The tendency to portray Thailand as being overwhelmingly Buddhist in character and
composition has tended to overshadow the role of its non-Buddhist minorities. Historically,
politically and culturally the Muslims have been an integral part of Thailand for
centuries. Islam is not only the second largest religion in the kingdom but also enjoys
royal and official patronage. But yet, a review of existing works would reveal serious gaps
in the academic treatment of the subject. The main corpus of literature on the Muslims
tends to view them as a marginalized border minority rather than a well integrated
national minority. Invariably it is the role of the Malay-Muslim segment of the Muslim
population that is highlighted rather than the others. In contrast to this dominant trend
this article offers a description of the national position of the Muslims in the modern Thai
polity. It begins with a literature review and then proceeds to trace the history of the
Muslims in the Thai kingdom. Their contemporary sociological profile and political role is
subsequently described. The article concludes with suggestions on ways in which further
research and documentation on the Muslims in Thailand could be undertaken to promote
a comprehensive understanding of their actual role in Thailand.