15-07-2025
Violence in Thailand's deep south likely to escalate, separatist warns
Soldiers patrol Tak Bai town in Narathiwat province in Thailand's deep south region. Independent monitors say over 7,700 people have been killed in separatist-related violence since 2004. (Photo by Getty Images)
AMY CHEW
KUALA LUMPUR -- Violence in Thailand's troubled deep south is expected to escalate following the suspension of Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra as peace talks are now "extremely difficult" to convene, a senior member of the separatist Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) has warned.
The deep south, which refers to the Muslim-majority southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat in predominantly Buddhist Thailand, has experienced a marked increase in violent incidents since early 2025 following stalled peace talks between the government and the BRN.
