SEPARATIST GROUP Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) yesterday admitted that its cell in southernmost Narathiwat province was responsible for the bomb attack in front of a school in Tak Bai district that killed a five-year old schoolgirl and her father on Tuesday.

“It was a big mistake since the BRN has no policy to target civilians,” a BRN source told The Nation.

The juwae, or militants, had aimed to attack only security forces after classes started, the source said.

The bomb went off at 8.30am, when children and educators were supposed to be inside the school building, he said.

The blast, which killed three people and wounded many police, raised an uproar and elicited widespread condemnation by authorities, civic groups and local residents, almost all of whom are Muslim.

Mayeng Wohba, 36, and his daughter Mintra, 5, were killed instantly while riding a motorbike to school, while bystander Talmisi Mada-oh, 23, died later.

About 500 Tak Bai residents led by Safahi Jehloh, chairman of the Narathiwat Islamic Committee, went yesterday morning to the Ban Taba School to condemn the perpetrators behind the attack.

Gathering in the school’s courtyard, they joined in a Muslim prayer and parade condemning the violence, while officials led by Governor Sitthichai Sakda looked on.

Sitthichai presented Bt500,000 in initial compensation to Mayeng’s elder sister Saidong, who along with other relatives will take care of his six-year-old son.

Sitthichai also received Bt30,000 in contributions raised by TV Channel 3’s Rueng Lao Chao Nee Foundation to aid those affected by the bombing before visiting damaged shops.

The bombing in front of Ban Taba School prompted officers guarding other schools in Tak Bai to increase security and prohibit vehicles from parking in front of schools.

Sitthichai said he had discussed with security officers surveying at-risk areas in 13 districts for analysis before they would implement a “safe public zones” scheme later.

Kannikar Saengthong, director-general of the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, condemned the Ban Taba School bombing as a serious violation of human rights. She said the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre would provide Bt500,000 to each dead victim’s surviving family and Bt10,000 to the wounded.

More money could be provided for medical bills.

Colonel Peerawat Saengthong, spokesman for the Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc), offered his condolences to the deceased victims’ families as well as the wounded and those suffering property damage.

Officers were protecting innocent people and “weak targets” such as schools, hospitals, hotels and railways, he said.

Those behind the attack were cruel and had no regard for the damage done to residents, he added. There were dimensions besides separatism to the deep South violence including threats from those involved in vice, drug traffickers, criminals and influential figures, Peerawat said.

Isoc was trying to solve the problem by working with other agencies to reduce the violence, he added.

Authorities in Bangkok have struggled to restore peace in the deep South but a plan to establish a peace process with Mara Patani, an umbrella organisation of insurgent groups, has not yet produced tangible results.

General Aksara Kerdphol, the chief Thai negotiator, said he did not believe the many attacks in recent weeks – including the bombings and arson attacks in seven provinces including six in the upper South and last week’s bomb attack on a train – were to gain bargaining power in the peace talks.

Mara Patani itself had never claimed responsibility for recent incidents, he said.

The latest violent incident was a roadside bombing yesterday that wounded two soldiers on security patrol at Ban Thong Pho School in Pattani’s Nongchik district.