A golden Buddha amulet is Nattapat Khongkhoun's spiritual armour against separatist militants who killed her father and continue to terrorise residents in this southern Thai province.

She is one of the 300 female army rangers tasked with quelling an insurgency in the kingdom's Muslim-majority south which has left more than 3,000 people dead since early 2004.

Before joining the army the 28-year-old was a bank clerk, but her life took a dramatic turn when rebels shot dead her father, an army officer, in March 2006 in Pattani, one of three restive provinces bordering Malaysia.

"I decided to follow in the footsteps of my father. Solving this crisis was my father's responsibility, and I wanted to fulfill it," she said.

Wearing the ranger's all-black T-shirt, trousers and combat boots, Nattapat conceded the job was harder than she had expected.

"The situation is getting worse. Militants are using brutal tactics like beheadings and mutilation of corpses to show off and scare villagers," she said at an army barracks set up in the compound of a Buddhist temple.

"It is difficult to capture them because they always mingle with villagers. That's why cooperation with villagers is very important to tackle the violence," Nattapat said.

Muslims account for 90 percent of the 1.7 million population in the three troubled provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala, which once made up an independent sultanate until mainly Buddhist Thailand annexed it a century ago.

Separatist violence has periodically flared since then, but reignited in early 2004 with rebels carrying out almost daily shootings and bomb attacks.

The army set up an all-women rangers unit in 2006 to boost cooperation between villagers and the military, recruiting mainly local residents.

They are often called upon to break up protests by Muslim women, which authorities believe are staged after attacks to provide cover as militants escape.

Despite the insurgency entering its fifth year, the Thai government has yet to publicly identify any of the militancy's leadership, while no rebel groups have yet claimed responsibility for deadly attacks.

But Nattapat's fellow ranger, Phadungsri Kenkaow, said she was optimistic about the situation.

"Everything will get better. We get better cooperation from villagers," said Phadungsri, a 26-year-old softly-spoken Buddhist and former nurse.

"This is what I always wanted. I want to help my country," she said.

Asked when peace would come to the violence-wracked south, Phadungsri looked momentarily lost before replying: "I don't know."

For Preeyaporn Chindamanee, a 27-year-old former beautician, the decision to join the army came as a shock to her parents and friends.

"It was difficult for them to understand, but now they all support me," said Preeyaporn with a big smile, perspiring as she finished two hours of shooting practice with nine fellow rangers.

She admitted, though, that adjusting to life as a soldier was a challenge.

"At first, I was scared to hold a machine gun. But now I am very used to handling it. I am not afraid of it any more," said the Buddhist soldier.

Another ranger, Arnastashia Deamalee, said her main responsibility was to break up demonstrations by Muslim women.

But the 27-year-old Muslim said her biggest frustration as a ranger was a lack of clear identification of militants.

"I don't know who my enemies are," said Arnastashia, a former government official who used to manage poverty reduction programmes in Pattani.

"People used to live here peacefully, but militants were trying to create misunderstanding and mistrust between Buddhists and Muslims," said the demure-looking Muslim.

Beautician-turned-ranger Preeyaporn agreed.

"Every religion teaches people to be good and kind to each other. Buddhists and Muslims used to be good neighbours. I want to help restore a sense of community between Buddhists and Muslims," she said.