Bridging the Language Divide in Southern Thailand
Aimed at mitigating conflict and misunderstanding in Thailand's troubled south, the dictionary pictured above is the first of its kind in Thailand.
The language barrier between civil servants and Thai-Malay citizens in the southernmost border provinces is recognized as one of the significant structural strains underlying the conflict in southern Thailand. While the majority of citizens speak Pattani-Malay as their native language, Thai is the working language of the civil service. Although many Thai-Malays in the south understand spoken Thai, it is not their first language, and they often have difficulty communicating with state authorities. Recognizing this critical language gap, The Asia Foundation worked with local partners based in the south to produce this Pattani-Malay/Thai/Malay dictionary.
Expected to improve communication capabilities, this dictionary is the beginning of a series of language tools being developed for use by civil servants, government officials, and NGOs working in the southernmost provinces. The project is part of a broader Foundation program designed to create equal rights and opportunities for Thai-Malays in the south as well as to preserve and promote their unique cultural identity.