Thai Malays

Thai Malays ( Malay: Melayu Thai ) or Malay Thai ( Thai: ไทย เชื้อสาย มลายู ) are designations for the approximately 1.9 million ethnic Malays in Thailand. After Malaysia and Indonesia are the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala in Thailand 's third-largest settlement area of Malay world.

History

As a result of cultural differences to the Thai population and an adaptation pressure ( Thaiisierung ) occurs occasionally - even violent - clashes. Attempts of assimilation began after the submission of the former Islamic Kingdom of Patani in the 14th century by the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai, but to separatist tendencies of the Malays in Thailand have never let completely suppress ..

Settlement areas

In addition to the southernmost provinces in Thailand there are settlements of the Malays Thai in Phuket and Ranong, so a considerable distance from Malaysia, also in the Thai capital Bangkok there is a larger population.

To be distinguished from the Malays is also the Muslim group the Sam - Sam. This talk an old southern Thai dialect, which is interspersed with some Malay words. Their culture is, apart from religion, strongly influenced by the southern Thai. The Sam - Sam form the majority population in the province of Satun. Among them, there are no serious separatist aspirations. In addition, there is a minority of Sam - Sam in the provinces of Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, Krabi and Phang Nga and in the Malaysian states of Kedah, Perak and Perlis.

The 1.9 million Malays in Thailand are facing about 60,000 Thais in Malaysia on the other side of the border.