The Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) southern separatist group has recently issued a statement declaring its distrust of the ongoing peace process between the government and the Mara Patani, an umbrella organization comprising six separatist groups, including a faction of the BRN called the BRN action group.

The alliance of southern separatist groups known as the Mara Patani told the Thai and Malaysian media in Kuala Lumpur on August 27 that they wanted the government to make peace talks a national agenda and that they were the negotiating party to bring about peace in southern provinces.

The newly-appointed national police chief, Pol Gen Chakthip Chaichinda, is no stranger to the southern unrest problem and to separatist groups in the restive region.

When Private Passakorn Boonmaporn was rushed to Narathiwatratchanakarind hospital for emergency treatment after he sustained serious injuries from a roadside bomb in Narathiwat on August 6,

In light of a barrage of criticisms against the peace talk process with the southern separatist groups for the perceived lack of progress of the process and the continuing violence in the restive Deep South,