07 June 2018
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Understanding the Terrorism Threat in Southern Thailand
Understanding the Terrorism Threat in Southern Thailand
Transnational terrorist groups like the so-called Islamic State (IS) tend to exploit conflicts involving Muslims.
Many analysts claim that Southeast Asia is fertile ground for jihadist expansion, citing key areas such as southern Thailand and Mindanao in the Philippines.
Many individuals from Southeast Asia who travelled to Syria and Iraq to join IS and other jihadist groups are now returning.
A series of IS-linked activities in Southeast Asia, compounded by returning fighters from the Middle East, are renewing concerns about jihadist elements taking advantage of the insurgency in southern Thailand.
But these concerns are unfounded. The insurgency in southern Thailand is a localised conflict over territory and identity.
… Eugene Mark is a Senior Analyst with the Military Studies Programme of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University.
IDSS / Print / Online
