Police have detained nine suspects and are looking for 20 more in connection with the incident at Ban Kuching Reupah School, in which one of the teachers - Juling Pangamoon - was so savagely beaten that she remains in a coma.

The perpetrators are still at large in the three southernmost provinces, said the chief of the investigating team Wongphong Shiewpreecha.

Villagers yesterday urged the authorities to help them resume classes at the school as their children have no place to learn and no other schools are willing to take them.

All the school's teachers left after the incident, resulting in closure of the school.

Madawi Mayahtase, the father of one pupil, said he opposed the idea of sending the children to schools far away as villagers could not afford the transportation costs.

"I cannot afford to send my four children to a school far from our village," he said.

Villagers regretted the incident, he said, adding that the perpetrators were not from the village.

Residents in the three southernmost provinces have been living in fear since the outbreak of violent attacks at the beginning of 2004. The attacks have so far claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people.

Meanwhile, in Yala province, officials found two AK-47 assault rifles in Yarang district, while an M-16 rifle, along with 52 rounds of ammunition, was found in Raman district.

Governor Bounasith Suwannarat urged local residents to cooperate with officials to locate weapons hidden by militants.