Teacher gunned down at school in Narathiwat

A teacher was fatally shot in front of students at Ban Tanyong School in Narathiwat's Bacho district yesterday, bringing the teacher death toll in the South to 158.

Chonthee Charoenchon, 51, was shot in the head twice at the school's canteen by one of four suspected insurgents who had arrived on two motorcycles.

Chonthee's keys were snatched from his belt and the attackers made off with the teacher's Nissan sedan.

The assailants were posing as parents, officials said.

Bacho district chief Anan Boonsamran said that because the assailants knew which car belonged to Chonthee, they had probably been following him for a while.

The attack left the school's other teachers and the 292 students shaken. Many were crying.

Narathiwat Educational Office Region 1 chief Atthasit Rattanakaew ordered a temporary closure of the school.