Kingdom of Reman

Reman Kingdom Kerajaan Reman ( Autonomy of Patani Kingdom Protectorate of Siam
Capital	Kota Baru
Common languages	Malay, Reman Malay
Religion	Sunni Islam
Government	Monarchy
Raja
• 1810–1836	Tuan Tok Nik Tok Leh/Tuan Mansur
• 1849–1867	Tuan Nik Ulu/Tuan Kundur
• 1867–1875	Tuan Timur
• 1875–1901	Tuan Jagung/Tengku Abdul Kandis
History
• Reorganisation of former Patani Kingdom	1810
• Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909	1902
Preceded by Succeeded by Patani Kingdom Rattanakosin Kingdom Federated Malay States
Today part of	Thailand Malaysia

The Kingdom of Reman or Kingdom of Rahman (

It was one of seven regions of Patani Kingdom, an autonomous tributary state of Siam, between 1810 and 1902. Tuan Mansor, a member of the Patani aristocracy, ascended to the throne in 1810.

The state's territory straddles the present-day

The earliest English-language reference of the state was made in 1818, between an agreement by the Governor of Prince of Wales' Island (Penang), John Bannerman to Tuan Long Mansur, the king of Reman in Kroh; another reference was written in 1824 by John Anderson, a Scottish diplomatic agent who stated Reman as one of the seven federated states of Patani. The territory was also referred to as Rahman and Rehman in English, and Raman (รามัน) in Thai.

Henry Burney, a British commercial traveller and diplomat for the British East India Company, recorded in 1826 that Reman was one of the fourteen polities that pay tribute to the Siamese through their representatives in the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla.^[1][2]

The state of Reman was founded on territory carved out from the neighbouring principalities of

By 1808, Tuan Tok Nik, desiring for more political autonomy for the area, began his campaign for independence from Patani suzerainty. The campaign rapidly spiraled into a civil war. The Siamese, mobilised its forces to attack the Patani Kingdom as well. The Siamese emerged victorious, and the Patani Kingdom was severely weakened by the two-front incursion.^[3]

The Siamese subsequently reorganised Patani in 1810 into a

Tuan Tok Nik was affirmed as the ruler of Reman. Spanning an area between the upper reach of Sungai Pattani to Sungai Mas in the north and Lenggong in the south, Reman was the largest state in the confederation.^[2]

A territorial dispute between Reman and

In 1826, Sultan Abdullah Muazzam Shah of Perak sought the assistance of the British East India Company to regain control of the resource-rich territory. Perakian forces were deployed to the plateau for their campaign into Reman. The King of Reman Tuan Mansor, withdrew his forces from Kubu Kapeh to Klian Intan and later to Kuala Kepayang. It took several years for Reman to reconquer the area.^[4]

The kingdom's strategic location between the east and west coast of the peninsula fueled its growth throughout the 19th century.^[4] The border conflict with Perak was followed by a period of relative stability and unprecedented prosperity due to the restoration of mining activities in the region, under the auspices of Toh Nang Patani, a local noble. Though sporadic border skirmishes with Perak continued, they were usually won by Reman militia, commanded by Mengkong Deleha, a renowned Reman fighter.^[2]

Hostilities between Reman and Perak formally come to an end in 1882 when both parties sought to formalise the border. Under British mediation, both states agreed that the new border would be located along Bukit Nasha (5.3571123,101.0294051), some 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) southwest of Gerik town. Bukit Nasha, alternately Bukit Nak Sah (Nasha Hill) is an abbreviation of Nak disahkan satu perjanjian (for the ratification of a treaty).^[5]

The border was adjusted in 1899, when the border was shifted north to Kerunai, thus transferring Gerik town to the Federated Malay States, which Perak had become part of four years prior. Several boundary markers were erected, with each pillar standing 1 metre high and 1 metre wide.^[5]

The rise of nationalist movements in Reman was a result of wider Pan-Patani Malay nationalism in the region. It was a result of loss of local sovereignty to the Siamese in 1785. Nationalist movements in the area in the late 19th century called for a restoration of a sovereign Patani kingdom, hoping to protect native lands and interests without interference from the Siamese government.^[6]

In 1902, the Siamese, alarmed by the nationalist movements in the south, began a major military crackdown against the Malay leaders who were suspected of involvement. Among the political elite arrested by the Siamese forces were Tuan Lebeh Long Raya, the Raja Muda (crown prince) of Reman; Abdul Kadir Kamaruddin Syah, the Sultan of Patani and Tengku Abdul Mutallib, the King of Teluban.^[7]

Tuan Lebeh was then charged in the Siamese court in

The same year also marked the beginning of Siamese moves to strip whatever was left of local autonomy in Patani. In 1906 Patani was once again reorganised into a monthon or division (Thai: มณฑลปัตตานี; RTGS: Monthon Pattani) and administered by a Siamese governor. The newly created division was then divided into three provinces – Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, each headed by a high commissioner. Under the new system, Reman was absorbed into Yala province as Amphoe Yala.^[6]

"..Setul would not be of no great values to us, and although we might do doubt put forward a very good claim to its part of Kedah and secure it by insistence, I am inclined to think it would be more Politics to turn our claim to account by agreeing to renounce Setul if the Siamese Government will in its stead hand over to us the Lang-kawi Islands and that portion of Raman which comprise the watershed of the Perak River. Both these would constitute more velueable posessions to us than Setul. The Lang-kawi Islands furnish magnificent anchourages and such have been coveted by various foreign powers, whilst the lower part of Reman is rich in Tin"

—

Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs (29 April 1907)^[8]

In 1909, alarmed by the growing ties between the German colonial powers and the Siamese, especially in the peninsula, the British sought to enter an agreement with the Siamese. The acquisition of the northern states was deemed essential for the British, as it was strategically located by the mouth of the Strait of Malacca and rich with tin, an important commodity for the Industrial Revolution and trade by the late 19th century. This led to the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 that split the peninsula between Siamese and British jurisdictions.

One of the prospective areas for British expansion included the Reman district, which had been absorbed into Yala province in 1906. The area was known to be rich in gold ore, as well as holding one of the largest tin reserves in the peninsula.^[9][10] During the discussion between the Siamese and the British, the British agreed to abandon its claims on Satun in exchange for the Langkawi archipelago and the Lower Reman region. The UK was also required to provide a loan to finance the construction of the south line of Siamese State Railway which cost £4 million pounds (1909).^[11]

The 1909 treaty split the territory of the old kingdom into two jurisdictions. Reman Hulu in the north, remained within Siam, as an

Wan Husain, as the Siamese plenipotentiary, announced the transfer of sovereignty from Siam to the United Kingdom. It was followed by a flag raising ceremony, symbolising the end of Siamese rule and beginning of Perak's sovereignty in the Lower Reman area.[12]

Reman was ruled by Tuan Tok Nik Tok Leh – the founding father of Reman – and his descendants.

The Kingdom of Reman left a mark in

Reman heritage can be seen in local literature and folklore. Among the prominent literature composed during the Reman period was a pantun created by Tuan Tok Nik Tok Leh for Raja Andak, the wife of Dato’ Seri Lela, the commander of the Perakian troops during the Perak-Reman war of 1826. The pantun narrated the forbidden love between the two parties from the two rival sides of the war.^[4] Another prominent figure of Reman oral literature includes Mengkong Dehela, a local warrior, he is a central figure that largely credited with leading and defending Reman territories. Details of his epic battles are largely recorded in the local lore.^[2]

Another visible legacy of the Reman period includes batu tanda (boundary marker), built in 1899 under the agreement between Perak and Reman, it signifies the historical border between the two states. The pillars still standing today despite a major border reformation in 1909.^[5]