Local Administrative Organizations in Pattani Province in Fostering Relations between Religious Leaders for Peace in the Southern Border Provinces

Abstract

This research aims to study local administrative organizations in Pattani Province and their fostering relationships with religious leaders to promote peace in Thailand’s Southern border provinces. Employing a qualitative research methodology, the study conducted in-depth interviews with personnel from selected local administrative organizations in Pattani Province, namely the Pattani Provincial Administrative Organization, Pattani Municipality, and Na Ket Subdistrict Administrative Organization. The findings reveal that religious leaders play a pivotal role as intermediaries between the state and citizens, with their contributions categorized into four distinct dimensions: 1) facilitating policy communication and articulating community needs between government and citizens, 2) establishing safe spaces for dialogue and mediation, 3) contextualizing religious principles within contemporary social frameworks, and 4) serving as social role models. The study demonstrates that local administrative organizations can effectively cultivate relationships with religious leaders through several strategic approaches: integrating traditional mechanisms with modern governance structures, creating inclusive spaces for meaningful participation, harmonizing public policies with religious and cultural contexts, leveraging the unique capacity of religious leaders to transcend cultural boundaries, and establishing institutional frameworks that support participatory decentralization. These findings underscore that developing locally rooted peace processes through collaborative partnerships between local administrative organizations and religious leaders represents a crucial strategy for addressing conflicts in Thailand’s Southern border provinces.