Teachers stay despite violence | Bangkok Post: learning

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Government teachers in the deep South are staying, but want better security

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Adapted from two stories in today's Bangkok Post by Anucha Charoenpo

A soldier stands guard inside a school in Yala’s Bannang Sata district following the killing of two teachers in Narathiwat last week. MUHAMMAD AYUB PATHAN

Government teachers in schools in Thailand’s restive southernmost provinces must feel a little better after yesterday’s cabinet meeting.

The cabinet granted all the requests submitted by the Teachers Federation in the South. This means teachers in the area will receive higher pay, better insurance and families of teachers killed will receive seven times more money than they receive now.

Of course, no one wants to get killed, so security is still the biggest unresolved issue for the teachers. Federation teachers want Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban to visit the region and see for himself what needs to be done.

Federation chairman Boonsom Thongsriplai said the army was unable to protect teachers and local people because most of the recruits in the region were inexperienced.

‘‘These soldiers lack the experience and knowledge necessary to work effectively in these areas,’’ he said.

‘‘They also don’t know how to deal with local Muslim people appropriately.’’

Getting more experienced officers will take time and, for now at least, the teachers will be forced to live with the violence.

Most of them seem willing to do so out of concern for their students.

Nartruedee: ‘‘If I leave them behind, who will be responsible for their future?’

Nartruedee Chobthammuean, director of Ban Manang Kumae Primary School in Yala’s Bannang Sata, said she pitied students of all religions in the deep South as they all were forced to live with violence. ‘‘If I leave them behind, who will be responsible for their future?’’ Ms Nartruedee asked.

Sujee Boonlimteng, director of Ban Pawang Primary School in Bannang Sata district has no plans to leave either.

Although frightened by the recent killing of two teachers in Narathiwat’s Rangae district, Ms Sujee vowed to continue with her duties at the school. Grooming students to be good citizens is too important a task to abandon, she said.

‘‘I won’t go anywhere. I still have a duty to fulfil.’’

You can see the original stories here: http://bit.ly/9QH6jr  and http://bit.ly/doaTeu  

violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
restive – (of a group of people) impatient or becoming difficult to control because they are dissatisfied ไม่สงบ ควบคุมยาก วุ่นวาย
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
grant – to officially give something  ให้
request – an act of asking for something in a formal or polite way การขอร้อง
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
federation – a large organisation made up of several smaller organisations or groups that share similar aims สหพันธ์, สมาคม
insurance – an arrangement in which you regularly pay an insurance company an amount of money so that they will give you money if something you own is damaged, lost, or stolen, or if you die or are ill or injured การประกัน
unresolved – (of a dispute; disagreement, etc.) not having been settled; not having reached an agreement ค้าง
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
recruit – a new member of the armed forces ทหารใหม่
effectively – producing the result that was intended ได้ผลดี
appropriately – suitably or right for a particular situation or purpose  ที่เหมาะสม
concern – a worry ความกังวล
pity – to have a strong feeling of sympathy that you have for someone because they are very unhappy or in a bad situation สงสาร
recent – happening or starting a short time ago  เร็วๆ นี้
vow – to make a formal and serious promise to do something สาบาน, ปฏิญาณ
groom – to prepare someone for a particular job or activity by giving them special training and attention เตรียมการ, เตรียมตัว
good citizen – a good member of society who works and behaves responsibly พลเมืองดี
task – something that you have to do หน้าที่; ภารกิจ
abandon – to stop doing an activity before you have finished it เลิก