Customs Of The Southern Thai
The Southern Tai are divided into 2 social groups, Muslims and Buddhists. This is not an ethnic difference but a social customs difference brought about by two religions each bringing diverse customs and traditions. Similarly the Muslim Southern Tai are not to be confused with the Pattini Malay who number over 2 million in Thailand and who live in the very South Provinces of Satun, Pattini, Yala and Narathiwat and who are also Muslim.
The Muslim Southern Tai follow Islamic dress custom and women wear the Hijab. The Buddhist Southern Tai dress in a similar fashion to the Central Tai. About two thirds of these people are Buddhist and one third Muslim. Muslim villages are recognizable by their Mosques as are Buddhist villages by their Buddhist Temples. Theravada Buddhism was introduced from Ceylon in the 13th C and from here it spread throughout the Khmer Empire and the Tai Kingdoms. The Muslim religion was introduced in the 13th century by Arab traders. The form of Islam is the Sunni Islam division of the Shafi school.