The fire broke out at 5am inside a ground floor classroom of a half-concrete half-wood two-storey building. But school janitor Ngam Jamniankul managed to put the fire out. At the time, on-duty teacher Ketwalai Khamhuareu was sleeping in a nearby building while another on-duty teacher was on sick leave.

Ban Taleng School has 417 students from Kindergarten to Mathayom 3 level and employs 18 teachers.

Police suspected arsonists - or carelessness - caused the fire and would investigate the break-in, Provincial Police Region 3 Deputy Commander Maj-Gen Surasi Sunthornsanthoon said.

Meanwhile, Region 3 police spokesman Colonel Korakot Sariya announced the investigation into Monday night's fire at the Na Pho district's Chumchon Na Pho School that caused damage in excess of Bt1 million, was probably due to arson

Police had already summoned 20 witnesses but still had to wait for forensic results, the officer said, confirming that the investigation would be finished soon.

As for the Ban Taleng School fire, Korakot said he was initially informed that the teachers and school director had had conflicts previously - which police would further look into.

But school director Khomin Phaewpolsong said there were no conflicts prior to the blaze. He said the arsonists were not experts - or they would have burnt the wooden second floor to maximise damage. So the fire was probably an attempt by an ill-intention group to create chaos.

The Nation

BURI RAM