Pattani province Details, Meaning Pattani province Article and Explanation Guide

Pattani province Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Pattani (Thai ปัตตานี) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south-east clockwise) Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.

Table of contents

1 Geography
2 History
3 Demographics
4 Symbols
5 Administrative divisions
6 External links

Geography

Pattani is located on the Malay Peninsula, with the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in the north. In the south mountainous landscape with the Sankalakhiri mountain range, including the Budo-Sungai Padi national park, is located at the border to Yala and Narathiwat, protecting hill forests with rare vegetation such as the Bangsoon palm and Takathong rattan, as well as birds like the hornbill. Namtok Sai Khao on the border with Songkhla and Yala is a forest park, remarkable for the Sai Khao waterfall.

History

Historically, Pattani used to be an independent Malay Kingdom, which embraced Islam in 11th century. Through out its long history, Pattani briefly became a protectorate of Sri Vijaya, the Hindu-Buddhist Empire centred in Palembang prior to Islam. When the Sultanate of Malacca expanded northward, Pattani recognizes the over lordship of Malacca. But, with the fall of Malacca in 1511, Pattani along with Acheh, Johor and Portuegese in Melaka fought for the supremacy of the Malay Peninsula.

However, by mid 17th century, Pattani fell into gradual decline. This decline prompted Pattani to submit to Siam as a vassal state and send the 'Bunga Mas' to 'Ayutthaya as a form of submission. Ratu Kuning (Yellow Queen), the last of four successive ruling Queens of Pattani died without an heir and the country descended into decades of political chaos and conflict.

At the same time, Ayutthaya under King Ekatat (Boromaraja V) was busy in driving off crippling Burmese invasion under King Alaungsaya into her own territory in 1759, culminating in pillaging and complete destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767 by King Mongra of Burma.

General Taksin, later King Taksin reign from 1767 to 1782, managed to drive back the Burmese and reunify the country, and open the way for the establishment of the Chakri dynasty by King Rama I, successor of King Taksin. A resurgent and much stronger Siam enforced their will upon Pattani, which Pattani resisted, and lead to a war between the two. Siam, led by Prince Surasi, son of Rama I, while Pattani defended by Sultan Muhammad that was later slain in battle, resulted to the defeat of Pattani and gradual assimilation of Pattani as part of Siam.

Pattani's consecutive rebellions against the central power forced Bangkok to take action leading to the division of Pattani into seven small states during the reign of King Rama II, with Yala and Narathiwat remain a seperate provinces until to this day.

In 1909, the British which had taken over the states of the Pahang-Johor-Riau empire in the peninsula, acquired Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu that also claimed by Siam as its protectorates. Siam and Britain had an agreement whereby in return for Britain acquiring the above four states, Britain acknowledge Siam sovereignty over Pattani. The action cemented the establisment of stable border between Siam and Malaya that existed till today between Thailand and Malaysia.

During the Second World War, while Thailand was siding with Japan, and Japanese troops present in Malaya and Southern Thailand, one of the Pattani princes, Tun Mahmud Mahyuddin, was collaborating militarily with the British and was promised the restoration of Pattani independence after allied victory. That promise was never kept and Thai presence was reestablished after the war, giving cause to separatist movement and numerous liberation activities in the area that after being dormant for many years, erupted again in 2004.