Malay-Mon Two Ethnic Way of Life: Ban Pak Lat, Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

This article aims to study the settlement of Malay and Mon ethnic groups and to study the relationship between Mon people and Malay Muslims in Ban Pak Lat Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province. The results showed that the Malays migrated to Paklat due to the Siam-Patani War as prisoners of war as they were given land and established a Muslim community. While the Mon people migrated for similar reasons, They fled from the suppression by the Burmese army. At that time, the government's policy wanted to keep the Malays in order by bringing in the Mons to stay in proximity and form a community as a buffer zone between the Malays and the Siamese. But over time, it had led to the situation where Malay and Mon Muslims coexisted peacefully. Since then, the Malay and Mon people have developed cultural ties that appeared in the food and customary traditions which constituted the way of life of both ethnic groups.