SOUTH CRISIS
Alarms for all schools in South
The Nation


A teacher at Manangyong School in Pattani yesterday selects boxes of school milk not burnt after an arson attack at the school on Sunday. This was one of six schools targeted in the insurgency-wracked border province.

Army vows tighter security after Pattani attacks

BANGKOK: -- The torching of six schools in Pattani's Thung Yang Daeng district on Sunday will be studied so that better security, fire safety and warning measures can be implemented at all schools in the strife-torn deep South, a military spokesman said yesterday.

Deputy Defence Minister and Army commander General Udomdej Sitabutr wants a warning system that can be remotely operated from a communications centre to be installed at all schools throughout the region, military spokesman Colonel Banphot Phoolphian said.

Banphot said more security volunteers would be used as night security at schools on top of the volunteers currently guarding villages, while teams of volunteers at tambon level would patrol routes and roads between villages.

Speaking after the Army meeting to discuss Sunday's incident at its Bangkok headquarters, he said the military would set up quick-reaction teams and regular units would provide constant patrols to be on the lookout for insurgents or hunt them down.

The communications centre, to be operated by civilians and security authorities, would be established to keep all relevant authorities updated on the latest information.

Banphot said border patrol police officers and additional military units would be mobilised as backup, while searches and raids must be conducted to find the culprits behind the arson attacks. There must not be another school torched.

These new measures would be evaluated every six months and were part of the Thung Yang Daeng Model, which would be used as the blueprint for other schools in the region.

The spokesman said Army chief General Udomdej Sitabutr had ordered the repair of the schools before the new semester begins early next month.

He said if a school was not repaired in time, Udomdej wanted students relocated to a nearby school or tents to be erected for them to study in.

The general vowed a budget would be approved to construct new buildings at the schools within six months.

The Office of Basic Education Commission yesterday gave Bt400,000 in initial aid money to each of the schools.

OBEC chief Kamol Rodkhlai said that Deputy Education Minister Lt-General Surachet Chaiwong would visit the schools and others schools on Friday.

Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvari said both Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan were "deeply concerned" over the students' welfare, although the attacks caused no casualties as they were meant to have a demoralising effect.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Alarms-for-all-schools-in-South-30245427.html


-- The Nation 2014-10-14

These volunteers have been outmanned, outgunned since 2004. They are brave, but not so effective.