Activists have welcomed the decision by Narathiwat Provincial Court to hear a lawsuit against seven officials accused of murder and kidnapping during the 2004 Tak Bai massacre.
The director of Deep South Watch, Srisompob Jitpiromsri, said the move is a step in the right direction towards bringing justice and peace to the restive region.
Mr Srisompob made the remark at a talk in Pattani's Muang district on Monay, which was held to discuss the court's decision to accept the lawsuit against seven former officials said to be responsible for the massacre, which saw 85 people killed.
The discussion was also attended by Kannavee Suebsang, a list MP for the FAIR Party, and other activists working in the deep South.
Mr Kannavee said the justice will finally be served, as the seven defendants must now face the consequences of their actions.
He stressed that the entire Thai society must acknowledge the atrocities that took place in the past, as they will shape the country's image on the global stage.
"Many things that have been concealed for the past 20 years will now be uncovered.
"A constructive dialogue is needed to bring about sustainable peace in Pattani," he said.
Mr Kannavee urged the government to show a clear political will to address the issues plaguing the southern provinces.
He noted there are 13 MPs from the southern provinces who are part of the ruling coalition, yet the efforts to solve the region's problems have been inadequate to date.
The FAIR Party MP criticised past administrations' over-emphasis on security issues, saying the reason previous governments' attempts to bring about peace and order to the restive region failed is because they saw everything as a security problem.
The court has scheduled Sept 12 for witness examinations.
