5 Schools Burned, 2 Officials Attacked

Suspected Islamic insurgents burned five public schools and wounded two officials in Thailand’s mostly Muslim south.

The assailants doused the schools with gasoline and set them on fire almost simultaneously in Pattani province, burning down at least one building and slightly damaging the others, a police colonel said.

A motorcycle-riding assailant opened fire on an assistant district chief in charge of security matters. He was in critical condition, officials said. Soonthorn Rittipakdee, deputy governor for Pattani, was also ambushed and shot, police said.