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Two gunned down in southern Thailand
A Muslim religious teacher and his friend were killed in a drive-by shooting in the southern province of Narathiwat Monday evening, prompting provincial authorities to call a meeting to revise security measures for teachers on Tuesday.

Abdulrosah Baha, a teacher of Islam, 25, and his 19-year-old friend, Yakoh Samae, were gunned down by terrorists suspected insurgents as they left a religious school in Rangae district Monday evening. Mr. Abdulrosah was shot in his face and torso, while Mr. Yakoh was shot in the back of his head. Both died at the scene, according to Pol. Col. Nitinai Langyanhai, superintendent of Rangae police station. Police and security personnel found at least 25 spent M16 cartridges at the scene of the attack. According to an initial investigation, Mr. Abdulrosah is a classmate of Masae U-seng, a key jihadi insurgent with an arrest warrant and a five million baht bounty offered for his head.

Meanwhile, Narathiwat deputy governor Thanon Vejjakornkanont convened a meeting on Tuesday with administrators from 78 schools in the three violence-prone districts. Participants discussed revising and improving the existing teacher protection plan following rumours of a plot to kill 50 teachers by terrorists presumed insurgents. At the same time, security forces also asked for co-operation from teachers, requesting that they inform a teacher protection unit every time they travel regardless of official hours, so that an appropriate security plan will be provided.

Attasit Ratanklaew of Narathiwat's Educational District Office 1 revealed that a rumour about a plot to kill teachers terrified teachers in the areas, so security will be tightened stringently throughout the semester, but he advised the teachers not in any case to be reckless. Mr. Attasit acknowledged that a number of teachers in Raman district have submitted requests to transfer out of the area as fear rose after recent fatal attacks on teachers. He said if the teachers continue to ask to move out of the district, this will affect the quality and amount of schooling which can be offered. Consequently, he said, security must be tightened to restore confidence among teachers.
Posted by: ryuge 2009-06-30
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=273240