Thai Teachers Now Learn To Shoot Back

[Jai Dee]

Thai teachers now learn to shoot back

44 teachers have been killed by bombs and bullets of an Islamic insurgency since 2004, so now they are being taught to fight back

Public school teachers learn to shoot during target practice at the Chulabhorn naval base in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand. Teaching school has become one of the most deadly jobs in southern Thailand after a simmering Islamic insurgency

Chulabhorn Naval Base (Thailand): When you pull the trigger, you’ve got to keep steady,” the instructor sternly tells the elementary school teachers. “If your hand is shaking you can’t shoot.”

Teachers have one of the deadliest jobs in southern Thailand, with 44 killed by the bombs and bullets of an Islamic insurgency since 2004.

So the teachers are learning how to shoot back.

The Chulabhorn naval base, on the Gulf of Thailand in Narathiwat province, opened its heavily guarded gates on a recent today to a training course for 100 public school teachers, mostly Buddhist men and women who say bringing a gun to school has become essential.

“You’d never see a teacher anywhere else in Thailand carrying a gun,” said Sanguan Jintarat, head of the Teachers’ Association that oversees the 15,000 teachers in the villages and towns of the restive south. “But, we need them, or we’ll die.”

That teachers, not to mention Buddhist monks, bank tellers and motorcycle mechanics ave become targets in the insurgency illustrates how badly law and order has degenerated in southern Thailand since the violence flared in January 2004.

At first insurgents targeted mainly civil servants, soldiers and police officers. Attacks then spread to businesses that serve soldiers: restaurants, outdoor markets, garages.

And now come attacks that seem to have no rationale at all, such as the murder last month of an elephant trainer who was shot seven times by gunmen who had lined up with children to buy tickets for a show.

“You’d never see a teacher anywhere else in Thailand carrying a gun. But, we need them, or we’ll die”

Source: Mumbai Mirror - 12 September 2006

[sriracha john]

Source: Mumbai Mirror - 12 September 2006

sriracha john 2006-09-09 19:24:07

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=885938

nostrel 2006-09-10 02:57:43

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...st&p=886264

one article... three posts on three threads in three different forums.... but "I'm" claiming seniority....

the Mumbai Mirror is done in by the crack Bangkok Herald-Examiner...

the Mumbai Mirror...

Edited September 12, 2006 by sriracha john

[Jai Dee]

OK... you get an extra gold star this time SJ...

[sriracha john]

OK... you get an extra gold star this time SJ...

I'd trade it all in if it would help resolve the issue of the article... which is no laughing matter and heart-wrenching...

[boppia]

I'll do it but give me an M-16 with a grenade launcher, 50 grenades, a few landmines to put outside the classroom doors and windows and a tank.

[richard10365]

Being an old retired soldier, I wonder if I could get a work permit teaching them how to shoot an M16?

[wolf5370]

Great if it isn't bad enough with BIB being armed and shooting up bars everytime they've had a couple of sherbets, now we'll have teachers too!

Johny, did you do your homework? No? Boom! Bring it tomorrow or I'll blow the other leg off.

[sriracha john]

Being an old retired soldier, I wonder if I could get a work permit teaching them how to shoot an M16?

Let me know if you're successful, Richard. Perhaps I could get one as well for imparting my knowledge of the Tomahawk Cruise Missle.

btw, your "som nah na" series of posts yesterday in the other thread were top-notch and right on.

there's hope for the Army yet...

take it easy up there..

[Scott]

I am not against teachers protecting themselves. It's the students I am concerned about--I know a few teachers that would like to thin out their classes and get rid of the dead weight!!

[astral]

More weapons available for the insurgents to steal..........

An awful example to the pupils.

[niteowl]

I am not against teachers protecting themselves. It's the students I am concerned about--I know a few teachers that would like to thin out their classes and get rid of the dead weight!!

Every teacher I knew (including me), has fantasized about that on occasion.

But, on a serious note - the insurgents have fairly consistently sought "soft" targets. If the teachers become "hard" targets, then that leaves the students themselves... and then what?

[sriracha john]

I am not against teachers protecting themselves. It's the students I am concerned about--I know a few teachers that would like to thin out their classes and get rid of the dead weight!!

Every teacher I knew (including me), has fantasized about that on occasion.

But, on a serious note - the insurgents have fairly consistently sought "soft" targets. If the teachers become "hard" targets, then that leaves the students themselves... and then what?

I suppose the natural progression of things would be for the teachers to impart their knowledge of small arms cleaning and firing stances and stealth defensive moves to their students with the resulting news of the future being:

First Grader Takes Out A Platoon of Insurgents

Sombat "Rambo" Shootemup, a 6 year-old first grader, at Yala Municipal School #2, emptied a full 30-round banana clip from his M-16 at a platoon of insurgents who had been seen following him home from school today.

"They were making a move on me, so I took out the whole bloody lot of them," a confident Sombat said afterwards. He went on to say that the tactical training he received during recess at school was the critical factor in saving his life. His shaken, but proud father Somdet, exclaimed, "That's my boy!"