More schools close

More schools close

Schools suspending classes in this southernmost province have grown to 76 after a senior provincial educator was murdered on Sunday.

Published on September 5, 2007


Authorities have beefed up security around the clock at the schools before they reopen on Monday.

Pattani educational supervisor Chalong Arpakorn was shot dead on Sunday and Suwitch Wongsanit, a lecturer at Pattani Technical Collage, was killed on Monday.

Four educators including a woman teacher have died in the province in less than a month.

The violence that erupted in the predominantly Muslim region in the beginning of 2004 has killed some 2,400 people so far.

In Narathiwat's Rangae district a bomb went off during a wedding late on Monday night but no one was hurt. It was planted under a tree some 150 metres away from Mayusoh Kadir's house where people had gathered for the ceremony, police said.

In Yala's Raman district, Sawheming Ye-uding, 59, died while riding a motorcycle to work in a rubber plantation at about 6am when one of two men on a motorbike fired at him.

The Nation

just as well they're peaceable folks otherwise we'd really be in for it

Are there any Native English teachers teaching anywhere where all the shit is going on down south?

SOUTHERN VIOLENCE / SETTING SECURITY GUIDELINES

Sonthi to visit, try to boost teachers' morale

WAEDAO HARAI & MUHAMMAD AYUB PATHAN

Council for National Security chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin is set to again visit the deep South to lift teachers' sagging morale and lay down guidelines for improving security around them.

"The rules and methods for counter-insurgency will be readjusted in line with the current situation. Sometimes the measures might have flaws, so regular meetings should be held to review the mistakes," said Gen Sonthi, who will visit the region within the next two weeks

He said the measures must involve village defence volunteers, with adequate military personnel deployed.

Earlier, teachers' representatives from Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat complained about a shortage of security personnel to protect them and said there was no unity among agencies.

Gen Sonthi admitted that no additional rangers had been deployed in the far South since a first batch of 30 companies was sent earlier.

But he promised that reinforcements would be dispatched soon, pending training and budget allocation.Meanwhile, in Narathiwat, Panuwat Parnket of the provincial public health office said the insurgency has dealt a blow to healthcare services as more than 6,000 public health volunteers were too afraid to work.

However, he said hospitals were still safe although they could become targets of regular insurgent attacks in the future.

He voiced concerns about the safety of staff at public health stations in a number of tambons within danger zones.

In Narathiwat's Rangae district, a bomb exploded at a wedding party on Monday night but no one was injured. In Yala, a rubber tapper was killed by two drive-by gunmen in Raman district yesterday morning.
The Post Publishing Public Co

Perhaps the schools are closing due to the extreme violence down there.
Have you guys/gals seen the pics off this link post #1?

Says it all...:(