Army hunts for arsonists
The army is hunting for arsonists who set fires on six schools in Pattani province on Sunday early morning.
Army Commander in Chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr has assigned the fourth army region that oversees the southern region to find the culprits, an army spokesman said Monday.
The spokesman said the army believed the arson of six schools should probably be attributed to the success of the government in arresting several key figures of insurgents and the seizure of a large amount of weapons in the past.
A total of six schools in three districts of Pattani were burnt to the ground when the arsonists set fire on them at about 2.30am.
The army chief is very concerned about the incidents and ordered Lt Gen Prakan Chonlayuth, the commander, to speedily evaluate damages and to help the affected people.
He called for the arrest of the culprits to proceed with the judicial process, said the spokesman.
Pattani Deputy Governor Sompoch Suwannarat said that he believed the arsonists intended to damage property rather than hurt officials.
