Overview: This article is based on the Deep South Watch’s interview with Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Deputy Interior Minister Thavorn Senniam.  A Deep South Watch team sat down with the two political leaders in early May in Bangkok to discuss the situation in the country’s southern border provinces.  Part of this interview will appear in the new book Change the Southern Fire, published by the Deep South Watch.  The book, which is in Thai, is scheduled to be released in late June.

This latest report by political scientist Srisompob Jitpiromsri briefly reviews and discusses the trends in violence since the current wave of violence erupted in the far south in January, 2004.  It also summarizes the findings of a recent survey conducted by the Prince of Songkla University’s recently established Center for the Study of Conflict and Cultural Diversity (CSCC).  While Srisompob notes that the current government has primarily sought to win over locals with development-centered policies, rather than relying on heavy-handed military tactics, the research findings suggest that many sectors of the public in the region still have low levels of trust in Thailand’s officials, especially the region’s security forces.

The Deep South Watch documented this event and recorded the opinions of two academics who gave presentations.