CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- It seems rather awkward for outsiders to comment at this time on the tragic developments in the "deep South" of Thailand. Yet even Thai public opinion at large does not appear sufficiently informed of the extent of the events occurring there. One aspect of the drama that should be brought to the attention of the broader Asian and international public is the newly instituted National Reconciliation Commission, a bright testimony to the traditional Thai sense of tolerance.

Amid much tension and violence, which is alien to the gentle Thai psyche, as well as fears that the turmoil might escalate, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra appealed to a distinguished predecessor, Anand Panyarachun, and asked him to organize a commission whose basic, elusive aim would be "reconciliation."

The fact that these two popular leaders agreed so easily on the general framework, mandate and composition of the commission shows the maturity and depth of the political sense of responsibility of the Thai leadership. Most people, anywhere in the world, are usually suspicious of news that yet another "commission" has been created, as such action often hides a plethora of negative aspects, including a lack of courage or an urge to cover things up and relegate solutions to the distant future, when the central issues will be forgotten. But not this time.