Speaking to an audience at the Thai Chamber of Commerce University, he said that if one side inflicted pain and suffering on the other, then it too would suffer.

He said that in the past, both Muslims and Buddhists in the restive region had coexisted as caring neighbours, adding that "there is no reason" the communities could not go back to their peaceful past. Peaceful coexistence, said the Zen master, was not based on common religion but on understanding.

However, compassion and love is based on practice and understanding, he said.

He suggested that Buddhists, Muslims and separatists come together to discuss their thoughts, fears, anger and sorrow and asked that all sides listen to the others wholeheartedly. While listening, people might discover they are capable of forgiving and able to apologise to one another.

Meanwhile, violence in the deep South continued yesterday with the killing of Mahda-oe Tuwae-mah, 38, in Yala's Yaha district. Mahda-oe was shot dead as he was heading towards his rubber plantation in Tambon Patae. The same district was also a scene of a public protest by some 200 local residents, mostly women and children, who blocked a road and called on the Army to pull out troops positioned in the public schools in their community.

They also demanded that authorities investigate the shooting death of a family of four, who were killed on their rubber plantation on May 23 in Tambon Patae.

In Than To district in the same province, a unit of seven Rangers patrolling on foot survived a roadside bombing in Tambon Ban Hae yesterday morning.

The bomb was detonated remotely just moments after the Rangers noticed a suspicious box.