Chiang Rai residents gather at Juling Pangamoon’s home yesterday to fold origami birds and pray for a miracle to save her life. Juling slipped into a coma after being beaten last Friday by Narathiwat villagers.

Nineteen arrest warrants have been issued for villagers allegedly involved in the incident last week in which two teachers were taken hostage then battered at Kuching Reupah School. One teacher, Juling Pangamoon, subsequently slipped into a coma. Doctors said yesterday that her condition had deteriorated.

Yesterday's arrests were made during a raid on five houses in Kuching Reupah village. Two women - Navari Ding, 23, and Musariha Rohseng, 26 - and the school's male janitor, Niseng Iduere, were arrested. They were taken to Rangae Police Station for questioning.

Seven suspects were arrested on Monday, five of them women.

The hostage taking and severity of Juling's injuries sparked national outrage and condemnation. The competency of the security officials who failed to swiftly rescue the teachers was also called into question.

Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he would soon visit the South to strengthen security there and vowed to visit all problematic areas in the restive region.

Two Muslim leaders of the three southern border provinces yesterday denounced those who attacked the two teachers.

Abdul Lohmae Jehsae, chairman of the Yala Islamic Committee, and Abdul Rohman Abdulsamad, chairman of a coordination centre for Muslims, said those who participated in the attack would not be protected by Islamic groups.

The chairman of the Yala Islamic Committee also denounced the attackers, saying the two teachers were innocent and represented goodness.

 Abdul Rohman Abdulsamad said the villagers should not have even considered attacking the teachers because they were helping children.

Meanwhile, a raid yesterday on a village in Narathiwat's Bacho district nearly provoked another hostage-taking incident. Residents briefly detained the border police and officials who raided Dukasulaow village to arrest Marohso Jantravadi, a suspect in the murders of two marines last year.

"The police and officials were about to bring the suspect out of the village when villagers surrounded them and prevented them from leaving," Narathiwat governor Pracha Therat said. After 15 minutes of negotiations, the villagers allowed the officials to take the suspect to Bacho Police Station for interrogation. A Bt2.5-million reward had been offered for his arrest.

Pracha said the stand-off was "just a misunderstanding".

About 500 police and soldiers were sent to the village soon after the incident was reported.

Amornrat Khemkhao

The Nation

Narathiwat