From April 2008- September 2009, HDFF coordinated the Raising Awareness of Different Concepts of Autonomy in Thailand Program. This program was instigated by the internal conflict that has been present in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand since 2001. The agenda mainly consisted of introducing new concepts and understandings of autonomy to the Royal Thai Government along with the general Thai public. Surveys were given to Thai citizens throughout Thailand regarding their opinion and understanding of autonomy and self-governance. The surveys exhibited that Thai society is not necessarily against autonomy within the Southern Border Provinces but against using the word “autonomy.”
Another crucial aspect of the program was a field trip to South Tyrol, Italy to provide a firsthand example of autonomy. The participants were distinctive members of the Royal Thai Government involved directly or indirectly within the Southern Border Provinces. The participants were presented with legal and scientific framework of autonomy in South Tyrol by various fieldtrips around the region. Also introduced were practical implementations of a multilingual education system, historical developments and the media. Once back in Thailand, the participants were able to put their findings and experiences into action within their professions.
Finally, several key points regarding autonomy were found in the research for the Royal Thai Government. The first step was assessing the causation of conflict. This is apparent in historical circumstances giving way to the makeup of Thailand that introduced mistrust and anger between Southern Thailand society and the Central Thailand authorities. Another contributing factor to the conflict is that the Thai military and Thai Buddhist majority do not view the Muslims in the south as Thai nationals. Ultimately, a permanent solution can only be found in the equal treatment of the Muslim community by the rest of the Thai population.
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