A female teacher was killed by a stray bullet during a battle between rangers and militants who attacked Ban Cho Kuyae School in Pattani's Sai Buri district early Wednesday, reports said.
A group of militants driving a water truck broke into the school compound about 2am, but there was fuel inside the tank, not water, police said.
The militants sprayed the fuel onto three houses in the compound, which were being used as the operations base for troops from Rangers Company 4202, and then threw a bomb at the buildings, setting them on fire.
Ranger based at the school opened fire on the attackers, and one ranger was wounded during the fight. However, a stray bullet hit Waena Bungo, 55, a teacher at Ban Cho Kuyae School who was sleeping on the second floor of a nearby house in compound. She was killed instantly in her sleep.
The militants retreated, leaving the truck on Highway 42 (Pattani-Narathiwat) after setting fire to it.
Officials said the burnt-out truck belonged to the Kadunong tambon administration organisation (TAO) in Sai Buri district. It was stolen from the office of the TAO about 8pm on Tuesday.
Militants had emptied the water tank and put fuel in it before heading for the school.
The attack was one of several violent incidents in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla on Wednesday morning.
Bombs were also planted at 26 automated teller machines (ATMs), police said.