, the area was invaded by Siam in 1786, and Siamese rule was formally acknowledged by the 1826 Burney Treaty signed between the Kingdom of Siam and Great Britain. The later Anglo-Siamese Treaty, signed in 1909, saw the territories of Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu transferred to British control, but left Patani as a part of Thailand. Following this shift was the introduction of assimilation policies—aimed at controlling the culture, religion, language, and identity of the local Malay Muslim population—under a centralised administration based in Bangkok.

Over decades, the struggle to preserve local identity and rights has evolved into a resistance movement alongside the emergence of armed groups such as the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), founded in the 1960s, which calls for the region’s secession or autonomy from the state of Thailand. Although violence has somewhat decreased since the early 2000s, mistrust and resentment of the state over a sense of control and lack of political participation remains deeply embedded. In April 2025 alone, the region—particularly the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, and Songkhla—has witnessed fifty-seven attacks, resulting in eighteen deaths and more than fifty casualties. This prolonged instability has silenced most residents, who tend to avoid expressing political views. But art has emerged as a crucial tool in enabling people to build community and maintain a sense of shared identity.

• Tags: Indonesia, Issue 41, Malaysia, Pablo Bayer, Thailand