Peace talks between the Thai government and Muslim separatist groups reached a milestone last month when the two parties decided to sit down to discuss ways to rebuild mutual trust and eliminate suspicion and to find a long-lasting solution to the protracted conflict.
Malaysia, once accused of meddling in the unrest in Thailand's deep South, hosted the peace talks in Kuala Lumpur on June 13, between representatives of the Thai government and members of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN).
At the end of the meeting, a statement was released vaguely stipulating the importance of good will and sincerity, but without specific measures on how to reduce violence. The issuing of the statement was timely, just ahead of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan that began in July.