Part 2 of this informative commentary reveals the educational, cultural, and political roles of the three school systems in the Malay-speaking region of Patani Thailand: the state schools, the traditional religious schools, and the contemporary religious schools.

In an article entitled Bridging the divide, the Bangkok Post described the author, Hara Shintaro, and his position in the conflict of southern Thailand:

a well-versed lecturer in Thai, Malay and English at the Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus (PSU), and his fluency in all three languages has provided quick translations of the insurgents' statements.