State-Society Relations and Inter-Ethnic Estrangement in Thailand's
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Compounding Fractures: State-Society Relations and Inter-Ethnic Estrangement in Thailand’s ‘Deep South’ by Douglas A. Olthof M.A. (International Studies), Simon Fraser University, 2009 B.A. (Hons., Political Science), Simon Fraser University, 2004 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Under Special Arrangements with Dean of Graduate Studies School for International Studies Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences © Douglas A. Olthof SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Fall 2016 Copyright in this work rests with the author. Please ensure that any reproduction or re-use is done in accordance with the relevant national copyright legislation. Approval Name: Douglas A Olthof Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title: Compounding Fractures: State-Society Relations and Inter-Ethnic Relations in Thailand’s ‘Deep South’ Examining Committee: Chair: Gerardo Otero Professor, School for International Studies John Harriss Senior Supervisor Professor School for International Studies Laurent Dobuzinskis Supervisor Associate Professor Department of Political Science Michael Howard Supervisor Professor School for International Studies Michael Hathaway Internal Examiner Associate Professor Department of Sociology and Anthropology Duncan McCargo External Examiner Professor School of Politics and International Studies University of Leeds Date Defended/Approved: November 28, 2016 ii Ethics Statement iii Abstract This dissertation examines the effects of state-society relations on processes of ethnic boundary-making and boundary-shifting in two villages in the conflict-affected region of southernmost Thailand. The study builds on an existing body of research that attempts to explain the persistence of anti-state violence in the border region of southern Thailand through the examination of state-society relations and problems of state legitimacy. Rather than seeking to explain the factors driving violent conflict, however, this study takes as its focus relations between the distinct ethno-religious communities that comprise the region’s population. The substantive chapters of the dissertation analyse relations between residents of two adjacent villages and various institutions of the Thai state. These include state security agencies (most prominently, the Border Patrol Police), various state-sponsored militias (including the Or Ror Bor and Chor Ror Bor), the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre, the district administration, the subdistrict council and executive, and the village headmen and Village Administrative Committees. Thus, the analysis begins from a conception of the state as non-unitary and consisting of numerous distinct entities. The analysis proceeds by treating relations between residents of the villages and these various aspects of the state as distinct fields of social struggle. Comparisons are then drawn between various identifiable ethno- religious communities. Data for this study were collected over the course of 13-month period of ethnographic field research in two villages in an upland subdistrict of Bannangsata District, Yala Province. That district has been one of those most severely affected by the upsurge in organized anti-state violence in the region over the past 12 years. The villages are presented as fruitful sites for investigating the processes by which categories of identity shift and the boundaries that define them are made, remade and reinforced. Keywords: Thailand; Ethnic boundaries; Decentralization; Citizenship; State-in- Society; state formation. iv Dedication For my parents. v Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the people of “Ban Lomyen” and “Ban Namsai,” who took me in, housed me, fed me and made me feel truly a part of their communities. Without their generosity this dissertation would not have been possible. I owe a debt of gratitude to the School for International Studies at Simon Fraser University for taking me on as one of their own despite my “SAR” status. I have benefitted immeasurably from my interactions with the school’s staff and faculty. The ineffable Ellen Yap deserves special recognition. I would also like to thank the staff at the Centre for Conflict Studies and Cultural Diversity at Prince of Songkla University (Pattani Campus), as well as the director of the centre, Dr. Srisompob Jitpiromsri, for his guidance and for giving me an institutional home while in Thailand. Additional thanks are due to the late Burhanuddin Useng, who paved the way for me to gain access to my research sites and who offered me sweet tea and edifying conversation every time I visited his home. A host of generous scholars offered guidance and support throughout the process of completing this study, including (in no particular order) Daungyewa Utarasint, Aim Sinpaeng, Norbert Ropers, Anders Engvall, Srisompob Jitpiromsri, Erik Kuhonta, Duncan McCargo, Chris Gibson and Kirsten Pontalti. Supaporn Panatnachi of Deep South Watch was very helpful in supplying geographically disaggregated conflict data. Therdsak Longsavan was an indispensable help in aiding my integration into both Ban Lomyen and Ban Namsai and is a true friend. Pimpida Norasitpitak aided me in more ways than I can count and I am eternally grateful. Over the course of completing this degree, numerous friends opened their homes, spare bedrooms and couches to me as I flitted between continents: Nicole, Ben and River Choi; Kyle, Adrienne and Evan Sundstrom-Nash; Michael, Li, Zacharia and Sairoh Weitzman-Dumdee; Aim Sinpaeng and Marc Beaudry; Nicole, Bob and Cora Gaboury-Covey; Giulio Recchioni; Justin Smith; Marin McGinnis and Samantha Young; and Huxley Johnson. Thank you all. A very special thank you is owed to Professor John Harriss, who has been far more than a supervisor to me throughout this process; he has been a mentor and a friend. Also, to Gundi Harriss, who has opened her doors to me on two continents and always greeted me with warmth and affection. Finally, I would like to thank the taxpayers of Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for the Doctoral Fellowship that allowed me to dedicate myself fully to this research. vi Table of Contents Approval ............................................................................................................................ ii Ethics Statement .............................................................................................................. iii Abstract ............................................................................................................................ iv Dedication ......................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vi Table of Contents ............................................................................................................ vii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. Of Boundaries Blurred and Boundaries Hardened ................................................... 1 1.2. Histories of Conflict in Southernmost Thailand ......................................................... 3 1.3. Ethnic Relations in The Deep South ....................................................................... 15 1.4. State Fragmentation and Social Embeddedness ................................................... 20 1.5. Analytical Approach: State/Society Interfaces as Fields of Power ......................... 23 1.6. The Chapters .......................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 2. Research Design, Case Selection and Cases ....................................... 28 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 28 2.2. Research Design .................................................................................................... 28 2.3. Case Selection ....................................................................................................... 30 2.4. Research Methods ................................................................................................. 32 2.5. The Villages ............................................................................................................ 34 2.6. Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 50 Chapter 3. Citizenship and Identity in Thailand ...................................................... 53 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 53 3.2. Citizenship and Subjecthood .................................................................................. 54 3.3. Citizenship in Thailand: Extent, Content and Depth ............................................... 58 3.3.1. Extent: Who has the right to have rights? ................................................. 58 3.3.2. Content: Rights, Duties and the Formalized Social Contract .................... 62 3.3.3. Depth: Citizenship, Cultural and National Identity ..................................... 73 3.4.