for low-cost employment. Moreover most of those who fled the south are from the educated middle classes depriving the southern provinces of a vital constituency required to overcome the social resentments that feed separatist recruitment.
economic cooperation and trade across the border with Malaysia, a critical element in developing the south has been harmed by the instability, with Investors from both countries cooling on efforts to establish cross-border free trade zones. Tighter border checks to prevent extremists from taking refuge in Malaysia, have also made cross-border trade more difficult. Furthermore the government has jeopardized lucrative tourism revenues by advising its nations to visit southern Thailand.