Teacher shot during lunch break
2005-05-31 14:40
Bangkok - A teacher has been shot dead by suspected Islamic separatists in the restive Thailand south as he was taking a lunch break, said police on Tuesday.
Somchai Chantasuwan, 53, a Buddhist teacher at Thanam school in Panare district, Pattani province, was shot once in the head by unidentified gunmen on Monday. He was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.
Police said the killing was "part of the unrest in three southern provinces".
More than 680 people had been killed in Thailand's deep south since January 2004 when an attack on a military base triggered a violent uprising that authorities had blamed on Islamic separatists.
Since then, the region had been gripped by almost daily shootings, stabbings and bombings targeted at security forces, government officials, civil servants, Buddhist monks and civilians.
State schools and police checkpoints had also been torched in arson attacks.
- AFP