Violence in the far South is down by half on the same period last year as the government continues preparations for high-level negotiations with insurgent groups, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Friday.
Gen Prawit, also the defence minister, did not give figures to back this claim.
He did attribute the improvement to cooperation by the various parties to solve problems in the region. This included talks at the local level organised by the 4th Army.
Preparations were being made for negotiations at a higher level involving the government. Officials were checking who would be involved in the talks.
"Those who come to the talks must be the people with the real power, so that it is possible to create a permanent and sustainable peace in the South," Gen Prawit said.
As the details had not been concluded, the high-level negotiation had still not been scheduled, he said.
Since the insurgency erupted afresh in the far South in January 2004, about 6,000 people have been killed and about 10,000 others injured in the violence.
