The Root Causes of Terrorism in Southern Thailand

Abstract

This study aims to determine whether social and economic conditions are the causes of Terrorism in Southern Thailand. The variables used to consist of the unemployment rate, Gini index, population growth, inflation, and the terrorism index. This study covers the period 2004 - 2018. The estimation model used is the Ordinary Lease Square (OLS). The empirical results confirm that social and economic problems influence Terrorism in Southern Thailand; almost all variables are significant at the 5% level except inflation. Unemployment has a negative effect, while population growth and the Gini index positively affect Terrorism in Southern Thailand. The proposed policy implies that development equality between developed and underdeveloped regions is prioritized to resolve social and economic problems.