Gen Panlop Pinmanee, former deputy director of Internal Security Operations Command

I am glad but surprised. Of course, I am glad because this is good news. And what has made it a surprise is that it sounds impossible.

Den Tohmeena, Wadah Faction founder and former Pattani MP

I can't predict how the situation will be unfolding in the southern provinces … I don't know whether the men who announced the end of violence are even real leaders.

Lt-General Viroj Buacharoon, Fourth Army commander

The Fourth Army has never been in contact with the men who made the announcement … But it will be a really good thing if their words do result in the end of violence. We will also check who they are and how they are connected with groups staging the unrest.

Peerayos Rahimmula, Democrat MP and former lecturer at the Prince of Songkla University's Pattani Campus

I have no information on the three men who made the announcement. Their flag is not in the database and bears no similarity to any flag used by organisations active in the deep South. Now, we should closely monitor websites of the Patani United Liberation Organisation and Barisan Revolusi Nasional.

General Kitti Rattanachaya, former commander of the Fourth Army

The men didn't say how many members and organisations have agreed to give up arms … We have to see if its real or a hoax.

Chamroon Den-udom, chairman of the Southern Islamic Culture Foundation

We should closely monitor the situation because this announcement will be a major turning point. We can't predict if the situation will get better or worse.

Organisations who don't agree with the announcement will step up violence, while those who agree will stop.