Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Thai teachers given permission to carry guns
Press Trust of India Bangkok, April 27
Thailand has given permission to teachers in the violence-wracked Muslim south to carry guns to school to protect themselves, amidst arguments from the defence minister who termed it a "bad idea."
Defence Minister Gen Chetta Thanajaro told reporters he is willing to deploy four soldiers in every school in southern Thailand and arrange for teachers to be escorted by troops to and from their homes.
"I think there is no need for teachers to carry guns because they have to spend a lot of money to buy guns," Chetta said, indicating a discord within the government on how to deal with the continuing violence in the south.
On Monday, Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula ordered provincial governors to give teachers licenses to buy guns if they want to, even though it would mean bringing firearms into the classrooms when the region's 925 schools reopen May 17 after two months of summer holiday.
More than 70 people have been killed in the three southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani this year in attacks blamed on Islamic separatists.
Teachers, who are mostly Thai-speaking Buddhists, have been prime targets of the militants along with monks, policemen and village headmen. Also, dozens of schools, which are usually located away from villages, have been set on fire.
© Hindustan Times Ltd. 2004.