Deep South History

[GWR]

For visa chasers who go to Kota Bahru in Kelantan. If you can possibly manage it, take yourself over the river bridge to Wakaf Bahru and beyond a kilometer or two. You will begin to run into the Thai villages mentioned in this article, and some good restaurants. These villages feel very like Thailand, but their Thai sounds rather old-fashioned and their food is just a tad different from Thai food elsewhere. Kelantan Thai food is well-thought of by the other groups in the state; although of course, some of them aren't always officially sanctioned to eat it. Alcohol rules are a bit less strict in these areas too. I'm told that Kelantan folk of all groups are considered the hardest Malaysians to please in culinary matters.

http://www.cpamedia.com/articles/0107_01/

[GWR]

One of my local informants has worked in the border region and had considerable interaction with the Tak Bai Thais and the Malay neighbors. He confirms the sentiment that the two groups in Kelantan have found ways to live sensibly together (if slightly apart) in relatively close proximity.

Unfortunately, (for me) the following link is mainly in Bhasa Melayu. However, Manit clocks up some English language quotes half-way down the page; and there is a bibliography at page bottom with English language references.

I also get the impression we may have some posters here who are familiar with 'Malay':-

http://www.geocities.com/manitc6/mikro.html

I also hope to rediscover a link to an article about Kedah Thais. Those farmhouses and paddies you see alongside the Expressway in the Alor Star are often owned by people whoi might be labelled 'Kedah Thais'. They too have their own distinctive culinary style; and a form of Pasa Thai which is considered rather dated and formal by Thai Nationals.

[GWR]

http://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~rnishii/So...nishii001.html
http://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~rnishii/So...stmann002.html

[GWR]

This might provide some interesting background until I rediscover an interesting (mapped!) website on Thai Communities & temples in Kedah:-
http://www.myfareast.org/Malaysia/kedah/

[GWR]

And here's that research website on Thai Communities & Temples in Kedah State Malaysia. Maps & tabular data are page bottom. There also seems to be some information on the Siamese in Perlis State:-
http://www.aa.tufs.ac.jp/~rnishii/So...kuroda001.html

[GWR]

Asia Research Institute
Working Paper Series
No. 32
Origins of Malay Muslim “Separatism” in
Southern Thailand
Thanet Aphornsuvan
Assistant Professor; Director, Southeast Asian Studies Program,
Thammasat University, Bangkok
October 2004

http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/docs/wps/wps04_032.pdf

[slim3811]

Does anyone have a copy of Teeuw and Wyatt's English translation of the Hikayat Patani that they would be willing to sell?

[GWR]

Know who Wyatt is; and know he has an interest in Pattani history. What is 'Hikayat Pattani', so I know what to look for? I'd like to read this myself. I'll let you know if I come across it.

[Ahoerstemeier]

Its this one. Seems like it is still available from the publisher in the Netherlands at http://www.iias.nl/cgi-bin/kitlv/web...d=9277343_3728 - and with 25 Euro its even affordable. If you're in Bangkok, you can also try to look in the library of the Siam Society, there it should be available as well.

[slim3811]

Thanks for the website. I may order it.

Hikayat Patani is 'History of Patani'. David Wyatt and Teeuw did a translation some time ago.

Related reading is History of the Malay Kingdom of Patani by Ibrahim Syukri, also in translation. Last time I was in BKK, it was at Kinokuniya.

If anyone knows of any other books/articles on this region please post. Thanks.

[slim3811]

25 Euros is cheaper than on Amazon, who has it for US$150.00

[slim3811]

Hello,

Does anyone have any information about pirates (real or mythological, but esp. Chinese) based in the south, say in about the 15th to 18th centuries? I am curious because I came across a story about a Hokkien pirate who later went on to become a ranking official of Pattani under the then Queen. This is related to the Lin Kun Tew legend of Pattani.

Thanks!

[GWR]

Given that Siam has collected 'tribute' from huge swathes of the Malay Peninsula over the centuries, it seems appropriate to include an overall link to an illustrated website:The History of the Malay Peninsula:-

http://www.sabrizain.demon.co.uk/malaya/

[GWR]

From the Online Original Encyclopaedia Brittannica of 1911:-

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/SHA_SI..._Sangore_.html

Unfortunately, some fancy 'Java' work on this site renders 'cut & pastes' unintelligible. Below is a brief quote. Presumably, 'Malay pirates' refers to the short seige by forces from Kedah & Pattani in 1838. The fortifications that ADMIN refers to are actually on the 'sandspit' bank of the lagoon estuary, at the end of the Tinsulanonda Bridge. I suppose it is just possible that this fortification was also completed around 1850, with a view to fending-off invaders (using boats on the lake) from the direction of Koh Yor. one should remember that the 1838 seige was lifted quite quickly by the arrival of stronger Siamese forces by ship. Their landfall might have taken place on the eastern shore of the lake estuary, so it was probably important to protect the western shore as well:-

Having been more than once sacked by Malay pirates, the town was encircled, about 1850, by a strong wall.

You may also find the entry for 'Siam' & 'Bangkok' interesting; although I note in the latter they have rather confused Thonburi with Bangkok in the wake of King Taksin:-

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/SHA_SI...bitants_a.html

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/BAI_BAR/BANGKOK.html

[jpatokal]

http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/SHA_SI...bitants_a.html

...but to meet the requirements of modern life, well-planned roads and streets have been constructed in all directions...