PM stands by Thaworn as more die in south

Police inspect the debris of a motorcycle that was damaged in a bomb attack inside Pattani’s Sai Buri police station yesterday. Insurgents hid explosives on the vehicle and lured the police into bringing it into the station. The blast killed one officer a

Abhisit said he sympathised with Thaworn, whom he said had been working actively dealing with the southern problems.

"It is not an easy job. I have followed his work. Thaworn visits the area frequently and is not aloof in dealing with the matter," the prime minister said.

When asked about mounting disappointment over Thaworn's performance, Abhisit said he saw no reason why the deputy interior minister should be replaced.

The premier said in response to the recent surge of violence in the deep South, he had instructed security authorities to alter their tactics in the face of a changing environment. He said the key to restoring peace in the region was to ensure justice and fair opportunities and to get rid of distrust among local people.

Thaworn said yesterday he believed the proposal by the opposition Pheu Thai Party for him to be replaced by Democrat MP Nipon Bunyamanee was an attempt to create a rift within the ruling party.

"It's just a game by the opposite side to create a rift. They are trying to have me removed even though the efforts to solve the southern problems have been on the right path," he said.

In a related development, a group of Buddhist monks from the deep South yesterday submitted a petition to the prime minister asking for a swift solution to the chronic insurgency problem.

The monks handed their petition to the PM's deputy secretarygeneral, Panitan Watanayagorn.

Phra Maha Surin Panyathipo, a monk from Pattani, said Buddhist monks in more than 70 local temples have been affected by the renewed violence as they are unable to make morning alms rounds. "Monks in three to four temples are starving because Buddhists have moved out of the area," the monk said.

In Pattani yesterday, suspected Muslim insurgents set off a bomb that killed two policemen and fatally shot a Buddhist teacher, police said.

The homemade bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded outside Pattani's Sai Buri district police station, killing a policeman instantly and injuring two others. One of the injured officers later died in hospital.

The bomb exploded as the policemen were removing the motorcycle from a pickup truck for investigation after it was found abandoned on a road.

In a separate incident, the 55yearold teacher was riding a motorcycle to her school in Yala when at least two assailants killed her in a driveby shooting.