The Roles of Politicians in the Deep South: Fighting for Peace in the Southern Thailand at the National Political Level
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Abstract
This article examines the roles of Deep South politicians in national politics through parliamentary mechanisms in fostering peace in their communities. This study adopted in-depth interviews with six politicians in the southern-border region. It is found that the politicians in the context of the democratic public sphere have practiced non-violent political contestations. The politicians have two roles which are reflecting people’s voices and promoting peace through the legislative reforms.
The findings indicated politicians in Thailand's southern-border provinces prioritize unheard people's voices as significant issues of their interests. Furthermore, politicians in the region collaborate to push for the abolition of martial law. On the other hand, they continue to face challenges at work, such as the neglect of parliament and political polarization, both of which have a negative impact on policy deliberation. Additionally, it was revealed that Deep South politicians play minimal roles at the peace negotiating table.
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References
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