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Teachers told to sleep at schools for their own safety. Teachers close 332 schools in Pattani to pressure for new protective measures.

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Teachers told to bed down at South schools

Prayuth suggests they board for own safety
28/11/2012
Wassana Nanuam & Lamphai Intathep

The army is proposing to have teachers in the violence-plagued far South board at schools to reduce the risk of being attacked by insurgents during their commutes.

Security agencies have tried their best to provide safety for teachers, but the attacks continue, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

Teachers are among the insurgent groups' prime targets and it is impossible to protect them at all times, he said. Teachers regularly travel alone for personal errands and activities.

"The only way to improve safety for teachers is to have them stay overnight at the school so they don't have to travel back and forth, increasing the risk of being attacked," he said.

I know this would not be easy because the teachers have families to take care of, but we have to think of every possible way to protect them.

Militants shot and killed Nanthana Kaewchan, 51, the director of Ban Tha Kam Sam School in Nong Chik district, on Thursday. Nanthana was the 155th teacher killed since the southern violence flared in 2004.

The killing prompted the Confederation of Teachers of Southern Border Provinces (CTSB) to announce the closure of 332 schools in Pattani to pressure for a review of security measures.

Deputy army spokesman Winthai Suwari said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had ordered the Internal Security Operation Command to improve security for teachers in the far South. Providing accommodation for teachers at school would be among measures proposed for teachers' consideration, Col Winthai said. This will also make it easier for security officers to look after the teachers, he said... 

...Yesterday marked the first day of school closures in Pattani.

Most schools appeared lifeless. Only a few children living close by could be seen playing in school grounds.

"Teachers told us on Monday evening that there would be no classes," said a student who was playing with friends in one quiet school playground.

"We can feel our teachers' fear," he said...

(Source: Bangkok Post, Teachers told to bed down at South schools, Prayuth suggests they board for own safety, 28/11/2012, Wassana Nanuam & Lamphai Intathep, link) 


Southern Insurgency Vocabulary

bed down - meaning: sleep at a place  
teachers told to bed down at South schools

board - sleep in a room or dormitory at your school (example: a boarding school)
Prayuth suggests they board for own safety

violence - physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
violence flared - a sudden increase in violence (like fire shooting out in a "flare")
the southern violence flared in 2004

plagued - caused a lot of problems for someone or something for a long period of time ทำให้ยุ่งยาก ลำบากมานาน
violence-plagued - with a lot of violence
the violence-plagued far South

risk - danger, how likely or possible it is for a bad event that causes harm and damage ความเสี่ยง

insurgent - someone who belongs to a group of people fighting to take control of their country or area by force กลุ่มกบฏ
the risk of being attacked by insurgents

commutes - traveling from work to home and back each day เดินทาง
reduce the risk of being attacked by insurgents during their commutes

The army is proposing to have teachers in the violence-plagued far South board at schools to reduce the risk of being attacked by insurgents during their commutes.

security agencies - the military, army, navy, air force, etc

provide - to give someone something that they want or need
provide safety

security agencies have tried their best to provide safety for teachers, but the attacks continue

prime - main or most important ที่สำคัญที่สุด
target - goals or levels you plan to achieve
prime target - the first and most important target

personal - something about only one person (examples: personal habits,  personal problem, etc)
errands - small things that people do that involves going to a place and doing something (example: have to run some errands and buy some food)
personal errands

regularly - often, frequently (every day, every week, every month, for example)
regularly travel alone for personal errands and activities.

improve - to make better ทำให้ดีขึ้น
improve safety for teachers

travel back and forth - to from one place to another place, then go back to first place
have teachers stay overnight at the school so they don't have to travel back and forth, increasing the risk of being attacked

militants - rebels, people who are using guns and military methods to overthrow the government
militants shot and killed her

Militants shot and killed Nanthana Kaewchan, 51, the director of Ban Tha Kam Sam School in Nong Chik district, on Thursday. Nanthana was the 155th teacher killed since the southern violence flared in 2004.

security - the activity of making safe or protecting from harm ความปลอดภัย
measures - actions taken to deal with a problem มาตราการ
security measures - actions taken to make a place safe

review - looking closely at a situation to see of it is ok and acceptable
review of security measures

pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something  ความกดดัน
pressure for a review of security measures

prompted - caused
prompted teachers to announce the closure of 332 schools to pressure for a review of security measures

proposed - suggested (but not yet chosen or decided upon)
consideration - giving careful thought to something before making a decision
measures proposed for teachers' consideration

spokesman - a person who makes official public announcements for an organization
Deputy army spokesman Winthai Suwari

accommodation - a place to stay such as a hotel, apartment or house 
Providing accommodation for teachers at school

security officers - soldiers, police 
will  make it easier for security officers to look after the teachers

appeared lifeless - meaning: there were no people and there was no activity
most schools appeared lifeless

grounds - the area surrounding a building บริเวณ,เขต,สถานที่
school grounds - the area around the buildings of a school

school playground - the place in a school where children play

living close by - living near to the place

only a few children living close by could be seen playing in school grounds