Muslims in the four southern border provinces are different from those in other regions regarding their ethnicity, settlements and religious practices. The fact that these Muslims are different from other Thais and are of Malay origin has been overlooked. Ignoring this difference was supposed to foster national unity. However, it has led to misunderstandings, resulting in an undesirable social structure for these people. Other differences are that they are Muslims, do not like the Thai language, and use Malay as a medium of communication on a daily basis. Language problems create rifts between Muslim and non-Muslim Thais. Linguistic, cultural, traditional and ideological differences have led to frequently strained relationships between the two groups and between Muslim villagers and Buddhist officers. Problems in the region have continued unabated. The level of severity of terrorist activities depends on the retaliatory measures taken by the state. If the measures are strong and proactive, terrorist activities will subside and terrorist leaders escape arrest and take refuge in a neighboring country. When the measures are lenient, the terrorist activities will flare up again (p. 197).