Bangkok, Thailand - Overwhelmingly Buddhist Thailand, struggling to end an increasingly bloody insurgency in its largely Muslim south, appointed its first Muslim army chief on Thursday.
Vietnam War veteran General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, whose appointment was announced by the royal palace, was probably promoted to the post because of his battlefield experience and expertise rather than his religion, one analyst said.
But his religion should help the army in its campaign to win over civilians in the largely Muslim far south, where more than 800 people have been killed since the violence erupted last year, said Panitan Wattanayagorn of Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
"He is the most qualified of the candidates," Panitan said.
"His understanding of Islam can help the Army to customise their operations to win hearts and minds of Muslims in the south."
Sonthi, who will become army commander on October 1, told Reuters from Brunei he would streamline army operations in the south to bring more tangible results to the people.
"I will make the Royal Thai Army into the army of the people, and will make soldiers the beloved soldiers of the people," said Sonthi, who is attending a summit of Southeast Asian army chiefs in place of incumbent General Prawit Wongsuwan.
"We already have more than enough soldiers in the (southern) region, but we need is tangible results from them," he said without giving details of how he would accomplish his goals.
There are more than 30,000 troops and police in the three southernmost provinces, where Muslim Thais speak a Malay dialect, but daily shooting and bomb attacks persist.
Sonthi will have two years in office before reaching the mandatory retirement of 60.
In a move likely to win less praise, a Buddhist lieutenant general found negligent in the deaths of 78 Muslims in army custody last year, was promoted to be a full general in the annual reshuffle.
Lt Gen Pisan Wattanawongkeeree, who was in charge of the south when 78 Muslim protestors died of suffocation in army trucks as they were transported into detention, was moved to an inactive post after a probe blamed him for the tragedy.
But Pisan was promoted to full general on Thursday and made a special adviser at the Defence Ministry.