The present Thai royal dynasty, the Chakri has ruled since 1782 when the new capital became Ban Kok or ‘Village of Wild Plums’. At the time Thailand was known as Siam. In the late nineteenth century Siam became a bureau- cratic monarchy, centralised its government and formalised its borders. It was the only South East Asian nation never colonised by Europeans (Government of Thailand 2008; SBS Thailand 2004). In 1902 Siam expanded to the south, formally incorporating the Malay Muslim sultanate of Patan. Siam now had territory where Malay Muslims were the majority (ICG 2005).