The first round of official peace talks between government negotiators and insurgent groups is expected to be held in April, an informed source said on Sunday.
The meeting in April will be the first to be held officially and openly between the two sides in the conflict. Previously, talks had been in secret, both in Thailand and Malaysia.
"The negotiation team will emphasise secret talks. However, there must be an official opening of the talks to let it be known that negotations have begun," said the source, a member of the government team.
The negotiators have agreed to hold talks with four groups of Muslim insurgents: Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) and three Pattani United Liberation Orgnisation (Pulo) factions - Pulo 5-Star led by Kamae Yuso, Pulo 4-Star under Samsuding Khan, and another Pulo faction under Gusturi.
The source said Thai authorities had already checked to verify the existence of the groups and find out if they are still active. The information was forwarded to Malaysia, the facilitator of the talks, for re-verification.
The BRN is led by Hassan Toyib, the leader of the previous team of insurgents. The government negotiators do not mind if Hassan Toyib again takes part in the talks, the source said.
Meanwhile, the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) has produced a film entitled "The 6th Latitude" to be shown in theatres throughout the country in late April or early May.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, in his capacity as Isoc director, would be invited to attend the premiere of the film.
Maj Gen Nakrob Boonbuathong, deputy chef of Isoc's 5th Operations Centre, said the film is intended to reflect the way of life and belief of Muslim people in the South of Thailand as well as the insurgency. It will also present the beauties of Pattani and such tourist attractions as the Central Mosque, the Krue Se Mosque and the Lim Kor Niew shrine.
The film is about love between a Buddhist Thai man, played by Peter Corp Dyrendal, and a Muslim girl of Pattani. Their love is full of obstacles amid violence and losses.
The 6th Latitude is the horizontal line drawn across Pattani province.
The filming took about three years to finish with a budget of 18 million baht. Gen Prayut has seen its trailers, the source said.