Juling Panganmoon has been in a coma in intensive care ever since the mid-May attack. HM the Queen has asked doctors to keep her informed about the teacher's worsening condition.

Songkhla Nakarin Hospital doctors reported on July 7 Juling had contracted a lung infection and her blood pressure was dropping alarmingly.

Hospital director Asst Professor Sumet Theerawuth told reporters yesterday Her Majesty had asked for Juling to be given the best care available.

"Her Majesty is very concerned and would like daily updates from attending physicians," Sumet said.

"Just recently, we had a problem with the fax machine and were unable to send Her Majesty an update. Within an hour of the time the report is usually filed, we received a call from Her Majesty's office asking why the update hadn't been filed."

He added specialists from 11 different hospitals were caring for Juling.

The 24-year-old teacher and a colleague were held hostage and beaten by an angry mob in a remote Narathiwat village in May.

Some 300 villagers were demanding the release of two suspected Muslim militants arrested earlier the same day in connection with the killing of two marines last year. Juling is a Chiang Rai native who volunteered to teach in the strife-torn deep South.

The Nation

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