Sanya Suwannapho, president of Yala Teachers Federation, complained that authorities were completely unable to contain the violence and only repeated the same promises every time to teachers.

He was speaking after a meeting with Khunying Kasama Warawan, secretary-general of the Primary Education Committee, in Yala. Kasama visited the region to give teachers moral support after the brutal murders of two teachers who were set on fire after being shot.

"All of us are bored of meetings with senior officials and listening to old security plans which never work," Sanya said, adding that the government should adjust its tactics to deal with the situation.

"Please do not merely talk about reconciliation - it does not work," Sanya said. The government should employ tough measures to bring down the militants, he added.

BLAZE AFTERMATH :Bo Bae buildings face demolition

Buildings ravaged by an eight-hour fire at Bo Bae Market might be demolished for safety reasons, deputy city governor Bannasophit Mekwichai said yesterday while visiting the site with engineers from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Department of Public Works.

"The pillars have been deformed and will likely not be safe for future use," she said, adding that a final decision would be made after the department completed its inspection.

PRACHARAJ PARTY :Snoh invites Adireksarn clan to join

Former Thai Rak Thai chief adviser Snoh Thienthong offered the influential Adireksarn political clan a place in his Pracharaj Party  during a New Year visit to 94-year-old former Chat Thai Party chief Pramarn Adireksarn's residence on Saturday.

Snoh said he set up the party in order to allow people like Pramarn's son Pongpol, acting deputy leader of Thai Rak Thai, to join. "But we must see what the political situation is in future," he said, adding that he hoped 2007 would be a better year for Thailand.

Pongol was noncommittal about Snoh's offer and instead urged the coup makers to return power to the people so that elections could by held by the year's end as promised.

Pongpol said he was worried how the Council for National Security (CNS) would handle the situation as they were not used to being involved in politics. He also complained that some of the previous administration's useful projects had been discontinued.

HIV/AIDS :Newborn infections see decline

The Public Health Ministry's six-year-programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/Aids has succeeded in reducing the rate to only 8 per cent, said a senior official.

Dr Siriporn Kanchana, head of inspectors at the ministry, said the number of infants contracting the virus from their mothers in 2006 was only 8 per cent out of 8,000-9,000 babies. This was much less than in 2000, the programme's first year, when there were 2,000-2,500 cases, equivalent to 26 per cent, she said.