Militants target leading teachers

Secretary general to the Office of the Basic Education Commission Khunying Kasama Worawan na Ayutthaya said the brutal attack on Kesine Timthep, 42, in Pattani on Monday was an example of the change of strategy.

"Kesinee was one of the outstanding teachers in the province. She had worked in the area for a long time and was adored by people and students. This shows that the militants have changed the target of their attacks from normal teachers to outstanding ones in the past few months," she said.

Kesinee was shot in the head in front of her school in Pattani's Sai Buri district while entering Sasanasuksa School.

An eyewitness said one of two men on a motorbike fired at the teacher. Kesine col¬lapsed in front of several students walking with her. She was admitted to a district hospital but the doctors could not save her.

Kesine had taught at the school for nearly 20 years.

Kasama said the min¬itry would take care of Kesinee's family and provided scholarships for her children.

She requested school administrators in the deep South provinces to monitor the situation carefully and take more care of the teachers.

"If a teacher repeatedly receives threats from militants, he or she should be given priority to be transferred out of the area," she said.

Kasama also referred to closing many southern schools because of the vio¬lence, saying it was up to the schools whether to suspend classes until the situation improved.

For students whose classes were suspended, they should be compensated with extra classes so that they could keep up with their studies.

The ministry would also provide textbooks for students to study at home, she said.