Pulo welcomes government policy for deep South

In a statement sent to The Nation, Kasturi Mahkota, the foreign affairs chief of the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo) said the policy "could lay the foundations for a political settlement of the conflict."

Moreover, according to the statement, representatives of the Patani Malay Movement, a loose coalition of separatist leaders, have "agreed to form a special body to engage in dialogue with Thai government representatives".

"It is our hope that after long years of struggle, which has cost the lives of many innocent people in the region that at long last there can be a sustained process of dialogue based on principles of democracy, openness and sincerity," the statement said.

Kasturi did not go into details as to which organisations are included in the Patani Malay Movement, which he described as a "new front but still in the process".

But sources familiar with the separatist leaders in exile said the coalition will made up of long standing separatists groups who have been holding secret dialogues with Thai officials and mediators over this past three years.

Other observers familiar with the separatist movements said they were not optimistic with the idea that a new front being formed, saying many of these groups had tried two decades to come together under the banner of Bersatu but failed to make much headway as member organisations were reluctant to make serious concession for the sake of unity.

With regard to Pulo's future, Kasturi said the organisation is in the process of selecting a new leader to replace the late Pulo founder, Tengku Bira Kotonila, who passed away in June 2008. No date was given as to when the new leader will be selected.

Tengku Biro founded Pulo in 1968 while studying at the Aligarh Muslim University in India.

Pulo has consistently called for independence for the Malays' historical homeland in the southernmost border region of Thailand. But over the past recent years after entering into secret dialogue with Thai representatives, the group has lowered its demand and opted for something less then full independence.