CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AMONG PRINCIPALS AT ISLAMIC PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN YALA PROVINCE,

BY

APITREE ADULPAKDEE

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Administration)

Institute of Education International Islamic University

SEPTEMBER 2010 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perceptions of principals and teachers toward conflict management at Islamic private secondary schools in Yala province, Thailand. Conflict is an inevitable situation in any organization including schools and this has challenges principals’ abilities to resolve conflict. Principals who can manage conflicts in school effectively and efficiently will be able to foster a favorable teaching-learning environment which is conducive to learning. In this study, mix methods: survey and interview have been employed in order to obtain its objectives. The survey was distributed to 11 principals and 302 teachers through convenient sampling method and 6 out of 11 principals were interviewed using semi-structured interview. The findings revealed that all 11 schools confronted with some conflicts but the level of conflicts were not severe or uncontrolled and principals solved each conflict using various methods depending on the conflict situation. The types of conflict in schools were categorized into 4 types as follows: principal and teacher, teacher and teacher, teacher and student, and teacher and students’ parents. There were three major causes of conflict in schools which were derived from different perceptions, ambiguously defined as responsibilities and different working styles. The methods and effective strategies that were used in managing and resolving conflict in schools depended heavily on the situation. However, two theories have been applied which were: 1) five conflict-handling modes by Thomas-Kilmann and 2) conflict cycles concept by Robinson-Difonso. As a result, several recommendations have been suggested for principals to improve the relationships between non-Muslim and Muslim teachers without bias and religious barriers, provide various complaining alternatives and state clearly teachers’ responsibilities for each work. A future study has been recommended to evaluate the perception of teachers by interviewing them for eliciting information, pointing out a comparison between Islamic private secondary schools and public schools in the same provinces and comparing conflict management in schools between Muslim majority provinces such as Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat and Muslim minority province such as .

ii ﻣﻠﺨﺺ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ

اﻟﻐﺮض ﻣﻦ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ هﻮ ﺗﻘﻴﻴﻢ ﺗﺼﻮرات ﻣﺪراء اﻟﻤﺪارس واﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ ﺗﺠﺎﻩ إدراة اﻟﺼﺮاع ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪارس اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮﻳﺔ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﺨﺎﺻﺔ ﻓﻲ وﻻﻳﺔ ﺟﺎﻻ، ﺗﺎﻳﻼﻧﺪ. اﻟﺼﺮاع ﺣﺎﻟﺔ ﻻ ﻣﻔﺮ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ أي ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ ﺑﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ ذﻟﻚ اﻟﻤﺪارس، وهﺬا ﻳﺘﺤﺪي ﻗﺪرات اﻟﻤﺪراء ﻓﻲ ﺣﻞ اﻟﺼﺮاع. اﻟﻤﺪراء اﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﻳﺴﺘﻄﻴﻌﻮن إدارة اﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﺔ ﺑﻔﻌﺎﻟﻴﺔ وآﻔﺎءة ﺳﻮف ﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮن ﻗﺎدرﻳﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺗﻬﻴﺌﺔ اﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ اﻟﻤﻮاﺗﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻢ. وﻓﻲ هﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ، ﻗﺪ اﺳﺘﺨﺪﻣﺖ أﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ ﻣﺰﻳﺠﺔ: اﻟﻤﺴﺢ، واﻟﻤﻘﺎﺑﻠﺔ ﻣﻦ أﺟﻞ اﻟﺤﺼﻮل ﻋﻠﻰ أهﺪاﻓﻬﺎ. وﻗﺪ ﺗﻢ ﺗﻮزﻳﻊ اﺳﺘﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﻤﺴﺢ ﻋﻠﻰ 11 ﻣﺪﻳﺮا و302 ﻣﺪرس ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ أﺧﺬ اﻟﻌﻴﻨﺎت اﻟﻤﺮﻳﺤﺔ، وأﺟﺮﻳﺖ ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻼت ﻣﻊ 6 ﻣﻦ أﺻﻞ 11 ﻣﻦ ﻣﺪراء اﻟﻤﺪارس ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام أﺳﻠﻮب ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻠﺔ ﺷﺒﻪ ﻣﻨﻈﻤﺔ. وآﺸﻔﺖ اﻟﻨﺘﺎﺋﺞ أن ﺟﻤﻴﻊ اﻟﻤﺪارس اﻹﺣﺪى ﻋﺸﺮة واﺟﻬﺖ ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت، وﻟﻜﻦ ﻣﺴﺘﻮى اﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت ﻟﻢ ﻳﻜﻦ ﻗﻮﻳﺎ أو ﻏﻴﺮ ﻣﻤﻜﻦ ﺿﺒﻄﻪ، واﻟﻤﺪراء ﺣﻠﻮا آﻞ اﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام أﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﺑﺎﻻﻋﺘﻤﺎد ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺎﻟﺔ آﻞ ﺻﺮاع. وأﻧﻮاع اﻟﺼﺮاع ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪارس ﺻﻨﻔﺖ إﻟﻰ 4 أﻧﻮاع ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻨﺤﻮ اﻟﺘﺎﻟﻲ: اﻟﺼﺮاع ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪﻳﺮ واﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ، واﻟﺼﺮاع ﻓﻴﻤﺎ ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ أﻧﻔﺴﻬﻢ، واﻟﺼﺮاع ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ واﻟﻄﻼب، واﻟﺼﺮاع ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ وأوﻟﻴﺎء اﻟﻄﻼب. هﻨﺎك ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﺳﺒﺎب رﺋﻴﺴﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺼﺮاع ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪارس هﻲ: اﻻﺧﺘﻼف ﻓﻲ وﺟﻬﺎت اﻟﻨﻈﺮ، واﻟﻐﻤﻮض ﻓﻲ ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪ اﻟﻤﺴﺆوﻟﻴﺔ، واﻻﺧﺘﻼف ﻓﻲ أﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ اﻟﻌﻤﻞ. واﻋﺘﻤﺪت اﻷﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ واﻻﺳﺘﺮاﺗﻴﺠﻴﺎت اﻟﻔﻌﺎﻟﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ اﺳﺘﺨﺪاﻣﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ إدارة وﺗﺴﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﺼﺮاﻋﺎت ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪارس ﺑﺸﻜﻞ آﺒﻴﺮ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻮﺿﻊ. وﻣﻊ ذﻟﻚ ، ﻓﻘﺪ ﺗﻢ ﺗﻄﺒﻴﻖ ﻧﻈﺮﻳﺘﻴﻦ هﻤﺎ: (1) أﺳﺎﻟﻴﺐ ﻣﻌﺎﻟﺠﺔ اﻟﺼﺮاع اﻟﺨﻤﺴﺔ ﻟﺘﻮﻣﺎس- آﻠﻤﺎن، و (2) ﻣﻔﻬﻮم دواﺋﺮ اﻟﺼﺮاع ﻟﺮوﺑﻨﺴﻮن- دﻳﻔﻮﻧﺴﻮ. وﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﻟﻬﺬﻩ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ، ﻓﻘﺪ اﻗﺘﺮﺣﺖ ﻋﺪة ﺗﻮﺻﻴﺎت ﻟﻤﺪراء اﻟﻤﺪارس ﻟﺘﺤﺴﻴﻦ اﻟﻌﻼﻗﺎت ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴﻦ وﻏﻴﺮ اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴﻦ ﺑﺪون ﺗﺤﻴﺰ وﺑﺪون اﻟﺤﻮاﺟﺰ اﻟﺪﻳﻨﻴﺔ، وﺗﻮﻓﻴﺮ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻒ ﺑﺪاﺋﻞ اﻟﺸﻜﻮى، وﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪ ﻣﺴﺆوﻟﻴﺎت اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ ﻓﻲ آﻞ ﻋﻤﻞ ﺑﻮﺿﻮح. وﻗﺪ أوﺻﻴﺖ ﺑﺪراﺳﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ ﻟﺘﻘﻴﻴﻢ ﻧﻈﺮة اﻟﻤﺪرﺳﻴﻦ ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ إﺟﺮاء ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻼت ﻣﻌﻬﻢ ﻓﻲ ﺳﺒﻴﻞ اﻟﻜﺸﻒ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻤﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت، ﻣُ ﻨ ﻮﱢ ه ﺔً ا ﻟ ﻤ ﻘ ﺎ ر ﻧ ﺔَ ﺑﻴﻦ اﻟﻤﺪارس اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮﻳﺔ اﻹﺳﻼﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﺨﺎﺻﺔ واﻟﻤﺪارس اﻟﺤﻜﻮﻣﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت ﻧﻔﺴﻬﺎ، واﻟﻤﻘﺎرﻧﺔ ﺑﻴﻦ إدارة اﻟﺼﺮاع ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﺪارس ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت ذات اﻷﻏﻠﺒﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﻓﻄﺎﻧﻲ وﺟﺎﻻ وﻧﺎراﺗﻴﻮات وﺑﻴﻨﻬﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﻻﻳﺎت ذات اﻷﻗﻠﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺑﺎﻧﻜﻮك. .

iii APPROVAL PAGE

I certify that I have supervised and read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and qualify, as a dissertation for degree of Master of Education (Educational Administration).

………………………………….. Mohamad Johdi Salleh Supervisor

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion, it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully adequate, in scope and qualify, as a dissertation for degree of Master of Education (Educational Administration).

………………………………….. Azam Othman Examiner

This dissertation was submitted to Institute of Education and is accepted as a partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Educational Administration).

………………………………….. Siti Rafiah Abd Hamid Director, Institute of Education

iv DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this dissertation is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions.

Apitree Adulpakdee

Signature……………………………… Date……………………………

v

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH

Copyright © 2010 by Apitree Adulpakdee. All rights reserved.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AMONG PRINCIPALS AT ISLAMIC PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN YALA PROVINCE, THAILAND.

No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder except as provided below.

1. Any material contained in or derive from this unpublished research may only be used by others in their writing with due acknowledgement.

2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes.

3. The IIUM library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries.

Affirmed by Apitree Adulpakdee.

………………………. ……………..... Signature Date

vi

Dedicated to

My beloved parents, Mr. Adul and Mrs. Ramilah Adulpakdee who have sacrificed to

nurture, educate and guide me through all my life,

my beloved sisters, Apiradee and Nurulhuda,

my beloved brother, Abeedin,

and my beloved niece, Nadeera

vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Alhamdulillah, first and the foremost all praise be to Allah, the Almighty without whose guidance, this study would not have been possible. May He guide and bless me to greater heights, endow me with knowledge and wisdom and forgive me for my weaknesses. Peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w), his family and companions.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to a number of individuals have extended their assistance in one way or another throughout the entire course. My gratitude goes to all of them. I am gratefully indebted to my supervisor, Asst. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Johdi Salleh and my second reader, Dr. Azam Othman, for their invaluable suggestion, scholarly guidance in the completion of this thesis. May Allah reward them for their sincere endeavour.

Sincere appreciation is also due to my lecturers at the Institute of Education in the International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM) for the invaluable knowledge being imparted for somehow or other it helps shape my thoughts and actions. To colleagues and administrative staff, who either directly or indirectly contributed throughout the course of this study, words cannot express my gratitude. May Allah reward all of you.

This study also would not have been possible without the cooperation of the principals and teachers who responded to the survey. Thank you very much for their time and effort. In addition, I am indebted to all people who I forgot to mention in acknowledgements but all of you have contributed to the success of this thesis. I also wish to extend my special thanks to my relative, B’Anwa. My seniors, juniors and friends (Yaai, P’Nida, P’Pu, K’Asiah, K’Dek, Fatima, B’Fairuz, B’Ameen, Yohk, Pla, Hafiza, Ina, Saini, Nureen, Fadel, Zamree, Ghani, N’Jeedar and N’ Inham) for their invaluable kindness and help given. May Allah reward all of you.

Last but not least, I wish to express my gratitude to my family members who were behind my every academic success. I wish to thank my beloved parents, Mr. Adul and Mrs. Ramilah Adulpakdee who have always supported me, trusted me and taught me through all my life. I wish to express my special thanks to my beloved eldest sister, Apiradee and her husband, Dr. Subandaree for their support and encouragement especially, my beloved niece, Nadeera. And also I would like to thank my beloved brother, Abeedin and my beloved youngest sister, Nurulhuda for their love and support. Furthermore, acknowledgements are extended to thank my grandparents, aunties and uncles for their help given and encouragement. May Allah reward all of you. Ameen.

viii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract (English)...... ii Abstract (Arabic)...... iii Approval Page...... iv Declaration Page...... v Copyright Page...... vi Dedication...... vii Acknowledgements...... viii List of Tables...... xiii List of Figures...... xv List of Abbreviations...... xvi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...... 1 Background of the study...... 1 Background of Thailand...... 3 Background of Yala province...... 7 Educational system in Thailand...... 10 Formal education...... 12 Non-formal education...... 13 Informal education...... 13 Educational system in Yala province...... 14 Islamic education in Thailand...... 18 Islamic private school in Thailand...... 19 Statement of the problem...... 20 Objectives of the study...... 21 Research questions...... 22 Significance of the study...... 23 Limitation of the study...... 23 Theoretical Model...... 24 Conceptual Framework...... 25 Definition of terms...... 26

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW...... 28 Definition of conflict...... 28 The nature of conflict...... 31 Views of conflict...... 34 Traditional view...... 34 Human relation view...... 35 Interactionist view...... 35 Types of organizational conflict in school...... 35 Intrapersonal conflict...... 35 Interpersonal conflict...... 36

ix Intragroup conflict...... 36 Intergroup conflict...... 36 Intraorganizational conflict...... 37 Interorganizational conflict...... 38 Conflict episodes...... 38 Latent conflict...... 38 Perceived conflict...... 39 Felt conflict...... 40 Manifest conflict...... 41 Conflict aftermath...... 41 The effect of conflict...... 42 The consequences of conflict management...... 43 Teams and conflict management...... 47 Types of goal conflict...... 48 Approach-approach conflict...... 48 Approach-avoidance conflict...... 49 Avoidance-avoidance conflict...... 52 Factors of organizational conflict in school...... 53 Structural factors...... 53 Personal factors...... 56 The five conflict-handling modes...... 59 Competing...... 60 Collaborating...... 60 Compromising...... 60 Avoiding...... 61 Accommodating...... 61 Conflict cycles concept...... 61 The applicability for interpersonal conflict resolution in school...... 65 Lose-lose...... 65 Win-lose...... 66 Win-win...... 67 Negotiation in conflict management...... 68 Types of third-party intervention...... 68 Strategies for managing conflict...... 71 Conflicts in Thai schools...... 72 Managing conflict: An Islamic perspective...... 73 The concept of syūrā, nasihah, ta'āwun, negotiation and arbitration...... 74 Syūrā...... 74 Nasihah...... 75 Ta'āwun...... 77 Negotiation...... 78 Arbitration...... 79 The implications for solving conflict in school...... 81 Conclusion...... 91

x CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...... 93 Introduction...... 93 Population and sample...... 93 Instrumentation...... 96 Survey Questionnaire...... 97 Interview...... 99 Establishing the validity and reliability of the instrument...... 100 Pilot study: Survey Questionnaire...... 100 Interview protocol...... 101 Data collection procedures...... 102 Survey Questionnaire...... 102 Interview...... 103 Data analysis procedures...... 103 Survey Questionnaire...... 103 Interview...... 104

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS...... 105 Introduction...... 105 Respondent’s demographic background...... 105 Reported data from survey questionnaire...... 110 Principals’ view...... 110 Dimension One: The causes of conflict...... 110 Dimension Two: The process for managing conflict by school principal...... 112 Dimension Three: The best practices in principals’ conflict management...... 113 Teachers’ view...... 117 Dimension One: The causes of conflict...... 117 Dimension Two: The process for managing conflict by school principal...... 119 Dimension Three: The best practices in principals’ conflict management...... 121 Qualitative findings...... 125

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION...... 132 Introduction...... 132 Summary of the study...... 132 Recommendations...... 138 Conclusion...... 140

BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 142

xi APPENDIX I: List of Islamic Private Secondary Schools in Yala province by PESASY, 2009...... 147 APPENDIX II: The reported data of Five Likert Scale...... 150 APPENDIX III: Survey Questionnaire...... 154 APPENDIX IV: Interview Questions...... 159

xii LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Page No.

1.1 The number of students in basic educational system in 17 each level Under Yala Educational Service Area Office One in 2008

2.1 Line-staff: Line Managers versus Staff Managers 37

3.1 Number of Teachers and Principals in Islamic Private 95 Secondary Schools of Yala under the Educational Service Area Office One

3.2 Random sample size from a determined population 96

3.3 Survey Questionnaire On Conflict Management in 97 Islamic Private Secondary Schools in Yala province (Principals’views)

3.4 Survey Questionnaire On Conflict Management in 98 Islamic Private Secondary Schools in Yala province (Teachers’views)

3.5 Number of questionnaire that was distributed and 103 returned

4.1 Demographic Characteristics of Principals 106

4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Teachers 108

4.3 Perception of Principals in Islamic Private Secondary 111 Schools, Yala province towards the causes of conflict

4.4 Perception of Principals in Islamic Private Secondary 112 Schools, Yala province towards the process for managing conflict by school principals

4.5 Perception of Principals in Islamic Private Secondary 115 Schools, Yala province towards the best practices in principals’ conflict management

4.6 Perception of Teachers in Islamic Private Secondary 118 Schools, Yala province towards the causes of conflict

xiii 4.7 Perception of Teachers in Islamic Private Secondary 120 Schools, Yala province towards the process for managing conflict by school principal

4.8 Perception of Teachers in Islamic Private Secondary 123 Schools, Yala province towards the best practices in principals’ conflict management

xiv LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Page No.

1.1 Map of Thailand 4

1.2 Map of Yala 10

1.3 Theoretical Model of Teachers’ Perception and 24 Principals’ perception towards Conflict Management among Principals at Islamic Private Secondary School in Yala province, Thailand

1.4 Conceptual Framework towards Conflict Management 26 among Principals at Islamic Private Secondary School in Yala province, Thailand

2.1 Conflict Episode Model 39

2.2 Gradients of approach-avoidance conflict 51

2.3 The Five Conflict-Handling Modes 59

2.4 Conflict Cycles Concept 62

xv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

B.E Buddhist Era

OBEC Office of The Basic Education Commission

OHEC Office of The Higher Education Commission

PESASY Persatuan Sekolah Agama Sewasta Wilayah Yala

SIPRI Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

xvi CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

During a typical day at work, people in organisations encounter more subtle and non- violent expressions of conflict. Conflict, like power and organisational politics, is an inevitable and sometimes positive force in modern work organizations (Buelens, et al.,

2006).

We cannot deny that conflict can create change and change can also produce conflict; it challenges us to do something better than in the past. Everyone needs to learn how to manage conflict in order to improve, to know the way to resolve, adapt and take advantage of change to overcome the conflict. When we know how to manage conflict well, it does not mean that we can avoid or always prevent it from occuring but it shows that we can accept and live with it. However, effective conflict management can help us to be familiar with the new development and revolution and create suitable solutions for everyone to get new treats and opportunities and also satisfy everyone.

Conflict is a pervasive aspect in both professional and social interactions. It occurs among family members, friends, colleagues and even between superiors and subordinates. As long as a human element is present, conflict is certain. No doubt when mentioning the word ‘conflict’, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is a negative and a destructive element to be avoided at all costs. In addition, other issues associated with conflicts are wasted time, low employee motivation, low productivity, stolen or vandalized equipment, increased legal costs, relational strain in the

1 workplace, negative consequences for health and stressed-related medical claims.

Furthermore, decisions made by people in conflict will not be at their the best as angry colleagues might withhold or manipulate information required by decision makers and decision makers’ judgments are marred when they feel threatened by other’s intentions. Moreover, conflicts in the workplace are not to be ignored. Unaddressed conflicts will fester and get worse if they are neglected. Individuals need to have the skills and knowledge on how to manage conflicts as competently as possible when they surface. Management of conflict is one of the important roles played by managers in organizations as it is a crucial investment for long term viability and success for a business. A research by Waitchalla and Raduan (2006) found that managers spend more than 20% of their time dealing with conflict.

Conflicts emanating from interactions of interdependent people who perceive incompatible goals and interference from each other in achieving those goals (Frost and Wilmot, 1978) are inevitable in restructured schools where varied interests in education converge (Etzioni, 1969; Collins, 1975; Stelzer, 1975; Smith, 1997).

According to Coser (1956), appropriately managed conflict may serve as an important organizational utility when it is constructively regulated. The process of managing conflict to achieve constructive results is both complex and essential to organizational success in open systems of reformed school environments distinguished by local autonomy.

School is part of an organization which cannot avoid conflict. The school principal has to understand the conflict which occurs in the school and also know how to solve the problems. If the school principal cannot solve the problems in a suitable way, they will expand and become the cause of another problem. Hence, it will be a problematic situation for the school principal in the future (Pattanasoon, 2002).

2 Moreover, managing conflict at school has been an age-old challenge for educators.

Pendharkar (1995) claims that conflicts are a natural part of life and therefore a natural part of school life.

Nowadays, conflicts are increasing in schools and will be more frequent and severe in the future. If principals do not have the knowledge and experience and cannot manage the conflict well, it will cause catastrophy in the administration of the school (Pattanasoon, 2002). The researcher believes that if the causes of conflict can be controlled and the conflict can be solved, the organization can be administrated more efficiently. Therefore, the researcher is interested to study conflict management among principals of Islamic secondary schools in the Yala province of Thailand so that it can be guidance for more effective and well-managed schools.

BACKGROUND OF THAILAND

Thailand which is at the geographical heart of South-East Asia, is predominantly a

Buddhist kingdom almost equidistant from India and China. Known by outsiders as

Siam for centuries, Thailand (the land of smiles), has been something of a Southeast

Asian migratory, cultural, and religious crossroads (Hotnet, 2005).

Approximately the size of France (200,000 sq. miles), Thailand covers an area of 514,000 sq km (land: 511,770 sq km, water: 2,230 sq km). It has 48,632 km of land boundary and 3,219 km of coastline (The New York Times Company, 2009).

According to the Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University,

2009, the estimated population in 2009 was 63,396,000. Thailand is mainly divided into six regions: North, North-East, West, East, Central, and South; each of which has its own distinctive geographical character and administratively, it is divided into 76 provinces (see Figure 1.1).

3

Figure 1.1: Map of Thailand

Source: http:// geography.about.com/library/cia/blcthailand.htm

Nowadays, approximately 9.3 million people live in Bangkok and its vicinities.

Thai is the official language of the country; 94% of the population is Thai-speaking

Buddhists. Four distinct dialects of the are spoken in the central, northern, southern and in the north-eastern regions, the latter being closely related to the Lao language. In the four southern provinces of Pattani, Satun, Yala and

4 Naratiwat near the Malaysian border, the majority of the population are Muslims who speak "Pattani" Malay. In the mountains of the northern region there are approximately 525,000 highland people who speak distinct languages (UN, Thailand,

2008).

While 95% of the population are Buddhists (CIA World Fact book, 2007),

Muslims form the second largest majority in Thailand. However, the estimated number of Muslim population in Thailand varies from one source to another where presently the number of Muslims in Thailand controversially ranks from two to more than five million people (Narongraksakhet, 1995).

According to Interknowledge Corperation (2005), the earliest people to appear in Thailand were most likely the Mons, who came into Southeast Asia from Central

China two millennia ago. The Mons settled along various rivers in Myanmar and

Thailand, building cities and rapidly developing a civilized culture. Within a few centuries they were confronted by other groups coming out of the north. As the region filled with people and villages, local kingdoms emerged and vied for supremacy over each other, giving rise to Thailand's earliest empires. The first of these were the

Davaravati of and the Srivijaya, whose empires extended from

Sumatra to the northern Malay peninsula to . Both kingdoms practiced Buddhism, which had spread from India during the time of the Mons.

Eventually, the Davaravati fell to the westward expansion of the Khmers from

Cambodia.

The next Thai kingdom to arise was Siam, which had its origins in the military expansion of the Mongols under Kublai Khan. As the Mongols pressed south through

China, the people of the northwestern mountains and the Shan Plateau fled south and east. In 1220, the Thai lords founded their first capital at Sukhothai, in the Nan River

5 valley. Soon afterward, two other Thai kingdoms were established: Lanna Thai

(million Thai rice fields) at Chiang Mai in the north, and Ayuthaya, upriver from present day Bangkok. In the mid-14th century, Ayuthaya had entered its golden age, dominating other kingdoms and driving the Khmers out of the region entirely.

For the next few centuries the Thai kingdoms faced a stronger threat, not from the east or north, but from their neighbours to the west---the Burmese. In 1556, the

Burmese captured Chiang Mai, and then Ayuthaya in 1569. The Thais rallied and recaptured both cities in the following decades but the antagonism between the two people continued. The Burmese attacked Ayuthaya once more in 1767, this time practically erasing the city after a particularly bloody and protracted battle. Although the Thais managed to expel the Burmese shortly after, a new capital had to be constructed around what is now Bangkok. This chapter in Thai history marks the establishment of the Chakri Dynasty under (King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke) whose descendants have reigned in unbroken succession until the present day.

Unlike other countries of Southeast Asia, Thailand (or Siam, as it was known at the time) never felt the yoke of direct European colonialism. As early as the 17th century, the Thai kings were set upon maintaining independence, having executed a

French emissary to underscore their determination. As the French, British, and Dutch carved up the entire region over the next hundred years, the Kings of Siam shrewdly played the competing Europeans against each other, ensuring that no one power would gain a dominant presence. The strategy paid off handsomely, as Siam remained autonomous while reaping most of whatever benefits the colonial system had to offer.

After a peaceful coup in 1932, Siam's powerful monarchy became constitutional, and in 1939 the country officially adopted the name Thailand. Over the next several decades, Thailand was governed primarily by military dictatorships,

6 which drew much of their support from collaboration with more powerful nations.

They supported the Japanese occupation army in WW2 and later provided bases and men for the United States' efforts in Vietnam. Since that time, Thailand has weathered several coups, a number of border clashes with neighbouring communist regimes, and violent student demonstrations, finally emerging in the last decade as a remarkably stable and economically successful nation.

About the climate, Thailand can be an extremely hot and soggy. Its tropical climate is divided into three seasons: cool in November to February, hot in March to

May, and rainy in June to October. The seasons are more extreme in the northern regions, where the dry heat can grow quite intense in late spring and the cool weather can become cold in the mountains. The rainy season is no detriment to travelling activities in Thailand, as the rain can be cool and refreshing (Interknowledge

Corperation, 2005).

BACKGROUND OF YALA PROVINCE

According to Waedureh (1995), Yala is the southernmost province of Thailand and is the only one of the 14 southern provinces that is not connected to the sea, having

Amphoe Betong as the southern most town, bordering on Malaysia. The word “Yala” was derived from the local word “yalo” meaning “fish net”. Yala used to be part of

Pattani, a colony of the Sukhothai Kingdom. In B.E. 2310 when Ayutthaya fell to

Burma, southern colonies became independent. Kanniga (1984) stated in Waedureh

(1995):

In 1767, after the fall of Ayutthaya at the hands of the invading Burmese, the Malayan rulers in the south declared themselves independent. It was not until 1785, during the reign of King Rama I (King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke) of the Chakri Dynasty, that the Thais in their southward expansion once

7 again brought under their control Pattani and plus two new tributary states, and Trengganu. This action resulted in the definite submission of Pattani, which henceforth would not be viewed as a tributary state over which Thailand claimed suzerainity, but rather as an integral part of the Kingdom, vital Thai interests were believed to be involved (p. 9).

During the reign of King Rama I (King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke) of the

Rattanakosin Dynasty, the King sent his brother, Khrom Phra Ratchawangbowon

Maha Surasihanat to march the troop to suppress these provincial towns and conquer

Pattani in 1789. In 1808 King Rama I gave his permission to divide Pattani into 7 provincial towns: Pattani, Saiburi, Nongchik, Yaring, Rangea, Raman and Yala.

Kanniga (1984) wrote in Waedureh (1995):

During this period, Pattani subdued and divided into seven districts called “Muang”, were seen to form a “” or circle. By 1906 it was clear that the consolidation of Thai control over the former sultanate of Pattani or the seven “Muangs” had been administratively speaking, firmly established (p. 10).

In the next major administrative change, all monthon or circles were abolished; each muang was given authority of self government and ruled by the following rulers;

(1) Muang Pattani – Praya Wichit Pakdi

(2) Muang Nongchik – Praya Pechra Pibannarubet

(3) Muang Yala – Praya Narongrit

(4) Muang Saiburi – Praya Suriya suntornbaworn Pakdi

(5) Muang Raman – Praya Ratanapakdi

(6) Muang Rangae – Praya Pupa Pakdi

(7) Muang Yaring – Praya Pipit Pakdi

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