“Dalaw Traditional Pondok”: Reproduction Space for Malayu Moslem Identity in the Three Southern Bordering Provinces under the Conflict with the Present National Education Policy

Abstract

The purposes of this article were to: 1) study the definition of space and the need for Pondok space of the teacher who is the owner of Dalaw Pondok in Tambon Manangyong, Yaring district, Pattani province, and 2) study the conflict the Pondok under the present national education policy. The study results revealed as follows: 1) on the definition of space and space need, it was found that Dalaw Pondok was established in 1933 as a religious institute for Malayu Moslems. The school inherited its former pattern before the three Southern bordering provinces were governed by the Thai state. Dalaw Pondok space had the characteristics of the Islamic tradition as a mean of instruction. The teacher who is the owner of the school defined the space as the reproduction of knowledge and Islamic discipline.  2) Concerning the Pondok under the national education policy, it was found that the maintenance of religious space made the Pondok become a political space. The state had taken control the Pondok through the education reform policy in the Southern bordering provinces since 1951. The Pondok was transformed into an Islamic private school in which general subjects and the Thai language were taught in the school to enhance the awareness and Thai identity to Malayu Moslems. In the revised National Education Act B.E. 2542 (1999), it was stated that in the education provision process, there needed to be social involvement and a unity in the policy of education provision process with a variety of options. At present, however, the state still tries to change the pondoks according to the patterns it wants. The Pondok, however, still maintains its space as a traditional Pondok. This serves as an alternative for those who want to become religious scholars or perfect religious practitioners in their lives.