A new report released by Nonviolence International Southeast Asia

Government should end the creation of armed civilian defense volunteer forces and the supply of firearms to civilians in Southern Thailand

The Royal Thai government’s strategy of expanding civilian volunteer forces and substituting and deregulating purchases of firearms by civilians to address the violent conflict in southern Thailand proves counter-productive as it leads to greater insecurity and ethnic polarization among the population, Nonviolence International SEA said in a new report released today. The report, “Rule by the Gun: Armed Civilians and Firearms Proliferation in Southern Thailand,” launched as part of the Global Week of Action against Gun Violence*, provides an assessment of the security situation in the four violence-stricken provinces of Southern Thailand and the impact of firearms proliferation among civilians.

While violence continues unabated, interviews with state officials brought to light that law enforcement and security responsibilities are now increasingly delegated to poorly trained and screened paramilitary and civilian defense volunteer forces. The report demonstrates that the government’s strategies to resolve the conflict have not led to a substantial decrease in violence. Instead, it further heightened resentment among the Malay Muslim population towards the Thai state and raised their feelings of injustice and discrimination. Thai Buddhists, on the other hand, perceive state officers as incapable of providing security which drives their demand for guns.

Looking at both the supply and demand side of arms proliferation, quantitative and qualitative research revealed some clear trends of how arms proliferation in Southern Thailand potentially prolongs, if not exacerbates, the conflict. In terms of supply, the Thai government has supplied small arms, particularly to local Buddhists and officials through three channels: distributing firearms to civilian forces, easing firearms regulations, and subsidizing gun purchases.

Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews showed ethno-religious differentiated perceptions, justifications and impacts boosting gun demand and proliferation. Thai Buddhists feel they are in need of arms for self-defense, due to ongoing victimization by alleged Malay Muslim insurgents, and for protection of the motherland, a result of their heightened sense of nationalism. For Malay Muslims, guns place them at greater risk and insecurity due to surveillance and assault of the Thai authorities who are suspicious of mass support for the insurgent groups and civilian defense volunteers constitute a threat to their security.