Several Narathiwat schools abruptly suspended classes following two bomb attacks which killed one soldier and wounded three others yesterday.
Security officials examine the wreckage of a pickup truck after a roadside bomb tore through the vehicle, killing a soldier and wounding two others in tambon Manang Tayo of Narathiwat’s Muang district yesterday. WAEDAO HARAI
Sanguan Intarak, chairman of the Confederation of Teachers in Narathiwat, said headmasters of several schools in Muang, Cho Airong and Chanae districts ordered the temporary closure of the schools following the blasts.
The response came after each of the headmasters considered the safety of their teachers, Mr Sanguan said.
The first blast took place at Ban Jud Daeng intersection in tambon Manang Tayo when three soldiers assigned to teacher escort duty were passing by on their pickup truck about 7am.
Chief Warrant Officer Suthep Muankammoon, Pvt Wasant Kaewsaensarn and Pvt Anuchit Jitnin were wounded in the explosion and taken to Narathiwat Ratchanakarin Hospital.
Chief Warrant Officer Suthep was later pronounced dead.
Police blamed separatist militants.
Investigators said the bomb was stuffed in a gas cylinder weighing 25kg, and detonated by a radio signal.
In Cho Airong district, a bomb hidden in a fruit cart went off in front of Ai Satier School in tambon Bukit about 8.40am, wounding volunteer ranger Abdullah Rohim, who was providing security for teachers in the area.
The explosive device was stuffed in a metal box weighing 15kg and detonated by mobile phone signal, police said. Authorities blamed rebels for the attack.
Meanwhile, eight teachers of the Yala Primary Educational Service Area Office 2, have been moved after they raised fears about their safety, Pitsanu Direkkun, deputy director of the office, said.
The teachers have been transferred to safe schools, he said.
Mr Pitsanu said morale has been low among teachers, especially those in insurgency risk areas.
A new wave of transfer requests rolled in after Chonlathee Charoenchol, a teacher at Ban Tanyong School in Narathiwat, was gunned down in the school's canteen last Wednesday.
Half the 14 teachers of Ban Tanyong School asked to move out of the area following their colleague's murder.
Police say they are pursuing leads provided by insurgent suspect Amduelor Kaming, who was arrested following a raid in Narathiwat's Ba Cho district on Tuesday. Officers say he was involved in the group which killed the teacher.