NARATHIWAT, April 19 – A school building was set on fire here Wednesday night and a bomb exploded nearby, targeting government personnel, but no one was wounded in either incident on the eve of the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa, who oversees national security, and Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha.
The two-storey Ban Ta Ngo School was destroyed after being set ablaze when defence volunteers guarding the school went to perform prayers. Traces of gasoline were found in the remains of classroom, where the fire had been set.
About 300 metres from the burned out school building, an explosive device placed in a 20kg fire extinguisher was triggered by radio control, apparently targeting the response team of state security personnel.
Pol Col Prayong Khotsakha, superintendent of Cho Ai Rong police station, led three pickup truckloads carrying 30 police and soldiers to inspect the scene.
An unknown number of attackers believed hiding in a rubber plantation detonated a bomb buried beneath the road surface when the three vehicles passed.
Police said that suspected insurgents likely set the school building afire to ambush the responding police vehicles in retaliation for their operations cracking down on insurgents. No one was wounded in the incidents.
Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa and Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha are visiting the violence-plagued southern border region today.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for the South, Gen Prayuth said he would visit local authorities’ operations to ensure their implementation of government policies is in line with the strategies of the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC).
On the eve of the eighth anniversary of the Krue Se incident on April 28, the army chief said he had placed security personnel on high alert with checkpoints being set up by all units as well as increased intelligence work and reducing public misunderstanding.
Both officials first visited a military camp in Pattani to review intelligence operations there and hear progress on the investigation of the March 31 car bombings in the Yala and Hat Yai business district.
Local intelligence reported the number of attacks has dropped but the authorities must remain vigilant as they have not received full cooperation from local residents, the army chief said.
“I ordered officials to work hard all the time and they are now implementing policies directed by government-appointed committees to tackle southern violence,” Gen Prayuth said.
