The acquittals in February and May this year of three Thai Muslims by the courts in the Kelantan state of Malaysia of charges ofpossessing explosives and bomb-making materials have casted as big doubt among Thai security officers about the cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia in curbing Islamic insurgency in the restive deep South.

The death on March 14 of Mrs Jiraporn Bunnag, former deputy secretary-general of the National Security Council, represents a great loss for the peace advocacy movement in the three southernmost border provinces.

Immediately after the signing of the peace dialogue agreement in Kuala Lumpur on February 28 between the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasionale (BRN) separatist group, many critics have questioned the credibility of Mr Hassan Taib, the man representing the BRN.

Safety, employment and the revocation of arrest warrants are three key demands proposed by a group of some 90 militants who have wanted to give up their armed struggle against the Thai state and to pursue a normal life.

It can be assumed that the absence of a single violent incident for five days in the deep South during the first half of November may be due to the fact that the Islamic militants might have taken a break before unleashing a new round of terrorist attacks rather than the fact that security forces have been successful in deterring the militants.