A decades-old separatist war in Thailand's far south may finally be heading toward a deal, which would be good news for locals caught in the middle and for a government that has spent billions fighting it.

• Muslim Malay separatists in Thailand's three southernmost provinces have been fighting Bangkok since 2004, with more than 7,600 dead.
• The roots go back to the old Patani sultanate, annexed over a century ago and then pushed to drop its language and religious schools.
• Bangkok's answer has been troops and emergency powers — up to 60,000 security personnel and close to $5 billion spent — which cut the killing but never fixed the cause.
• Thailand's chief negotiator has now openly admitted the old approach failed and floated amnesty, lighter security rules, and a new form of local government.
• The main rebel group, BRN, launched 70 coordinated attacks in August and killed no one — read as a show of strength before talks, not a return to war.

Outlook: Talks look likely to restart, but Thailand's constitution calls the kingdom indivisible, so real autonomy remains the sticking point.