Thailand's Muslim south grew bloodier in 2007

Despite an army "hearts and minds" campaign, last year was the bloodiest in Muslim southern Thailand since a separatist insurgency began four years ago, a Thai research institute said on Monday.

In 2007, 792 people were killed, taking the death toll in four years of unrest in Thailand's four southernmost provinces to 2,776, Prince of Songkhla University's "Deep South Watch" think-tank said.

The tally is compiled from media, police and army reports.

reuters