Soldiers search a vehicle at a checkpoint in central Narathiwat, Thailand.

Children on their way to school pass a checkpoint in central Narathiwat.

As a response to the insurgents’ soft-target strategy of targeting teachers and school children, extra checkpoints and personnel are deployed to provide security during school hours.

Each school day begins with the children performing the Thai national anthem and morning prayers.

Boys play in the water in a fishing village along the Bang Nara river. Fishermen still use traditionally painted Korlae fishing boats.

A policeman stands guard at the central market in Narathiwat as the sun rise. Each motorcycle is individually searched for bombs as they arrive.

Central market in Narathiwat. Narathiwat literally translates to the “residence of good people”.

A Chinese merchant at a Narathiwat market. Formerly a strong community, the Chinese in the southern provinces are now in minority as many have moved elsewhere as a result of the violence.

Soldiers on patrol in downtown Narathiwat. Soldiers are deployed at every intersection and along every main road throughout the city.

The nearly abandoned Chinatown and Chinese market in central Narathiwat. The southern provinces have historically been home to a quite large Chinese community, but many have now fled to other parts in Thailand as a result of the violence.

This Ubosost has been recently reconstructed as the old one was destroyed in a bomb attack. Following recent attacks on monks, many now chose not to leave the temple.

Local Thai Buddhists gather at a Buddhist temple in Narathiwat to share a lunch with the monks. Following recent attacks on monks, many now chose not to leave the temple to collect alms.

Men pray in the central mosque of Narathiwat. In early June 2009 insurgents opened fire inside a mosque in Narathiwat, killing 11, an act no one has of yet claimed responsibility for.

As a response to the insurgents’ soft-target strategy, checkpoint patrols are deployed to provide further security during school hours.

Checkpoints surround a Buddhist ghetto in Narathiwat. Buddhist families who lived in predominantly Muslim areas were targeted and many chose to form Buddhist communities out of fear of further attacks.

The army has developed a self-sufficient demonstration farm and community centre in an effort to improve communication and cooperation between the army and the Muslim villagers.

A soldier leans against a roadside shelter recently destroyed by a bomb.