The continuing violence in Thailand's deep South can be seen as "asymmetric warfare", the national army chief said on Tuesday.
Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)
He was apparently referring to irregular, or guerrilla warfare.
Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said the military could not overcome the insurgency by use of large forces.
The two sides differed in military power, tactics and resources. The military had to adapt and adjust its tactics to fight them effectively, he said.
"The new fiscal year will be the year of reducing the danger for our troops. This does not mean that they will cease operations, they will still be working day and night.
"We have to put up with the insurgents when they use non-standard military tactics. We don't want to resort to violence because then it would appear that we're bullying them in the eyes of the global community," Gen Prayuth said.
Asked about the peace talks with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) separatist group, he said if they claim that they do not receive fair treatment, then they have to stop using violence first. Otherwise nothing would be achieved from the negotiations, he added.