PATTANI, Thailand: The Pattani government will make Malaysia its role model in strengthening its religious affairs including those related to marriage issues.
Pattani governor Patimoh Sadiyamu said this was because in Malaysia, especially in Kelantan, the imams are experienced in religious matters.
Whereas in Thailand especially in Pattani, she said the majority of the imams were young and have less experience.
"The system or the practice used by the religious officers or imams in Kelantan as well as other states in Malaysia in handling matters related to religious issues have attracted the religious authorities in Pattani.
"Kelantan as well as Malaysian religious authorities have a strong system in dealing with the variety of issues including issues related to marriage.
"For example, when a Thai national marries a Malaysian and they are blessed with children.
"Their status of their children are a concern to us. There will be a lot of implications in term of their (the children's) rights and others.
"This has also led to the issue of stateless children involving Thai children. The children are also not registered as citizens in Thailand," she told Malaysian reporters before accompanying Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) delegates who visited the Pattani central mosque here yesterday.
Patimoh added this was among the reasons for the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) to conduct genetic tests on Thais last month.
"The project was jointly held with the Malaysian Foreign Ministry in Kota Baru, Kelantan.
"It was aimed at proving Thai nationality for those who live in Malaysia, especially in Kelantan and had their Thai citizenship status left out so that they can have their first Thai identification (ID) cards," she said.
Patimoh said Thai imams would be sent to learn with the Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK).
"They will be sent for a learning course with the first expected to be held in August.
"There are about 600 imams in Pattani and with this, we hope our problems will be resolved," she added.
The visit was part of the three-day programme organised by SBPAC.
Representatives from eight countries took part in the programme which began yesterday.
Malaysia was represented by Malaysian Embassy deputy chief of mission Bong Yik Jui.