Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the factors related to the violence and conflicts in the deep south of Thailand, explore the Thai government’s management of conflict resolution, and discover the policy guidelines for conflict management in the deep south of Thailand. The researcher used qualitative methods, including interviews with thirty-three government officers and twenty-five residents selected through purposive sampling, convenience sampling, and snowball sampling. Also, the researcher used a focus group to study the policy guidelines, and the data were analyzed using content analysis and descriptive analysis. The researcher found that one cause of the conflicts in the deep south of Thailand is the ideology of radical Muslim groups. Groups of ethnic Malay Muslims have sought independence or greater autonomy from the Thai state. The Thai government has pursued many activities to bring peace back to the region, but it has always lacked the information needed to communicate with residents there, especially with Islamic residents. Also, the Thai government should rethink its sustainability, economic, community, education, and Islamic law policies; moreover, the government units in the deep south of Thailand should follow the concept of good governance and maintain equal opportunity between Islamic and Buddhist people.