KNOWLEDGE-SHARING FORUM : CONTRIBUTING TO EMPOWERMENT AND SOLIDARITY IN SOUTHERN THAILAND

Abstract

The majority of the population in southern Thailand adheres to Islam and uses the Malay language. They are a community that has undergone a process of assimilation in terms of identity, economy, education, and religion as a result of the rule of the Kingdom of Siam (Thailand). In this context, PERSAIT provides opportunities to collaborate in community service activities. Therefore, this paper aims to describe the collaborative activities between LPPM Unsoed and PERSAIT in the form of international community service, focusing on educational development, cultural exchange, and the strengthening of fraternal relations with Indonesia. The community service activities target school students and Islamic boarding school students and are carried out alongside the assignment of KKN field supervisors (DPL) in southern Thailand. The program locations include Darul Hikmah, Rajaprachanukhoh 39, Triamwittaya, and Muslim Pattanasart. The results of these activities indicate that school students and Islamic boarding school students greatly need additional knowledge and experiences to continue developing and progressing. These findings suggest that efforts to encourage them to pursue higher education are very important for their future lives.