Title: Education for Peace in an Ongoing Conflict: Exploring the Possibility of a Peace Museum for the Southern Frontier Provinces of Thailand

Author: Patporn Phoothong, Thailand

Abstract: The key question for this study is amidst the ongoing conflict and violence in the southern frontier provinces of Thailand, whether the concept of the museum for peace can make a change? The study found that communities in the south have been facing violence, injustice, inequality, loss, frustrations. They perceive that state and authorities are the main actors. At the same time, the insurgency groups are also the main actor too. Communities realize the importance of museum for peace and they think it would be useful BUT they don’t want the museum located in their area, they want museum for peace is located in Bangkok or other cities with mobile exhibitions because 1) communities believe the main audiences of the museum for peace are the actor and people who are outside the area 2) communities want to send their messages directly to the actors and people who don’t know what happens in the south 3) communities don’t want to communicate within their community 4) communities want the state, authorities and people outside the conflict area “see” them as human being and 5) communities want their communication to make a change, create a better understanding, bringing support for the structural change.