More than 40 villagers arrived at Wachiraprakarn Temple in Raman district in Yala on November 13 for a funeral. They elected to stay, according to its abbot.

And last week about 200 Buddhists from three villages in Than To and Bannang Sata districts fled their homes for refuge at the Nirotsangkharam Temple in Muang district after two neighbours were gunned down by suspected militants.

"We don't have any plans to return to our villages," said Apha Sungworn, a resident of Rusoh's Ba-ngo Bulo village in Narathiwat, "but we would like the authorities to look after the property we have left behind."

A unit of marines has been dispatched to the abandoned villages, but residents were afraid this would not be enough.

Wachiraprakarn Temple abbot Prakru Wichean Kitikul admitted the presence of villagers had taken a toll on the temple but insisted they would be allowed to stay as long as they felt insecure about returning home.

Meanwhile, a border-patrol officer assigned to a local public school was critically wounded yesterday when two suspected militants on a motorcycle shot him from close range.

Pol Sergeant Lertchai Voeharn was attacked as he returned home from a nearby school in Muang district.

The attack came amid growing calls from local educators for increased security for fear more schools would be attacked.

Boonsom Sriplai, leading spokesman for public-schoolteachers in the Muslim-majority South, said violence had forced nearly 50 schools to close over the past two weeks.

At a recent meeting with Education Ministry officials Boonsom proposed the government decide which schools should be closed for security reasons.

Students could be bussed to the closest open school, he said.

The Nation

YALA