Advocates urged the government on Tuesday to consider the exposure of children to violence in the deep South as it enters peace talks with separatists on Thursday.
Allison Zelkowitz, director of Save the Children Thailand, said that children in the deep South were surrounded by armed military personnel and agitators, and have no safe place to get away from the conflict.
Tens of thousands of children have witnessed horrible events. Fifty children were killed, 300 injured, and another 5,000 become orphans according to statistics.
"Schools must not be used as battlegrounds, politically or physically. They must not become targets of attacks. We call to remove all militia bases from every school in the region," she said.
Ms Zelkowitz emphasised that schools must be conflict-free zones, so that children will have safe places to learn and play.
She said soldiers who escorted teachers to schools should stop by the entrances so that they do not occupy school grounds.
Child advocates also called on the government to ensure that children are given support to overcome psychological distress caused by conflict, and access to the juvenile justice system when needed, because they are victims of the conflict.
Gothom Arya, director of the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, said that peace and safety of children in the deep South should be urgently taken up as a priority subject at peace talks.
"The children from the insurgent side should not be ignored as our children must not consider each other as enemy," he said. "When peace talks begin, we should ask insurgents to agree to safe places for the children."
Save the Children Thailand, Mr Gothom's Institute and the Foundation for Child Development spoke at a joint press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.
Peace talks between the government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional will take place in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.