A 200-strong group has ended a protest in Kapho district after provincial officials agreed to bail a man suspected of murder and insurgent attacks.

The group of mostly women and children ended their two-day protest following successful negotiations to free the man.

The protesters began gathering in front of the district hall at about 10am yesterday demanding the release of Sama-ae Jeha. He had been arrested several days earlier in connection with murder and violence in the South.

He was detained at a Pattani prison.

Two relatives among the protesters said militants active in the area had forced them to join the protest. It was aimed at creating trouble, they said, because most protesters were from other areas.

Officials tried to cool tensions by having the suspect's father tell protesters Sama-ae had asked them to end the stand-off. Demonstrators refused to speak with the father.

Pattani Deputy Governor Apinant Chantarangsi failed to convince protesters Sama-ae wanted them to stop the demonstration.

Some 50 women heading to the protest were stopped by officials and convinced to return home.

The protest ended about 4pm following the intervention of Pattani Islamic Committee chairman Waeduramae Mamingji.

The suspect will be freed on Bt700,000 bail today.

Deep South residents often stage protests to force authorities to free detainees they believe are innocent.

Meanwhile on Thursday night in Narathiwat a Sungai Padi school was destroyed by fire. Police suspect arson.

Nearby, a six-strong military patrol was unharmed after a bomb exploded.

In Si Sakhon district a group of border police survived an ambush.

A spate of violence erupted in the region at the beginning of 2004 and has claimed more than 1,900 lives.

The Nation

PATTANI