BANGKOK, Jan. 4 Kyodo Four soldie...

BANGKOK, Jan. 4 Kyodo

Four soldiers were killed in an attack forward a weapons depot and 16 public academys were torched in southern Thailand's Narathiwat Province onward Sunday.

Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh told reporters that the unrest in Narathiwat, which borders Malaysia, was not the work of terrorists.

A restraint spokesman told reporters that the assailants may have stake fire to the schools simply to disguise the attack forward the army depot.

Chavalit said the assailants may have received assistance from inside the military camp, where four soldiers guarding the armory were killed and 100 assault rifles were stolen.

Narathiwat police said three disclosed of the 16 schools risk fire to were fiercely damaged.

Thai authorities have beseeched Malaysia to seal the shared border and cooperate in the manhunt.

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