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Source: https://www.inss.org.il/publication/iran-thailand/
Iran Seeks to Expand Its Influence among Shiites in Thailand
(Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Maj. (res.) Danny Citrinowicz - In 2012, Iran sent terrorist cells to attack Israeli targets in Bangkok. Following the 2015 nuclear agreement and in the context of Iran's commitment to Bangkok that it would not carry out attacks on Thai soil, relations warmed considerably, as reflected in deeper economic ties. 12% of Thailand's population is Muslim, and about 1% is Shiite, with the vast majority concentrated in the Bangkok area. In recent years, and especially over the past year, Iran has strengthened the varied mechanisms it has established in Thailand in an effort to increase its hold on this minority and subordinate it to its objectives. Shiite religious centers in Bangkok play a significant role in Iran's outreach. As in other countries where it operates, Iran seeks to take control of Shiite religious centers by appointing clerics who studied in its institutions. These clerics then guide the daily lives of the Shiite population in the country in accordance with the "commander's spirit" emanating from Tehran. All Muslim employees at the Iranian embassy in Bangkok have converted to Shiism. What is happening today in Thailand is also evident in India and elsewhere in Asia, wherever there are Shiite communities. Therefore, when presenting the Iranian threat to Asian states, Israel should not only stress Iran's nuclear ambitions but also its efforts to influence the local populations through "soft" religious and cultural means. The writer, former head of the Iran branch in the research and analysis division of Israel defense intelligence, is a research fellow at INSS.